Gas Turbine Combustor Heat Shield with Radial Cooling Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for heat shields in gas turbine combustors are inefficient in managing high heat loads, leading to potential damage and requiring improved thermal protection solutions.
Innovation Solution
A combustor dome heat shield with radially offset channels and integrated turbulators on the second surface, where the turbulators disrupt airflow through the channels, enhancing convection cooling by directing cooling air effectively towards the heat shield and into the combustion chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling methods are used for heat shields, then the structure remains simple, but the heat transfer efficiency is insufficient and high heat loads cannot be effectively managed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs effusion holes (porous structure) in the heat shield to allow cooling air to pass through and contact the hot surface, enhancing heat transfer efficiency through a relatively simple structural modification
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple functional elements: cooling air supply channels, effusion holes for air passage, and turbulators for flow disruption, allowing each component to perform its specific function efficiently
2Temperature
If cooling air flow is increased to improve heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but pressure drop in the cooling flow increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The turbulators are designed to create localized flow disruption and turbulence only in critical high-heat-flux regions, rather than throughout the entire cooling channel, thereby enhancing heat transfer where needed while minimizing overall pressure drop
Solution Approach 2:
Turbulators are strategically positioned at specific locations within the cooling channels where heat transfer enhancement is most needed, creating localized turbulence to improve heat transfer efficiency without increasing pressure drop across the entire system
3Reliability
If heat shield cooling is improved to manage high heat loads, then thermal protection reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are integrated directly into the heat shield structure itself, merging the cooling function with the thermal protection function in a single component, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
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 configuration significantly enhances heat transfer and thermal protection by increasing convection cooling efficiency, effectively managing high heat loads and reducing the risk of damage to combustor components.
Implementation Method 1
a turbulator included in a channel... the turbulator is located on the second surface of the heat shield... enhancing convection cooling by directing cooling air effectively
Implementation Method 2
enhancing convection cooling by directing cooling air effectively towards the heat shield and into the combustion chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
Heat shields and methods of cooling a heat shield are provided. A heat shield (100) of a combustor may be cooled. The heat shield comprises a first surface and a second surface (120) , where the first surface is opposite the second surface, and the first surface is configured to face a combustion chamber. The heat shield may be cooled by directing airflow over the heat shield through channels (140) towards an opening of the heat shield and past turbulators (130) located in the channels.