Combustor Heat Shield Cooling With Intermediary Particle Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Particulates in the air used to cool combustor structures in gas turbine engines inhibit cooling efficiency and reduce durability due to deposition on heat shields, leading to issues like oxidation and thermal stress.
Innovation Solution
A triple-walled cooling design is implemented with a heat shield panel, an intermediary layer, and a combustor liner, featuring spaced apertures and pins to capture and deposit particulates on the intermediary layer, reducing their impact on the heat shield panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air is used to cool heat shield panels in the combustor, then cooling efficiency is improved, but particulate deposition on the panels occurs which reduces durability and increases oxidation and thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary layer is introduced between the combustor liner and the heat shield panel. This layer captures particulates from the cooling air before they can deposit on the heat shield panel, allowing the panel to receive clean cooling air while the intermediary layer accumulates and traps particulates, thus maintaining cooling efficiency and preventing particle-induced damage
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple functional layers: the combustor liner, the intermediary particle capture layer, and the heat shield panel. Each layer performs a specific function - the liner contains combustion gases, the intermediary layer captures particulates, and the panel provides thermal protection. This segmentation allows the cooling air to be filtered through multiple stages before reaching the heat shield, eliminating particle deposition while maintaining cooling performance
2Temperature
If heat shield panels are used to protect combustor structures from high heat loads, then thermal protection is improved, but particulate accumulation on the panels inhibits cooling and reduces panel performance
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary layer acts as a mediator that intercepts particulates from the cooling airflow before they can reach and accumulate on the heat shield panel. This allows the panel to maintain effective cooling through clean air flow while the intermediary layer absorbs the particle load, preserving both thermal protection and cooling performance
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful particulates are extracted from the cooling airflow by the intermediary layer, which captures and accumulates particles separately from the cooling air path. This extraction process ensures that only clean air reaches the heat shield panel, maintaining optimal cooling performance without particle interference
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 minimizing particulate deposition on the heat shield, maintaining airflow purity and reducing blockages, thereby improving the durability and thermal management of combustor components.
Implementation Method 1
Particulates in the air used to cool these structures may inhibit cooling of the heat shields and reduce durability. Particulates, in particular atmospheric particulates, include solid or liquid matter suspended in the atmosphere such as dust, ice, ash, sand and dirt.
Data Source
AI summary
A combustor for a gas turbine engine, including: a heat shield panel attached to a combustor liner, the combustor liner having a plurality of primary apertures extending through the combustor liner and the heat shield panel having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough; an intermediary layer located between the combustor liner and the heat shield panel, the intermediary layer being spaced from the combustor liner and the intermediary layer being spaced from the heat shield panel, the intermediary layer including a plurality of secondary apertures extending through the intermediary layer, the plurality of apertures, the plurality of primary apertures and the plurality of secondary apertures each being in fluid communication with each other; and a plurality of pins extending upwardly and away from a surface of the intermediary layer towards a surface of the combustor liner.