Frequency-Tunable Bracketless Fluid Manifold for Gas Turbine Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine engine fuel manifolds experience significant vibration and thermal loading due to material growth rate differences and temperature variations, requiring complex design and testing to avoid fatigue failure, leading to high engineering costs and system weight.
Innovation Solution
A frequency-tunable fluid manifold apparatus comprising spaced-apart manifold fittings with tubular necks and arms, and curved tubes that can be oriented to adjust natural frequency, reducing the need for multiple part designs and simplifying the design process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional manifolds are designed with complex geometry and multiple parts to handle thermal loading and vibration, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and system weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold is divided into multiple identical modular fittings, each with integrated coupling elements. These standardized modules can be assembled in different configurations to create engine-specific manifold assemblies, reducing overall design complexity while maintaining reliability through proven modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
A single universal fitting design serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, fluid distribution, thermal management interfaces, and vibration damping. This multi-functional universal fitting eliminates the need for multiple specialized parts, reducing part count while maintaining the reliability needed to handle thermal loading and vibration stresses
2Reliability
If conventional manifolds use fixed geometry designs for specific engine models, then reliability is improved by avoiding resonance, but device complexity and engineering costs increase due to multiple part designs
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold system incorporates adjustable and configurable elements that allow the natural frequency to be tuned during assembly or maintenance. This dynamic adaptability enables the same basic manifold design to be optimized for different engine models and operating conditions, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-geometry designs while maintaining vibration resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows modification of physical parameters such as tube length, diameter, and material properties to adjust the natural frequency of the manifold. By changing these parameters, the same fundamental manifold architecture can be adapted to avoid resonance with different engine operating frequencies, maintaining reliability without requiring complex model-specific designs
3Reliability
If conventional manifolds are designed with high stiffness to resist vibration, then reliability is improved, but adaptability to thermal growth decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the manifold have locally optimized properties: rigid sections provide vibration resistance and structural integrity, while flexible sections with higher thermal expansion coefficients accommodate thermal growth. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the manifold to simultaneously resist vibration and adapt to thermal changes
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid manifold apparatus includes: (a) an array of spaced-apart manifold fittings, each manifold fitting aligned in a predetermined angular orientation. Each manifold fitting includes: (i) a tubular neck; (ii) a pair of spaced-apart tubular arms extending away from a first end of the neck; and (iii) a coupling connected to a second end of the neck; and (b) a plurality of curved tubes, each tube being coupled to one arm of each of two adjacent manifold fittings.