Angled Impingement Cooling for Gas Turbine Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine components face reduced efficiency and cooling effectiveness due to particulate accumulation, which is exacerbated by stagnation and low momentum air flow, leading to increased temperatures and blocked cooling apertures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of angled impingement cooling with an array of openings at non-orthogonal angles to the surface, creating counterflows and directing cooling fluid between or onto cooling features to reduce particulate accumulation and enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If additional flow is used to increase surface cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but internal cooling feature effectiveness is deemphasized and more compressed air is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow direction parameter by using angled impingement openings instead of orthogonal openings, and changes the cooling strategy from purely surface cooling to a combined approach that also cools internal features, thereby improving overall cooling effectiveness without proportionally increasing air consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple functional zones: impingement cooling regions for surface cooling and channel-shaped cooling features for internal feature cooling, allowing differentiated cooling strategies to be applied to different areas with different thermal requirements
2Temperature
If cooling circuits are used to cool engine components, then component temperature is reduced, but particulate accumulation occurs due to stagnation and low momentum air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic flow patterns through angled impingement openings that create high momentum cooling flows, preventing stagnation and reducing particulate accumulation while maintaining effective cooling, thereby making the cooling system more adaptive to particulate mitigation requirements
3Temperature
If orthogonal openings are used for impingement cooling, then cooling flow is directed through channels, but stagnation and recirculation of air flow occur leading to particulate accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric angled openings instead of symmetric orthogonal openings, creating non-uniform flow patterns that prevent stagnation zones and recirculation, thereby reducing particulate accumulation while maintaining cooling effectiveness
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 approach effectively reduces particulate accumulation, improves cooling efficiency, and maintains component temperatures by utilizing angled impingement cooling to counteract stagnation and low momentum air flow issues.
Implementation Method 1
an array of openings disposed at an angle to a surface to provide angled impingement flow of cooling fluid through cooling channels
Implementation Method 2
the openings extending through the second component at a non-orthogonal angle to the surface of the second component... creating counterflows
Data Source
AI summary
Gas turbine engine components are provided which utilize an insert to provide cooling air along a cooled surface of an engine component. The insert provides cooling holes or apertures which face the cool side surface of the engine component and direct cooling air onto that cool side surface. The apertures may be formed in arrays and directed at an oblique or a non-orthogonal angle to the surface of the insert and may be at an angle to the surface of the engine component being cooled. An engine component assembly is provided with counterflow impingement cooling, comprising an engine component cooling surface having a cooling fluid flow path on one side and a second component adjacent to the first component. The second component may have a plurality of openings forming an array wherein the openings extend through the second component at a non-orthogonal angle to the surface of the second component.