Float Wall Combustor Panel Pin Array Design for Flashing Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing float wall combustor panels for gas turbine engines face challenges in maintaining effective airflow distribution and heat transfer due to manufacturing issues such as flashing and non-uniform cooling flow patterns, particularly around structural protrusions like dilution hole bosses and attachment mechanisms, which can lead to hot zones and reduced operational life.
Innovation Solution
The combustor panels incorporate a pin array configuration with cooling pins and structural protrusions, where pin array extensions are integrally formed with the protrusions to mimic the pin array pattern in areas prone to flashing, ensuring no portion of the extensions is closer to adjacent cooling pins than the specified separation distance, thereby preventing flashing and enhancing airflow and heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling pins are arranged in a dense pin array configuration to improve heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing defects such as flashing occur around structural protrusions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying the pin array configuration specifically in zones affected by structural protrusions. Instead of uniformly distributing all cooling pins, the invention selectively omits pins in flashing-prone zones while maintaining dense pin arrays in other areas, thus achieving both effective heat transfer and manufacturing precision locally where needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-identifying flashing-prone zones around structural protrusions before finalizing the pin array layout. The design process anticipates potential flashing issues and proactively adjusts the pin configuration to avoid these zones, preventing manufacturing defects before they occur
2Temperature
If cooling pins are positioned close to structural protrusions to maximize surface area for heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but non-uniform cooling flow patterns and hot zones occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different pin array densities in different zones. Areas远离 structural protrusions maintain dense pin arrays for maximum heat transfer, while zones near protrusions have reduced pin density to ensure uniform cooling flow patterns and eliminate hot zones, thus achieving both heat transfer efficiency and flow uniformity locally
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of structural protrusions disrupting cooling flow into a benefit by strategically designing the pin array to work around these protrusions. The modified configuration uses the protrusions as flow organizers, creating beneficial flow patterns that enhance overall cooling uniformity while maintaining effective heat transfer
3Ease of manufacture
If a regular pin array configuration is used to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but flashing defects occur in zones near structural protrusions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by maintaining regular pin array patterns in most areas for ease of manufacture, while selectively modifying the configuration only in specific zones near structural protrusions where flashing occurs. This localized adjustment minimizes the impact on manufacturing simplicity while eliminating flashing defects
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 solution improves airflow distribution and heat transfer efficiency by preventing hot zones and reducing manufacturing defects, leading to increased operational reliability and longevity of the combustor panels.
Implementation Method 1
providing a channel of airflow for cooling
Implementation Method 2
provide increased surface area for heat transfer from the float wall panel to the cooling airflow channel
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C~1D
AI summary
Combustor panels (126, 128) including panel bodies (136) with first (138) and second sides (137), a pin array (140; 240; 340; 440) extending from the first side, wherein each pin extends a first height (H1), has a pin diameter (β), and is separated from adjacent pins by a pin array separation distance (α). A structural protrusion (144; 244; 344; 444; 544) extends from the first side. No pins of the pin array are located within a flashing distance (µ) that is equal to a protrusion separation distance (γ) plus half of the pin diameter, wherein a location of the pin is measured from a center point (452) of the pin to a closest point on the exterior surface (454) of the structural protrusion. At least one pin array extension (558) is integrally formed with the structural protrusion (544), the pin array extension extending along the first side to a position that replaces a pin of the pin array that would be within the flashing distance.