Compressor Airfoil Root Chord Adjustment for Gas Turbine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas turbine engines face inefficiencies due to limited airflow, which restricts power production, particularly in compressor blades where erosion and stress concentrations lead to blade failure.

Innovation Solution

An improved airfoil design with a redefined profile, increasing the chord length at the root and tapering towards the tip, enhances airflow by increasing the surface area, allowing more air to be captured and compressed, thereby boosting engine performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of moving object

If the chord length of the rotor blade is increased at the root, then the surface area is increased allowing more air to be captured, but the stress concentrations and erosion increase leading to blade failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface area of rotor bladeVSAvoidblade durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The airfoil profile is modified with different characteristics at different locations along the blade span. The root portion has increased chord length for greater air capture, while the tip portion maintains original dimensions to reduce stress concentrations and erosion, creating local quality variations that optimize both airflow and durability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The blade is divided into distinct sections (root and tip portions) with different geometric characteristics. The root portion features an adjusted airfoil profile with increased chord length, while the tip portion maintains the original profile, segmenting the blade to simultaneously achieve increased airflow capacity and reduced stress/erosion at critical locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If the mass of air entering the engine is increased, then the power production is improved, but the airflow limitations due to blade geometry restrict this increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower productionVSAvoidairflow capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The airfoil profile parameters (chord length, curvature) are modified at the root portion of the blade to increase the surface area and improve airflow capacity. This parameter change allows greater mass of air to enter the engine, directly enabling increased power production while the tapered transition to the tip maintains structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enhanced airfoil design increases airflow and power production while reducing erosion and stress concentrations, leading to improved durability and efficiency of gas turbine engines.

Implementation Method 1

The surface area of the rotor blade is adjusted to allow for increased air flow. By increasing the surface area of the rotor blade, more air may be captured and harnessed by the airfoil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow capture: Aerofoil

Data Source

PatentUS9890790B2Adjusted rotating airfoil

Publication Date: 2018.02.13 ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG

AI summary

A compressor component having an airfoil with a profile in accordance with Table 1 is disclosed. The compressor component, such as a compressor blade, has an increased surface area over a portion of the airfoil chord length. The increased surface area allows for a greater amount of air to be taken in by the airfoil, thus increasing the air flow through the gas turbine engine.