Gas Turbine Buffer Cooling System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face limitations in operating at higher temperatures due to material properties, which restrict their ability to utilize high-temperature cycles effectively.
Innovation Solution
A buffer cooling system is introduced, comprising a heat exchanger and a nozzle assembly that establishes a separate buffer cooling air path to condition airflow, which is then directed through a passageway and nozzle to condition critical hardware components, such as turbines, using a tangential onboard injection nozzle to impart swirling airflow for efficient heat transfer and temperature management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the gas turbine engine operates at higher temperatures to improve efficiency, then power output and energy utilization are improved, but the material properties of hardware components deteriorate due to excessive heat
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the airflow into two separate paths: a primary gas path that carries hot combustion gases through the turbine for power generation, and a buffer cooling air path that carries cooler air through buffer cooling passages to condition hardware components. This segmentation allows the engine to operate at high temperatures while protecting components through dedicated cooling channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer cooling air path acts as an intermediary system between the hot primary gas path and the hardware components. Cooler air from the buffer cooling path flows through buffer cooling passages and exits via buffer cooling openings to form a protective buffer that conditions the hardware, mediating the thermal interaction between hot gases and components.
2Reliability
If conventional cooling methods are used, then hardware components can withstand operating temperatures, but the engine cannot effectively utilize high-temperature cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The invention adds a spatial dimension to cooling by creating a buffer zone through buffer cooling openings that discharge cooler air between the hot primary gas path and the hardware components. This buffer layer in a third dimension (between the hot gases and the component surface) provides thermal protection while allowing the component to operate in a high-temperature environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer cooling air path serves as an intermediary system that enables the hardware to withstand higher operating temperatures by providing a protective thermal buffer, thus expanding the engine's adaptability to high-temperature cycles while maintaining component reliability.
3Temperature
If a separate buffer cooling air path is established, then hardware components are effectively conditioned, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer cooling air path serves multiple functions: it cools the hardware components, creates a thermal buffer zone, and can be integrated with existing engine structures. The same cooling air serves both to protect components and to manage thermal loads, reducing the need for separate dedicated cooling systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the cooling function with the existing air path structure by integrating buffer cooling passages and openings into the hardware design. The buffer cooling system is combined with the primary gas path structure, allowing thermal management to be achieved through integrated design rather than entirely separate systems.
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 buffer cooling system effectively conditions hardware components to withstand high operating temperatures, enhancing the operational capabilities of gas turbine engines by managing temperature stress and extending their operational limits.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger that cools the buffer cooling air path
Implementation Method 2
a nozzle assembly that imparts a swirling motion to the conditioned airflow
Implementation Method 3
efficient heat transfer and temperature management
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger, a mid-turbine frame, a passageway that extends through at least a portion of the mid-turbine frame and a first nozzle assembly. The heat exchanger exchanges heat with a bleed airflow to provide a conditioned airflow. The mid-turbine frame is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The conditioned airflow is communicated through the passageway and is received by the first nozzle assembly to condition gas turbine engine hardware.