Turbomachine Blade Outer Air Seal with Non-Circular Protrusions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling high-temperature areas in turbomachine engines, such as blade outer air seals, is challenging due to the difficulty in effectively transferring thermal energy away from these components, as traditional surface augmentation features may not adequately increase the surface area for efficient heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a protrusion-type surface augmentation feature with a non-circular cross-section, featuring multiple linear edges and a triangular or rhombic radial profile, which increases the surface area and facilitates thermal energy transfer by enhancing the interaction between the seal and cooling air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional cylindrical posts with circular cross-sections are used as surface augmentation features, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the surface area increase is insufficient for efficient heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by transitioning from traditional circular cross-section protrusions to non-circular cross-section protrusions (such as triangular, rectangular, or other polygonal shapes). This asymmetric geometric change increases the surface area of the blade outer air seal relative to the blade tip, thereby enhancing heat dissipation efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard casting or machining processes.
2Temperature
If the surface area of the blade outer air seal is increased to improve cooling, then thermal energy transfer is enhanced, but the complexity of the seal structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing surface augmentation features (protrusions with non-circular cross-sections) specifically at the blade outer air seal location where heat dissipation is most critical. This localized modification concentrates the thermal management enhancement where needed without requiring complex changes to the entire seal structure or blade assembly, thus improving thermal energy transfer while limiting overall structural complexity.
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 design effectively increases the surface area of the blade outer air seal, allowing for improved thermal energy transfer and efficient cooling of hot-section components, thereby addressing the cooling challenges in turbomachine engines.
Implementation Method 1
The introduction of a protrusion-type surface augmentation feature with a non-circular cross-section, featuring multiple linear edges and a triangular or rhombic radial profile, which increases the surface area and facilitates thermal energy transfer by enhancing the interaction between the seal and cooling air
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An example turbomachine hot-section component protrusion (76) extends away from a base surface (72) of a hot-section component (50) along a longitudinal axis (W). A radial cross-section of the protrusion has a profile (80; 82; 102) that is non-circular. A corresponding component (50) and a method of augmenting a surface area are also provided.