Gas Turbine Guide Vane Internal Cooling Channel Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern geared fan aircraft engines generate significant frictional and thermal energy, which requires efficient discharge, but conventional cooling methods are insufficient due to limited cooling air mass flow and channel cross-section expansion in guide vanes.
Innovation Solution
A guide vane design with an internal space containing a channel, where a portion of the cooling air flow passes through, enhancing cooling performance by combining surface and matrix cooling principles, while maintaining aerodynamic surface design and reducing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional surface cooling methods are used with limited channel cross-section expansion, then the guide vane structure remains simple and lightweight, but the cooling performance is insufficient for modern geared fan aircraft engines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an internal space within the guide vane that allows cooling air flow to pass through the interior, transitioning from conventional external surface cooling to a hybrid approach combining surface cooling and internal matrix cooling. This dimensional change enables significantly enhanced cooling performance by allowing thermal energy transfer from the channel to the cooling air flow passing through the internal space
2Quantity of substance
If the channel cross-section is expanded to increase fluid flow capacity, then more fluid can be cooled, but the available space and structural integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the cooling channel within the internal space of the guide vane structure. The channel is positioned inside the internal space, allowing cooling air to flow through the interior while maintaining the overall guide vane geometry. This nesting approach enables increased fluid flow capacity without compromising the external dimensions or structural integrity of the guide vane
3Temperature
If more cooling air mass flow is used to enhance cooling, then cooling performance improves, but the available cooling air and thrust generation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only a portion (third part) of the cooling air flow to pass through the internal space, while the majority of the cooling air continues to flow externally around the guide vane. This selective extraction approach enhances cooling performance through the internal matrix cooling effect while preserving most of the cooling air mass flow for its primary cooling function and maintaining thrust generation capabilities
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
Significantly increases cooling performance by direct thermal energy transfer from the channel to the cooling air flow, contributing to thrust generation and reducing wake turbulences, with a hybrid cooler design that supports efficient cooling and weight reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a third part of the cooling air flow flows around the internal space comprising the channel... a large part of the thermal energy can be transferred directly from the channel to the cooling air flow
Data Source
AI summary
A guide vane of a gas turbine engine, in particular of an aircraft engine, which has a pressure-side wall, a suction-side wall, a guide vane root, a guide vane tip, a guide vane leading edge area that is impinged by a cooling air flow of a cooling system, a guide vane trailing edge area that is facing away from the guide vane leading edge area, and at least one channel for conducting a fluid to be cooled arranged in an internal space of the guide vane. At that, during operation of the gas turbine engine, a first part of the cooling air flow flows around a pressure-side wall, and a second part of the cooling air flow flows around the suction-side wall, and a third part of the cooling air flow flows through the internal space including the channel. What is further suggested is a gas turbine engine with at least one such static guide vane.