CMC Impingement Cooling with Metered Pressure Drop Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components in gas turbine engines is challenging due to high impingement air velocities and pressures that can cause damage, and existing cooling systems face limitations in flexibility and flow system constraints.
Innovation Solution
An impingement apparatus with chambers and metering holes that control pressure drop and flow, allowing localized modulation of cooling effectiveness without system-level changes, using sheet metal or other materials to minimize damage and enhance thermal gradient control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If impingement cooling is used to cool CMC components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but thermal gradients and pressures become too high causing damage to the component
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent controllable zones with separate impingement holes and metering holes, allowing different cooling intensities to be applied to different regions of the CMC component based on local thermal requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by enabling independent adjustment of cooling parameters (flow rate, pressure, velocity) for each impingement zone through individual metering holes, matching the cooling intensity to the local heat flux distribution on the CMC component surface
2Temperature
If higher coolant air velocities and supply pressures are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but damage to the CMC component increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the coolant flow (velocity, pressure, flow rate) by incorporating metering holes that control and reduce these parameters before the coolant reaches the impingement holes, thereby maintaining cooling effectiveness while preventing component damage
3Object-affected harmful factors
If system level changes are made to reduce impingement strength, then component damage is reduced, but flexibility and flow system constraints are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control capability through metering holes that can independently regulate coolant flow to each impingement zone, allowing real-time adjustment of cooling intensity without requiring system-level changes, thereby maintaining both component protection and flow system flexibility
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 apparatus effectively cools CMC components while reducing thermal gradients and pressures, expanding design space for local wall sizing and reducing leakage, thereby enhancing the performance and durability of turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure created by the coolant fluid inside the chamber is lower than the pressure of the exterior coolant fluid source before entering the chamber through the one or more metering holes
Implementation Method 2
Impingement cooling provides effective heat transfer coefficients and controlled cooling distribution
Implementation Method 3
The high velocity flow travels through the holes and impinges on the component to be cooled
Data Source
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AI summary
An impingement apparatus (100; 200; 300; 420), comprises a chamber (110; 330) defined by sides forming the chamber. A plurality of impingement holes (120; 340) are located on a side of the chamber, which are able to act as a plurality of flow passages for a coolant fluid to pass from the chamber through the plurality of impingement holes (120; 340) to impinge on a surface (220) to be cooled. One or more metering holes (130; 320, 350) is located on one or more sides of the chamber (110; 330) other than on the side on which the impingement holes (120; 340) are located, which are able to act as one or more flow passages for the coolant fluid to pass from an exterior coolant fluid source into the chamber. The pressure created by the coolant fluid inside the chamber is lower than the pressure of the exterior coolant fluid source before entering the chamber through the one or more metering holes. A turbine engine (410) contains one or more ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components, wherein at least one of said CMC components have installed above a portion of the CMC component the impingement apparatus, wherein the impingement holes face the CMC component and thus allow for a coolant fluid to pass through the impingement holes to impinge on the surface (220) of the CMC component. A method for cooling the ceramic matrix composite component and a method for producing the impingement apparatus are also disclosed.