Cone-Shaped Pin Augmentors for Combustor Liner Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas turbine engine combustor sections face challenges in efficiently managing high temperatures, particularly at higher altitudes where cooling air supply pressures decrease, leading to reduced heat transfer capabilities and potential decreased service life of liner panels.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of cone-shaped pin heat transfer augmentors on liner panels, which increase the surface area for heat transfer, promote turbulence, and enhance film cooling by directing cooling jets effectively through the combustor section, thereby improving the heat transfer coefficient and cooling effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional liner panels without augmentors are used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but heat transfer capability is insufficient and service life decreases under high temperature conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of liner panelsVSAvoidstructure of liner panel
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs cone-shaped pin heat transfer augmentors with curved surfaces instead of flat or simple geometric shapes. These conical structures increase the surface area for heat transfer and promote turbulence in the cooling air flow, thereby enhancing heat transfer capability and extending liner panel service life under high temperature conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The liner panel incorporates effusion passages that create a porous structure, allowing cooling air to pass through and form a protective film on the hot side. This porous architecture enables effective film cooling while maintaining structural integrity, directly contributing to improved service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Temperature

If cooling air supply pressure is maintained at high altitudes, then heat transfer capability is preserved, but the energy consumption increases and system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer capabilityVSAvoidcooling air supply pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the heat transfer surface by incorporating cone-shaped pins that increase surface area and alter flow characteristics. This modification enables effective heat transfer at lower cooling air supply pressures, allowing the system to maintain heat transfer capability without requiring high pressure cooling air even at high altitudes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The cone-shaped pin augmentors promote turbulence in the cooling air flow, creating chaotic flow patterns that enhance mixing and heat transfer. This turbulence effect improves heat transfer capability without requiring increased cooling air pressure, thereby reducing energy consumption for maintaining cooling at high altitudes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

3Temperature

If larger surface area for heat transfer is provided, then heat transfer coefficient increases, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer coefficientVSAvoidmanufacturing of liner panel
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cone-shaped pin augmentors provide increased surface area through their conical geometry. While curved surfaces generally increase manufacturing complexity, the specific conical shape can be manufactured using standard machining or additive manufacturing processes, balancing heat transfer enhancement with manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat transfer augmentation is achieved through multiple discrete pin structures distributed across the liner panel surface. This segmented approach allows the complex heat transfer function to be divided into many simple, identical elements that can be manufactured and assembled more easily than a single complex continuous structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 cone-shaped pin heat transfer augmentors increase the heat transfer coefficient, reduce panel temperatures, and extend the service life of the liner panels by enhancing cooling efficiency, even under conditions of decreased cooling air supply pressures.

Implementation Method 1

increase the surface area for heat transfer... increase the heat transfer coefficient

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

promote turbulence... enhancing film cooling by directing cooling jets effectively

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Implementation Method 3

effusion cool the passages through the liner panels and film cool a hot side of the liner panels to reduce direct exposure to the combustion gases

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFilm cooling: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3099975B1Gas turbine engine combustor liner panel with synergistic cooling features
Publication Date: 2019.11.13 UNITED TECH CORP
  • EP3099975B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3099975B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3099975B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A liner panel for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a multiple of heat transfer augmentors. At least one of the multiple of heat transfer augmentors includes a cone shaped pin.