Gas Turbine Guide Vane Cover Plate Cooling via Plenum Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas turbine technologies require complex and labor-intensive cooling methods for guide vanes and rotor blades, particularly for the cover plates, which are crucial due to high hot gas temperatures, but these methods are inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

A simplified cooling system is implemented using a throttle element in the first plenum to control cooling medium pressure, allowing targeted leakage of cooling medium to cool the cover plate before it enters the hot-gas duct, and a second plenum connected to the hot-gas duct via throttling means, with sealing strips and a stepped gap to enhance cooling efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If complex cooling methods (special cooling bores, impingement cooling techniques) are used for the cover plate, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing and assembly effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecover plate cooling effectivenessVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the cooling function from complex internal cooling channels and impingement structures, achieving cooling through a simple leakage mechanism from the first plenum. The cooling effect is obtained by allowing controlled leakage of cooling medium from the plenum space above the cover plate, eliminating the need for complex cooling bore structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling medium automatically leaks from the first plenum to cool the cover plate without requiring active control mechanisms or complex cooling systems. The system uses the natural pressure differential and leakage path to achieve cooling, making the cover plate self-cooling through its own structural design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of energy

If targeted cooling of the cover plate is implemented, then heat management efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat management efficiencyVSAvoidcooling system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies cooling locally to the cover plate by allowing leakage of cooling medium specifically from the first plenum above the cover plate. This localized cooling approach targets the heat-affected area directly without requiring system-wide cooling modifications, improving heat management efficiency while keeping the overall system simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 effectively and efficiently cools the cover plate using controlled leakage of cooling medium, reducing manufacturing and assembly complexity while maintaining effective heat management.

Implementation Method 1

cooling of the cover plate by cooling medium escaping in a targeted manner from the first plenum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the first means comprising a throttle element which throttles the flow of the cooling medium through the inlet in the cover plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThrottling: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP2300686B1Gas turbine comprising a guide vane
Publication Date: 2013.08.07 ALSTOM TECH LTD
  • EP2300686B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2300686B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2300686B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a gas turbine comprising a guide vane (20) that is mounted on a vane support (38) and encompasses an airfoil (22) which extends in a radial direction from a cover plate (21) inward into a hot gas duct (44). A cooling medium, especially cooling air, flows through the interior of the airfoil (22). Said cooling medium flows through an access point (43) in the vane support (38) into a first plenum (41) located above the cover plate (21) and from there into the interior of the airfoil (22) via an inlet (36) located within the cover plate (21). In order to more easily cool the cover plate (21) in such a guide vane, first means (34, 35; 35a, 43) are provided for controlling the pressure of the cooling medium in the first plenum (41), and second means (42, 45, 46) are used which cause the cover plate (21) to be cooled by means of cooling medium that escapes in a targeted manner from the first plenum (41).