Flow Separating Rib for Gas Turbine Cooling Cavity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine components face challenges in maintaining consistent cooling fluid flow and temperature distribution due to pressure differentials within internal cooling cavities, leading to uneven cooling.
Innovation Solution
A flow separating rib is positioned inside the cooling cavity to divide it into separate portions, allowing for the use of distinct cooling fluids on each side, which are isolated by the rib to maintain constant fluid flow and pressure, resulting in more even cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a single cooling cavity is used without separation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature distribution becomes uneven due to pressure differentials
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling cavity is segmented into multiple isolated portions using flow separating ribs. Each portion can receive cooling fluid at different pressures and temperatures, allowing independent optimization of cooling in different regions of the turbine blade. This segmentation resolves the pressure differential issue that causes uneven temperature distribution while maintaining a relatively simple overall cavity structure.
2Reliability
If cooling fluid flow is allowed to vary due to pressure differentials, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cooling consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the cooling cavity into isolated portions with flow separating ribs, the patent ensures that pressure differentials between different regions do not cause cross-contamination of fluid flows. Each portion maintains its own constant fluid flow characteristics, improving cooling consistency and reliability without requiring complex active flow control systems.
3Temperature
If separate cooling fluids are used in different portions, then the temperature distribution improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling cavity to allow different cooling fluids or different pressure/temperature conditions in different portions. This enables optimized heat transfer in each region - for example, using higher pressure cooling fluid in regions with higher heat flux - while the segmentation itself is achieved through simple rib structures rather than complex fluid control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the cooling cavity can be tailored with locally appropriate cooling conditions. Each isolated portion can receive cooling fluid with properties (pressure, temperature, flow rate) specifically matched to the local heat generation and dissipation requirements of that region, improving overall heat transfer efficiency.
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 ensures consistent Mach numbers, pressure losses, and heat transfer across the cooling cavity, leading to a more evenly cooled component.
Implementation Method 1
A flow separating rib is positioned inside the cooling cavity to divide it into separate portions, allowing for the use of distinct cooling fluids on each side, which are isolated by the rib to maintain constant fluid flow and pressure
Implementation Method 2
Thermal energy is transferred from the component to the cooling fluid to cool the component
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A component (60) includes a wall (80) that extends about a cooling cavity (72). The cooling cavity (72) is a dual-fed cavity that is fed from at least two different locations. A rib (82) separates the cooling cavity (72) into a first portion (86) and a second portion that is fluidly isolated from the first portion (84).