Gas Turbine Heat Shield Segment Curved Section Elevation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas turbine heat shield designs fail to effectively manage stress concentrations in curved sections, leading to reduced service life due to high thermal and pressure loads.

Innovation Solution

A heat shield segment with a curved section featuring a radially outer surface elevation in the circumferential direction, reducing stress concentrations without the need for additional ribs, thereby minimizing metal consumption and maintaining low weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional rib designs are used to reinforce heat shield segments, then stress concentrations are reduced, but weight increases due to additional metal consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestress resistanceVSAvoidheat shield weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing elevations only in specific end areas of the heat shield segment rather than throughout the entire structure. The elevation is localized to regions where stress concentrations occur, allowing reinforcement where needed while minimizing additional metal consumption and weight increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses partial action by implementing elevations with lengths less than a quarter of the total heat shield segment length. This partial reinforcement approach provides sufficient stress management in critical areas without the need for complete circumferential ribs, thereby reducing overall metal consumption while maintaining adequate structural strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Strength

If elevations are made longer to provide sufficient reinforcement, then stress distribution improves, but metal consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestress distributionVSAvoidmetal consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The elevation is localized to specific end areas where stress concentrations occur rather than extending throughout the entire heat shield segment. This targeted approach provides effective stress distribution in critical regions while minimizing the volume of additional metal required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The elevation length is deliberately kept less than a quarter of the total heat shield segment length, providing partial reinforcement that is sufficient for stress management in end areas without requiring excessive metal consumption that would result from full-length ribs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Weight of moving object

If ribs are minimized for weight reasons, then heat shield weight decreases, but stress concentrations in curved areas increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat shield weightVSAvoidstress concentration
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than providing uniform reinforcement throughout the heat shield, the patent applies elevations specifically in end areas where stress concentrations occur during operation. This localized reinforcement addresses the stress concentration problem without requiring extensive additional material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The elevations are designed in advance to proactively address stress concentration issues in curved sections and end areas before they lead to failures. The preliminary reinforcement structure is optimized to prevent stress-related problems while minimizing weight increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2173974B1Heat shield segment for a stator of a gas turbine
Publication Date: 2011.10.26 ALSTOM TECH LTD
  • EP2173974B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2173974B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2173974B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a heat shield segment (1) for a stator of a gas turbine which comprises a rotatably received turbine rotor having turbine blades (2), a hot combustion air flow flowing toward said turbine rotor. The heat shield segment (1) is arranged radially between the turbine rotor and a turbine housing (19) and is fastened to the turbine housing. The heat shield segment (1) has a profile which has a curved section (12) in at least one position of the profile in the longitudinal direction of the turbine, a radial exterior (15) of the heat shield segment (1) having an elevated section (14) that extends in the circumferential direction of the turbine in the area of the curved section (12) and in a first terminal section in the circumferential direction of the heat shield segment (1).