Combustor Thermal Shield Assembly for Faster Design Iteration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combustor thermal shield designs in gas turbine engines are costly and time-consuming to modify due to their complex, integrally cast nature, limiting design flexibility and leading to increased production time and costs when adjustments are needed.
Innovation Solution
A method of fabricating combustor thermal shields using a prefabricated metal sheet that is curved and equipped with additively manufactured cooling and attachment features, allowing for faster production and design iterations by eliminating the need for casting, with features such as brazing, welding, or interference fitting for assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional integrally cast combustor thermal shields are used, then structural integrity and thermal resistance are maintained, but production time increases from days to months and modification costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal shield is divided into a base panel and separate attachable features (cooling features, attachment features). The base panel can be produced independently using rapid fabrication methods, while features are added separately through additive manufacturing and joining processes, dramatically reducing overall production time while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The base panel is fabricated in advance using rapid fabrication methods before the features are added. This preliminary action allows the main structure to be prepared quickly, and only the specific features need to be manufactured and attached later, significantly compressing the total production timeline.
2Reliability
If conventional integrally cast combustor thermal shields are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but design flexibility decreases and modifications become costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the thermal shield into a base panel and separate attachable features, the design becomes highly flexible. Individual features can be modified, added, or removed without affecting the base panel or requiring complete redesign, enabling rapid design iterations while maintaining the structural integrity of the assembled component.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a static, fixed integrally cast structure to a dynamic, modular system where features can be easily added, removed, or modified. This dynamic approach allows for rapid design changes and adaptations without compromising the overall structural integrity of the thermal shield assembly.
3Productivity
If additively manufactured cooling features are attached to the combustor panel, then design flexibility and production speed increase, but manufacturing complexity increases due to multiple joining processes
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges multiple operations (panel fabrication, feature manufacturing, joining) into an integrated workflow. The base panel is prepared with attachment surfaces, features are manufactured additively, and joining is performed using standardized processes, creating a cohesive manufacturing system that achieves high productivity despite the multi-step nature of the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The base panel is designed with universal attachment surfaces and standardized joining interfaces that can accommodate various types of cooling features and attachment features. This universality simplifies the manufacturing process by using consistent joining methods across different feature types, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining high production speed.
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 approach reduces production time from months to days, lowers costs, and enhances design flexibility, enabling quicker testing and scaling of design concepts, while maintaining structural integrity and thermal resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling feature (116) extending from the hot side toward the cold side
Implementation Method 2
the joining may comprise at least one of brazing, welding, soldering, or interference fitting
Implementation Method 3
the joining may comprise at least one of brazing, welding, soldering, or interference fitting
Implementation Method 4
the joining may comprise at least one of brazing, welding, soldering, or interference fitting
Implementation Method 5
a hot forming press may curve the combustor panel
Implementation Method 6
a cold forming press may curve the combustor panel
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of fabricating a combustor thermal shield (108) comprising a combustor panel (110), a cooling feature (116), and an attachment feature (114), the combustor thermal shield (108) to be used in a gas turbine engine combustor (36), includes shaping a sheet of material used to form the combustor panel (110). The method also includes additively manufacturing the cooling feature (116) onto the sheet of material forming the combustor panel (110). The method also includes attaching the attachment feature (114) to the sheet of material forming the combustor panel (110). The method also includes curving the sheet of material forming the combustor panel (110) to achieve a curve profile according to a design of the gas turbine engine combustor (36).