Double-Panel Heated Wall Air Inlet for Gas Turbine Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine engines, the heat from adjacent components such as oil tanks and accessory gearboxes is transferred to the air inlet through a single heated wall, causing the air to enter the engine at a higher temperature, which reduces efficiency and can lead to structural distortions due to temperature gradients.
Innovation Solution
An annular air inlet duct with a double-panel heated wall configuration, where a heat source-adjacent panel and an inlet-adjacent panel are spaced apart by a cavity, reducing heat transfer and maintaining an unheated wall for airflow, and potentially using additive manufacturing for complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single heated wall is used to separate the air inlet from hot engine components, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the air temperature increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heated wall is segmented into multiple panels (first panel adjacent to heat source, second panel adjacent to air inlet, and intermediate panels) separated by spacers, creating a multi-layer insulation structure that reduces heat transfer to the air inlet while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediate panels and spacers are introduced as intermediary elements between the heat source-adjacent panel and the air inlet-adjacent panel, creating thermal barriers that reduce direct heat transfer and lower the air inlet temperature
2Ease of manufacture
If a single heated wall is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but temperature gradients cause structural distortions
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the heated wall into multiple segmented panels with spacers creates a distributed thermal management structure that reduces localized thermal stress and prevents structural distortion while maintaining manufacturability through modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
Different panels in the multi-layer structure experience different temperature conditions, with the air inlet-adjacent panel remaining cooler while the heat source-adjacent panel handles higher temperatures, allowing each panel to be optimized for its specific thermal environment
3Volume of moving object
If the heated wall is positioned close to the air inlet, then the space utilization is improved, but heat transfer to the air increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation structure extends in the radial dimension with multiple panels and spacers creating a distributed thermal barrier, allowing effective heat blocking while maintaining compact axial dimensions for efficient space utilization
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 configuration reduces the temperature of the air entering the engine, minimizes structural distortions, and provides an anti-icing mechanism, enabling smaller core engines with improved fuel efficiency and reduced distortion risks.
Implementation Method 1
The heated wall includes a plurality of axially-spaced wall panels forming a cavity between each of a pair of adjacent wall panels of the plurality of axially-spaced wall panels
Data Source
AI summary
An annular air inlet duct circumscribing an axis of rotation of a rotatable member of a machine comprising a forward end and an aft end is described. The air inlet duct includes an unheated wall and a heated wall adjacent to a heat source. The heated wall includes a plurality of axially-spaced wall panels forming a cavity between each of a pair of adjacent wall panels of the plurality of axially-spaced wall panels.