Gas Turbine Blade Trailing Edge Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine blades and vanes face challenges with high temperature exposure leading to increased weight and reduced lifespan due to crack growth, particularly at the trailing edge, where existing cooling systems and structures may not effectively manage heat transfer and crack retardation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates reduced first sidewall length, trailing ribs, and obliquely formed cut-back blocks between ribs to enhance heat transfer and retard crack growth, reducing weight and improving thermal management by creating turbulent flows and targeted crack obstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fins are formed between the sidewalls in the cut-back structure, then heat transfer effect is improved, but weight increases and crack growth risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the continuous fin structure into multiple separate trailing ribs that are spaced apart from each other. This segmentation maintains the heat transfer function while reducing material usage and weight, and eliminates the crack propagation path that would exist in a continuous fin structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a porous-like structure by spacing multiple trailing ribs apart, allowing cooling fluid to flow through the spaces between them. This provides effective heat transfer through the porous arrangement without requiring solid continuous fins, thereby reducing weight while maintaining thermal management.
2Temperature
If fins are formed between the sidewalls in the cut-back structure, then heat transfer effect is improved, but lifespan is reduced due to crack growth
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the fin structure into separate trailing ribs, the patent eliminates continuous crack propagation paths. Cracks can no longer grow continuously through a solid fin structure, thereby extending the component lifespan while maintaining heat transfer functionality through the spaced arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cooling fluid as an intermediary medium that flows through the spaces between trailing ribs to perform heat transfer. This replaces the solid fin structure that caused crack issues, using the fluid medium to achieve thermal management without compromising structural integrity.
3Weight of moving object
If the first sidewall length is reduced to create space for trailing ribs and cut-back blocks, then weight is reduced and heat transfer is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the trailing edge structure into multiple discrete trailing ribs and cut-back blocks arranged in a systematic pattern. While this creates more individual components, the regular spacing and arrangement provide a predictable manufacturing process that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the complex rib and block structures only where needed at the trailing edge for heat transfer and crack retardation, while keeping other portions of the blade simpler. This localized complexity minimizes overall manufacturing difficulty.
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 reduces weight, enhances heat transfer efficiency, and effectively retards crack growth at high-temperature exposed areas, thereby extending the lifespan of gas turbine components.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling circuit comprises a plurality of flow paths designed to maintain all sides at a comparatively uniform temperature, and at least a part of the fluid passing through the cooling circuit is discharged through openings of the leading edge, the trailing edge, the suction side or the pressure side of the vane
Implementation Method 2
When the areas of the trailing ribs are expanded, that is, when the plurality of ribs are extended from the inner surface of the first side and the inner surface of the second sidewall to the end of the first sidewall and the end of the second sidewall, the heat transfer effect can be improved
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
A blade (1) of a gas turbine comprises a first sidewall (50) constituting a pressure side of an airfoil, and a second sidewall (60) separated from the first sidewall, constituting a suction side of the airfoil and having a longer tail (20) than the first sidewall. The blade comprises a leading edge at which the first and second sidewalls meet each other, a trailing edge formed at the opposite side of the leading edge, a pillar-shaped fin (55) extended between an inner surface of the first sidewall and an inner surface of the second sidewall in a region of the trailing edge; and a plurality of trailing ribs (10) formed at a tail of the blade. The plurality of trailing ribs are extended from an end of the first sidewall to the inner surface of the first sidewall and an end of the second sidewall. The plurality of trailing ribs (10) are separated from each other in a lengthwise direction of the trailing edge. A cut-back of a blade or vane in a gas turbine comprises a first sidewall (50), a plurality of trailing ribs (10) extended from the first sidewall and arranged along an end of the first sidewall, a second sidewall separated (60) from the first sidewall having a longer tail than the first sidewall and in contact with the plurality of trailing ribs, and one or more cut-back blocks (30) extended between two trailing ribs along the inner surface of the second sidewall.