Gas Turbine Debris Distribution Surface for Vane Protection

A debris distribution surface is introduced as an intermediary element between the debris accumulation area at the bottom of the engine compartment and the cooling air flow path. This surface redistributes debris laterally across the circumference of the engine, preventing direct entry into cooling holes of lower turbine vanes while allowing cooling air to pass through unaffected. The mediator approach resolves the contradiction by decoupling the cooling function from the debris ingestion problem.

The debris distribution surface segments the debris flow path, dividing the concentrated debris accumulation at the bottom into multiple distributed locations around the engine circumference. By segmenting the originally single-point debris source into multiple dispersed locations, the concentration of debris entering any single cooling hole is reduced, thereby extending vane lifespan while maintaining cooling effectiveness.

The debris distribution surface is positioned as an intermediary between the debris source and the cooling air flow path to lower turbine vanes. It allows cooling air to pass through to the vanes for efficient cooling while simultaneously redistributing debris laterally away from the direct path to cooling holes, thus protecting vanes from concentrated debris ingestion.

The debris distribution surface creates local quality differences in debris distribution around the engine circumference. Areas directly below cooling holes have reduced debris concentration, while other areas bear the redistributed debris load. This local differentiation allows cooling efficiency to be maintained while protecting specific vulnerable components.