Angled Cover Plate Cooling for CMC Component Cavities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CMC components face challenges in efficiently cooling high-temperature gas flows due to their lower thermal conductivity, necessitating improved cooling structures and methods.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating angled cover plates within cooling cavities of CMC components to vary the depth of the cavities and control cooling air flow, enhancing cooling efficiency by modifying flux and velocity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling cavities are provided in CMC components to allow cooling air to penetrate into the base, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but controlling the flow within the cooling cavities becomes difficult due to the lower thermal conductivity of CMC materials
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate is positioned at a specific location within the cooling cavity to create localized depth variations. This local modification allows the cooling air flow to be controlled at the cavity opening region, directing the flow pattern and enhancing cooling effectiveness in critical areas while compensating for the low thermal conductivity of CMC materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover plate introduces a third dimension (depth variation) to the otherwise uniform cooling cavity. By angling the cover plate, the cavity depth transitions from constant to variable, creating flow control opportunities that manipulate cooling air behavior through geometric variation rather than relying solely on material thermal properties.
2Temperature
If CMC materials are used to withstand higher operating temperatures, then temperature resistance is improved, but thermal conductivity decreases making efficient cooling more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than attempting to improve the bulk thermal conductivity of the CMC material, the cover plate creates localized flow control features within the cooling cavity. This concentrates the cooling effect in specific high-heat-flux regions, maximizing the utility of available cooling air despite the material's inherently low thermal conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover plate geometry (angle, position, depth) is optimized to change the flow parameters (velocity, direction, distribution) of cooling air within the cavity. By adjusting these geometric parameters, the cooling efficiency is enhanced without requiring changes to the CMC material's thermal properties.
3Ease of operation
If cover plates are added to control cooling air flow, then flow control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of redesigning the entire cooling cavity structure, a single cover plate element is introduced at the critical cavity opening location. This localized approach provides flow control capability with minimal additional complexity, avoiding the need for complex multi-component systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover plate is integrated with the CMC component structure, combining the cooling cavity function with the structural component. This integration reduces overall device complexity by merging multiple functions into a unified structure rather than adding separate independent components.
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 angled cover plates effectively manage cooling air flow, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of cooling within CMC components.
Implementation Method 1
the cover plate is angled to vary the depth of the cooling cavity between the cover plate and the cavity bottom wall so that the depth varies from a cavity region of greater depth to a cavity region of lesser depth
Implementation Method 2
structures to permit the flow of cooling fluid (e.g., cooling air) to interact with and cool the component
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes methods and devices for directing/controlling cooling air flow for cooling CMC components. A cover plate is positioned within a cooling cavity in the CMC component wherein the cover plate is angled to vary the depth of the cooling cavity between the cover plate and a bottom wall of the cavity. The angled cooling plate can be used to vary the flux of cooling air within the cooling cavity and thereby achieve a desired cooling performance within the cooling cavity.