Turbine Distributor Blade Cooling Jacket With Three Sealed Air Zones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling systems for gas turbine distributor blades are inefficient in distributing ventilation air and fail to adequately cool inter-Disk cavities, leading to reduced robustness in sealing and thermal efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A cooling shirt with a main body featuring extrados and intrados faces, a central intake duct, and separation walls to create three independent zones of ventilation air circulation, allowing for improved air distribution and separate air supply to inter-Disk cavities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single cavity liner is used to supply air to all orifices, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ventilation air flow distribution becomes unbalanced and inter-disc cavities are inadequately cooled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling system structureVSAvoidcooling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The single cooling cavity is segmented into three separate circulation zones (first, second, and third zones) with independent air supply paths. Each zone serves specific orifices independently, ensuring balanced air distribution to all cooling locations including inter-disc cavities, while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If air preferentially flows to orifices with lowest pressure (near trailing edge), then the cooling system operates with natural pressure gradients, but the leading edge orifices and inter-disc cavities become de-supplied

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow distributionVSAvoidsealing robustness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the air supply into three independent zones, each zone can independently supply air to its designated orifices without being affected by pressure gradients in other zones. This ensures that leading edge orifices and inter-disc cavity orifices receive adequate air supply regardless of the pressure conditions at trailing edge orifices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If a simple liner assembly method is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the air supply to inter-disc cavities lacks robustness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly processVSAvoidcooling robustness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The liner is provided as a complete, pre-assembled unit containing all three circulation zones and their associated orifices, allowing it to be installed as a single component in the hollow blade. This segmented design approach simplifies the assembly process while ensuring that the complex multi-zone cooling system functions reliably from installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

The solution enhances the distribution of ventilation air, improves cooling efficiency for both the distributor blades and inter-Disk cavities, and reduces manufacturing costs through an economically advantageous assembly process.

Implementation Method 1

the air circulating between the jacket and the wall of the blade

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

promote heat exchanges between the air circulating between the jacket and the wall of the blade

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 3

the external and internal plates being secured by brazing to the main body to form a single-piece assembly

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBrazing: Brazing

Data Source

PatentEP4381174B1Cooling jacket of a hollow blade of a distributor
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
  • EP4381174B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4381174B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4381174B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a cooling jacket (26) for a hollow blade of a turbomachine turbine distributor, comprising: - a main body (30) comprising a central inlet duct defining a first ventilation air flow zone and connected to suction side and pressure side faces comprising at least two rows of bores (37) through two separating walls defining second and third ventilation air flow zones; - an outer plate (38) comprising first, second and third holes for admitting ventilation air into the first, second and third ventilation air flow zones, respectively; and - an inner plate (40) comprising a central opening for discharging the air from the first ventilation air flow zone, the outer and inner plates each being rigidly connected by soldering to the main body to form a one-piece assembly with three ventilation air flow zones which are independent and sealed from one another prior to the assembly thereof in the hollow blade of the distributor.