Turbine Fillet Cooling Tube With Flared Ends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turbine engine components face high metal temperatures and thermal strains at the airfoil-to-platform fillet region due to inadequate cooling, leading to reduced part life.
Innovation Solution
A cooling tube with flared entrance and exit ends is integrated within the fillet, connecting the leading edge boxcar to the internal cavity, facilitating convective heat transfer and providing additional cooling through crossover holes and film cooling features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling designs are used in the airfoil-to-platform fillet region, then the structure remains simple and manufacturing is easier, but metal temperatures remain high causing thermal strains and reduced part life
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple functional zones: an impingement cavity for high-velocity cooling jets, a cooling tube with flared ends for convective cooling, and film cooling holes for surface protection. This segmentation allows each zone to address specific thermal challenges in the fillet region, effectively reducing metal temperatures while maintaining manufacturability through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling tube is nested within the fillet region, with the impingement cavity positioned upstream and the cooling tube extending into the fillet area. This nested arrangement allows the cooling system to be integrated within the existing airfoil structure without adding external components, reducing temperature in the critical fillet zone while avoiding increased device complexity
2Loss of energy
If the cooling tube has sharp ends, then manufacturing is simpler, but pressure losses increase and cooling effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling tube features flared (bellmouth) ends with curved transitions instead of sharp edges. This curvature reduces flow separation and pressure losses as cooling air enters and exits the tube. The flared geometry is achieved through standard casting techniques, maintaining ease of manufacture while significantly improving cooling effectiveness by reducing energy losses
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 solution effectively reduces metal temperatures and extends the part life by enhancing convective cooling in the critical airfoil-to-platform fillet region.
Implementation Method 1
Described herein is a way to cool this region using convective cooling
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A turbine engine component (10) includes an airfoil portion having a leading edge (18), a platform (14), a leading edge airfoil to platform fillet (16), and a cooling tube (30) located within said fillet (16). The cooling tube (30) has a flared entrance (31) end and a flared exit end (33). The invention also extends to a core used to form the turbine engine component.