Full Hoop Blade Track Internal Cooling Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine blade tracks face challenges in maintaining optimal tip clearance to prevent rubbing during operational conditions, while existing solutions often compromise engine efficiency and risk hot gas ingestion.
Innovation Solution
A blade track system with an internal cooling channel isolated from the main and leakage flow paths, utilizing a low-pressure coolant that can be modulated to adjust tip clearance without altering cavity purge or leakage, allowing for efficient engine operation and reduced risk of hot gas ingestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional blade track designs are used without internal cooling channels, then the structure is simpler, but the tip clearance cannot be effectively controlled and hot gas ingestion risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade track is segmented into functional zones: an internal cooling channel, an inlet port section, and an exit port section. This segmentation allows independent control of cooling functions while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Coolant acts as an intermediary substance that transfers thermal energy from the blade track to the surrounding environment. The coolant flow through the internal channel provides thermal management without requiring direct contact between the blade track and cooling mechanisms, thereby improving tip clearance control while managing structural complexity
2Temperature
If high-pressure coolant is used for cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but engine efficiency decreases and hot gas ingestion risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the pressure parameter of the coolant from high-pressure to low-pressure operation. This parameter change maintains adequate cooling effectiveness through optimized flow path design while reducing energy losses and eliminating the risk of hot gas ingestion associated with high-pressure systems
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant flow rate and temperature are dynamically adjusted through the isolated flow path design to optimize cooling effectiveness at different operating conditions. This dynamic control allows maintaining blade track temperature within acceptable limits while minimizing energy consumption
3Loss of energy
If the coolant flow path is isolated from main and leakage flow paths, then engine efficiency is enhanced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path system is segmented into distinct isolated paths: a coolant flow path for thermal management, a main flow path for primary fluid transport, and a leakage flow path for pressure equalization. This segmentation prevents harmful mixing and energy losses while the integrated design of these separate paths minimizes overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant flow path is extracted as a separate, isolated system from the main and leakage flow paths. This extraction eliminates harmful interactions and energy losses between different fluid streams while the integrated port design keeps the overall structure manageable
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 system effectively maintains optimal tip clearance, enhancing engine efficiency by isolating the coolant flow path and using modulated low-pressure coolant, thereby preventing rubbing and ensuring efficient operation across varying conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an internal cooling channel extending within the full-hoop body... configured to supply a coolant from external the hoop body to within the internal cooling channel
Implementation Method 2
The inlet port is configured to supply a coolant from external the full-hoop body to within the internal cooling channel. The exit port is configured to discharge the coolant to outside the full-hoop body.
Data Source
AI summary
A blade track system includes a blade track configured to be positioned around a plurality of blades of a gas turbine engine. The blade track includes: a full-hoop body, an inlet port, and an exit port. The full-hoop body includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines an internal cooling channel extending within the full-hoop body. The inlet port and the exit port are each integrated with the full-hoop body and in fluid communication with the internal cooling channel.