Floating Heat Shield for Gas Turbine Fuel Manifold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat shields for gas turbine engine manifolds, attached by welding, introduce mechanical stresses and facilitate heat conduction due to thermal gradients and expansion, leading to inefficient insulation.
Innovation Solution
A heat shield assembly with radially-extending supports that slidably engage with the manifold, allowing the heat shield to float and accommodate thermal expansion without direct contact, reducing mechanical stresses and heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional heat shields are attached to manifolds by welding, then the heat shield is securely fixed to the manifold, but mechanical stresses and heat conduction increase due to thermal gradients and expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces radially-extending supports as intermediary elements between the heat shield and manifold. These supports allow the heat shield to be suspended and attached without direct welding contact, eliminating stress concentration points and reducing mechanical stresses while maintaining secure fixation
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system is segmented into multiple radially-extending supports distributed around the heat shield rather than continuous welding. This segmentation distributes mechanical loads and thermal stresses across multiple discrete points, reducing peak stress levels
2Strength
If conventional heat shields are attached to manifolds by welding, then the heat shield is securely fixed to the manifold, but heat conduction increases through the attachment points
Solution Approach 1:
The radially-extending supports act as thermal intermediaries with lower thermal conductivity compared to direct weld joints. By introducing these supportive structures, the patent reduces the thermal bridge effect and minimizes heat conduction from the heat shield to the manifold while preserving structural attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the welding process from the attachment methodology and replaces it with a non-contact or minimal-contact support system. This removal of welding eliminates the high-conduction thermal path that direct metal-to-metal weld joints would create
3Stability of the object's composition
If the heat shield is rigidly attached to the manifold, then the structure is stable, but thermal expansion and contraction create additional stresses at the attachment locations
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system transitions from a rigid, static connection to a dynamic support structure using radially-extending supports. These supports accommodate thermal expansion and contraction movements, allowing the heat shield to maintain stable positioning while adapting to dimensional changes caused by temperature variations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the attachment parameter from rigid welding to a more compliant support structure. This parameter change allows the system to tolerate thermal dimensionality changes without generating excessive stresses, while still maintaining sufficient structural stability
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 mechanical stresses and heat conduction, providing improved insulation for gas turbine engine manifolds by allowing thermal expansion and maintaining the heat shield's position without imposing stress on the manifold.
Implementation Method 1
the thermal expansion and contraction of the heat shield create further stresses at the welded fixing locations
Data Source
AI summary
The manifold includes supports which slidably engage a heat shield to floatingly suspend it around the manifold. The manifold is part of a heat shield assembly inside a gas turbine engine. The assembly comprises a plurality of radially-extending supports extending from a casing of the engine to the manifold. A heat shield encloses the manifold. The heat shield has openings through which the supports pass to slidably engage the heat shield. The supports floatingly suspend the heat shield relative to the manifold.