Blade Outer Air Seal Cooling Passage With Ramped Flow Direction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine components, such as blade outer air seals, face challenges in efficiently directing cooling flow to maintain effective cooling while minimizing impact on component stress and longevity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a blade outer air seal with a cooling passage design featuring a protrusion and turbulators, which includes a ramped surface to direct cooling fluid towards the inlet end and parallel walls to ensure uniform distribution, enhancing coolant fill characteristics and reducing stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cooling passages are designed with traditional configurations, then cooling fluid flows through the passage, but coolant fill characteristics are insufficient and stress on the component increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protrusion at the inlet end of the cooling passage that creates localized flow direction control. This local structural modification redirects cooling fluid toward the inlet end, creating non-uniform but optimized local cooling zones where stress is highest, thereby improving component longevity without requiring overall redesign of the entire cooling system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a ramped surface with a specific curvature profile on the protrusion to smoothly redirect cooling fluid. This curved geometry optimizes flow patterns by reducing turbulence and ensuring uniform distribution of cooling fluid across the inlet end, which reduces thermal stress concentrations and extends component life
2Quantity of substance
If cooling fluid is directed towards the inlet end, then coolant fill characteristics improve, but flow distribution uniformity must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling passage is segmented into distinct zones by the protrusion structure. The protrusion creates separate flow paths that divide the cooling fluid into multiple streams, ensuring that coolant is distributed more uniformly across the inlet end while still directing the majority toward the inlet region to improve overall coolant fill
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the cooling passage, specifically introducing a protrusion with controlled dimensions and a ramped surface angle. These parameter changes optimize the flow direction and distribution characteristics, enabling improved coolant fill while maintaining uniform flow distribution across different sections of the passage
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 improves cooling efficiency and reduces stress on the component, thereby extending its life and maintaining optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
a ramped surface to direct cooling fluid towards the inlet end
Implementation Method 2
parallel walls to ensure uniform distribution
Implementation Method 3
Internal cooling passages may be arranged within the blade outer air seal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A gas turbine engine (20) component includes a main body. A cooling passage (138) is within the main body. The cooling passage (138) is defined by a first wall (148) opposite a second wall (150). The cooling passage (138) has an inlet (122) on the second wall (150). A protrusion (145) is formed on the first wall (148) arranged across from the inlet (122).