Angled Flow Dividers for Trailing Edge Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine components face increased cooling loads due to higher gas path temperatures, which can reduce service life and efficiency, and existing cooling techniques may not effectively manage these temperatures across different spool configurations and pressures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a cooling configuration for gas turbine engine components, including airfoils, with a trailing edge cooling passageway and strategically positioned flow dividers that shape and direct cooling fluid flow to enhance convective heat transfer and prevent fluid separation, utilizing variously angled and shaped flow dividers to optimize cooling fluid distribution and expulsion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If higher gas path temperatures and pressure ratios are used to increase efficiency, then turbine performance and efficiency improve, but service life and reliability deteriorate due to increased stress and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling passageway is segmented into multiple sections with different flow divider configurations. First flow dividers have a first configuration, second flow dividers have a second configuration, and third flow dividers have a third configuration. This segmentation allows different regions of the airfoil to receive optimized cooling appropriate to their specific thermal and flow conditions, enabling the airfoil to withstand higher operating temperatures while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different flow divider configurations are applied at different locations along the airfoil. The first flow dividers (axially elongated pedestals) are positioned in the mid-span region, while second flow dividers (with angled longitudinal axes) are positioned near the tip section. This local differentiation optimizes cooling fluid distribution for each specific region's thermal requirements, allowing the airfoil to operate at higher temperatures without compromising service life.
2Reliability
If active cooling is applied to prevent damage from high temperatures, then service life and reliability improve, but device complexity increases due to additional cooling systems
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow divider functions are merged into a single integrated cooling passageway structure. The first, second, and third flow dividers all operate within the same cooling passageway, directing cooling fluid through different paths to reach various regions of the airfoil. This merging approach provides comprehensive cooling coverage while avoiding the complexity of separate cooling systems for different airfoil regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow dividers are designed with varying orientations and configurations along the airfoil length. Second flow dividers have longitudinal axes offset by different angles (first angle, second angle, third angle) relative to the airfoil chord line, creating dynamic flow distribution that adapts to the varying thermal conditions along the airfoil. This dynamic configuration optimizes cooling effectiveness without requiring complex active control systems.
3Temperature
If cooling fluid flow is increased to reduce operating temperatures, then temperature control improves, but energy losses increase due to mixing of airstreams
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts and separates different cooling fluid streams into distinct flow paths defined by the first, second, and third flow dividers. By channeling cooling fluid through separate regions of the cooling passageway with different divider configurations, the system prevents premature mixing of airstreams. This extraction approach maintains cooling effectiveness while minimizing energy losses that would result from turbulent mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow dividers act as intermediary structures that guide and separate cooling fluid streams. Second flow dividers with angled configurations serve as mediators between the main cooling passageway and the tip section cooling regions. These intermediaries direct flow in controlled paths, preventing direct mixing of airstreams while still achieving comprehensive cooling coverage across the airfoil surface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This cooling configuration effectively reduces operating temperatures, increases service life, and maintains engine efficiency by ensuring uniform cooling fluid distribution and minimizing losses due to mixing of airstreams, thereby improving the performance and reliability of gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
strategically positioned flow dividers that shape and direct cooling fluid flow to enhance convective heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
strategically positioned flow dividers that shape and direct cooling fluid flow to enhance convective heat transfer and prevent fluid separation
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas turbine engine component includes an airfoil extending radially from a root section to a tip section and having a trailing edge cooling passageway and first, second and third flow dividers in the cooling passageway. The first, second and third flow dividers have longitudinal axes that are angled based upon a position of the flow divider relative to the tip section of the airfoil.