Fillet-Chamfer Gap for Turbine Engine Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current turbine engine designs face challenges in efficiently transferring heat away from high-stress areas and maintaining effective thermal separation between interconnected components, particularly between fan members and spacers along a centerline axis, which can lead to increased temperatures and reduced cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus directs a heat-transfer fluid through a gap defined between a fillet and a chamfer, utilizing passageways to enhance thermal separation and cooling of components by positioning the fluid to transfer heat from the fillet and then directing it away, thereby isolating and cooling the components effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional direct connection between fan members and spacers is used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but thermal separation and cooling efficiency deteriorate due to poor heat transfer from high-stress areas
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is segmented into multiple functional elements: a first member with body and flange portions, a second member with plug portion, and intermediate features (fillet, chamfer, gap). This segmentation allows heat transfer fluid to access specific high-stress areas through the gap between fillet and chamfer, cooling critical regions without requiring complete structural redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
Cooling is applied locally to high-stress areas rather than uniformly across the entire connection. The gap between the fillet and chamfer is strategically positioned to deliver heat transfer fluid directly to the body-flange junction and plug portion interfaces where heat generation is highest, providing targeted thermal management.
2Temperature
If cooling fluid is directed through conventional passageways, then general cooling is achieved, but effective thermal separation between interconnected components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The passageway system is designed to deliver cooling fluid locally to specific interfaces between components. The gap between the fillet and chamfer creates a dedicated thermal management zone that separates heat transfer paths between the first and second members, enabling independent thermal control of each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer fluid acts as an intermediary medium that selectively transfers heat from high-stress areas. The fluid flows through the gap between fillet and chamfer, absorbing heat from the body-flange junction and plug portion interfaces, and carries it away through the passageway system, effectively mediating thermal separation.
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 solution effectively enhances thermal separation and cooling of turbine engine components, reducing temperatures in high-stress areas and improving overall efficiency by targeting specific heat transfer paths, such as the fillet-to-chamfer gap, to maintain component integrity and performance.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one passageway is operable to receive a heat-transfer fluid to transfer heat relative to the fillet
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method is disclosed herein in which a heat-transfer fluid can be directed through a gap defined between a fillet and a chamfer. The apparatus includes a first member having a body portion and a flange portion projecting from the body portion. The flange portion extends along an endless path encircling an axis to define a receiving aperture. A fillet is defined at a junction of the body portion and an inner surface of the flange portion. The apparatus also includes a second member having a plug portion receivable in the receiving aperture. The plug portion includes a first surface operable to abut the body portion and limit movement of the plug portion into the receiving aperture. The plug portion also includes a second surface slidably engageable with the inner surface of the flange portion to guide movement of the plug portion into the receiving aperture along the axis. A chamfer is defined at a junction of the first and second surfaces such that a gap is defined between the fillet and the chamfer when the plug portion is received in the receiving aperture. The apparatus also includes at least one passageway extending at least partially through at least one of the first member and the second member. The at least one passageway extends between the gap and an opening spaced from the gap. The at least one passageway is operable to receive a heat-transfer fluid to transfer heat relative to the fillet.