Angled Pedestal Truss for Gas Turbine Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine components, such as turbine vanes and blades, face high stresses and thermal challenges due to operating temperatures exceeding material limits, necessitating effective cooling and structural support solutions.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of pedestals within cooling channels forms a truss-like structure, alternatingly converging towards walls at angles between 10 and 90 degrees relative to the component's longitudinal and radial axes, enhancing thermal conductivity and reducing stresses by directing cooling airflow and modifying stress profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional pedestals are used in cooling channels, then structural support is provided, but high stress levels occur during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The pedestal structure is segmented into multiple discrete pedestals arranged in a truss-like pattern, where each pedestal is angled between 10-90 degrees relative to the flow direction. This segmentation distributes structural support functions across multiple elements, reducing the stress burden on individual pedestals while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pedestals are oriented at angles between 10-90 degrees relative to the flow direction, introducing a dimensional change from traditional axial alignment. This angular orientation creates a truss-like structure that leverages geometric configuration to reduce stress concentrations while maintaining structural support functionality.
2Strength
If traditional pedestals are used in cooling channels, then structural support is provided, but thermal conductivity between outer surfaces and cooling flow is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pedestals are strategically positioned and angled to create localized thermal conduction pathways at critical locations within the cooling channel. By orienting pedestals at specific angles between 10-90 degrees, the design enhances thermal conductivity at the interface between outer surfaces and cooling flow, ensuring effective heat transfer where most needed while maintaining structural support.
3Temperature
If cooling airflow is increased to cool components, then thermal conditioning is improved, but stress on pedestals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pedestal arrangement is designed to dynamically respond to cooling airflow conditions. By configuring pedestals at angles between 10-90 degrees in a truss-like structure, the system adapts to varying flow conditions, distributing aerodynamic and thermal loads more effectively across the pedestal network, thereby reducing individual pedestal stress while maintaining effective thermal conditioning.
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 configuration improves thermal energy transfer and stress management, allowing components to operate within safe temperature ranges while reducing the risk of structural failure and optimizing thermal conditioning.
Implementation Method 1
increase thermal conductivity between the outer surfaces of the component and the cooling flow passing therethrough
Implementation Method 2
rely on cooling airflow to cool the components during operation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A gas turbine engine component includes a body defining a cooling inlet (34) and a cooling outlet (38) in fluid communication through a cooling channel (44) extending through the body, and a plurality of pedestals (48) positioned in the cooling channel. The plurality of pedestals arranged such that the adjacent pedestals alternatingly converge toward a first wall of the cooling channel and toward a second wall, opposite the first wall. A gas turbine engine (10) includes a combustor (18), and a plurality of gas turbine engine components positioned in fluid communication with the combustor. Each component includes a body defining a cooling inlet and a cooling outlet in fluid communication through a cooling channel extending through the body. A plurality of pedestals are positioned in the cooling channel and are arranged such that the adjacent pedestals alternatingly converge toward a first wall of the cooling channel and toward a second wall, opposite the first wall.