Turbine Blade Tip Cooling Structure for Uniform Air Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing turbine blade tips face challenges in efficiently distributing cooling air to maintain effective thermal management under high temperature stress.

Innovation Solution

A turbine blade tip design featuring a circumferential wall with recesses and strategically positioned cooling air holes, supplemented by an inlet housing and internal air channels, facilitates uniform cooling air distribution through a single duct to multiple outlets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple cooling air holes are provided in the wall to improve cooling coverage, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single cooling air duct is segmented into multiple outlet channels through internal partition walls, allowing cooling air to be distributed to multiple locations through one duct structure. This maintains cooling effectiveness while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate ducts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple cooling channels are nested within the single cooling air duct structure. The partition walls create internal channels that branch off from the main duct, enabling one duct to serve multiple cooling locations without increasing external complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If multiple cooling air ducts are provided to supply cooling air to multiple holes, then cooling distribution is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling distribution uniformityVSAvoidduct positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cooling air ducts are merged into a single integrated duct structure with internal partition walls. This combining approach maintains the ability to supply multiple cooling locations while reducing the number of separate components that require precise positioning and alignment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single duct is segmented internally into multiple channels using partition walls, allowing one duct to perform the function of multiple ducts. This segmentation occurs within a single manufactured component, eliminating the need for precise assembly of multiple separate ducts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If a single cooling air duct supplies air to multiple cooling holes, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling distribution uniformity may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveduct structure simplicityVSAvoidcooling distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The single cooling air duct is segmented into multiple internal channels by partition walls, creating separate flow paths that can be independently optimized. This maintains structural simplicity while enabling uniform cooling distribution through controlled air flow to each outlet location

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each internal channel within the single duct can be designed with specific dimensions and orientations tailored to the local cooling requirements at each outlet location. This allows optimized cooling distribution while maintaining the simplicity of a single integrated duct structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Enhances cooling efficiency by ensuring uniform air distribution, thereby improving thermal resistance and extending the blade's operational lifespan.

Implementation Method 1

a channel is provided in the wall, wherein the channel within the wall can be supplied with cooling air via at least one air supply channel of the turbine blade, wherein several cooling air holes are provided which are arranged in the wall and are fluidically connected to the channel and allow the cooling air to flow out of the radial end of the wall

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

Turbine blades of gas turbines or turbines that are subject to high temperature stress have cooling structures inside and, if necessary, cooling holes on the outer wall of the blade, from which cooling air flows out from the inside of the turbine blade

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4088006B1Turbine blade tip, turbine blade and method
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4088006B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4088006B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4088006B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Improved cooling is made possible by an improved cooling structure with cooling air holes (18) inside a depression (20) in a blade tip (3) and a special arrangement of multiple cooling air holes (25) which are supplied by a single cooling air channel (40) inside a wall (19).