Chamfered Baffles Direct Cooling Flows in Gas Turbine Airfoils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine airfoil cooling designs face inefficiencies due to regions with low internal heat transfer, where cooling flows are drawn away from critical areas, resulting in hotter metal temperatures and inadequate cooling.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of baffles with chamfered surfaces and blocking extensions within airfoil cavities to direct cooling flows towards regions of low internal heat transfer, using chamfered surfaces for baffle holes and blocking extensions to ensure effective heat transfer and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling cavity designs are used in airfoils, then the cooling structure is simple, but cooling flows are drawn away from critical areas resulting in hotter metal temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The airfoil is divided into multiple cooling cavities (leading edge cavity, mid-cavity, trailing edge cavity) separated by baffles. Each cavity independently manages cooling flows to specific regions, preventing hot spots while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the airfoil receive tailored cooling flows through strategically placed baffles and cavities. The leading edge cavity cools the leading edge region, the mid-cavity addresses mid-section hot spots, and the trailing edge cavity manages trailing edge temperatures, ensuring each critical area receives appropriate cooling without excessive overall complexity.
2Reliability
If cooling flows are directed through conventional cavity paths, then the cooling system is easy to manufacture, but cooling flows are insufficient in critical hot sections
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple cavities with baffles positioned at specific locations. This segmentation allows cooling flows to be directed to critical hot sections that would otherwise be underserved, improving reliability while keeping each individual cavity and baffle component manufacturable using standard techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
Baffles serve as intermediary structures that redirect cooling flows from the cooling cavities to specific critical regions of the airfoil. These baffles act as mediators between the cooling flow source and the hot sections, ensuring cooling effectiveness without requiring complex reconfiguration of the entire cooling system.
3Reliability
If cooling flows are allowed to move freely in airfoil cavities, then the cooling system is simple to operate, but hot sections develop where cooling is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The airfoil cooling system is segmented into distinct cavities (leading edge, mid, trailing edge) with baffles that naturally guide cooling flows to specific regions. This segmentation provides uniform cooling distribution to prevent hot sections while maintaining simple operation, as the baffles passively direct flows without requiring active control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle structures are designed to passively redirect cooling flows to critical regions through their geometric configuration alone. The cooling system serves itself by using the natural flow direction and baffle positioning to ensure uniform cooling distribution, eliminating the need for complex active flow control systems.
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 enhances cooling efficiency by ensuring that cooling flows reach and scrub the previously under-cooled regions, reducing thermal stresses and improving airfoil longevity.
Implementation Method 1
the chamfered surface of the baffle is positioned to cause the cooling air flow to impinge upon a region of the airfoil adjacent to the rib
Implementation Method 2
cooling flows reach and scrub the previously under-cooled regions, reducing thermal stresses
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
Baffles for gas turbine engines are provided. The baffles (302, 304; 402; 502; 602; 702; 802, 804) include a baffle body extending between a first end (436; 636; 736) and a second end (438; 638; 738), a chamfered surface (434; 534; 634; 734; 634) formed at at least one corner of the baffle body, wherein the chamfered surface extends from the first end to the second end, and a plurality of baffle holes (326, 328; 440; 540) formed in the chamfered surface.