Heat-Shielded Fluid Conduit Assembly for Thermal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for additive manufacturing of fluid conduits in gas turbine engines face challenges in maintaining effective heat shielding due to thermal connections between the fluid passage supports and the heat shield, which compromise insulation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming fluid conduits inside a heat shield using additive manufacturing, shifting and securing the conduit to a new position relative to the heat shield, and using supports that extend through apertures in the heat shield to maintain insulation while accommodating thermal expansion, with options for welding, bolting, or brazing for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If supports are used to hold the fluid conduit during additive manufacturing, then the conduit can be formed with complex internal passages, but the supports create thermal connections to the heat shield that compromise insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple discrete supports rather than a continuous thermal path. Each support is individually positioned and sized to minimize thermal conduction while maintaining mechanical support during manufacturing. The segmentation allows the support system to fulfill structural requirements without creating significant thermal bridges between the fluid conduit and heat shield.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structures act as intermediary elements between the build platform and the fluid conduit. These supports are designed with specific thermal properties and geometric configurations that allow them to mechanically support the conduit during manufacturing while minimizing thermal energy transfer. The supports serve as a mediator that decouples the thermal connection while maintaining structural integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the fluid conduit is securely attached to the heat shield, then structural stability is improved, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment strategy employs local quality by creating discrete, localized connection points rather than continuous attachment. The supports are positioned at specific locations where mechanical stability is required, while the majority of the conduit surface remains thermally isolated from the heat shield. This localized attachment approach provides structural stability only where necessary while preserving thermal insulation performance across the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structures are designed to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction dynamics of the fluid conduit during operation. The supports allow for controlled movement and dimensional changes while maintaining attachment, enabling the system to dynamically adapt to thermal conditions without creating rigid thermal paths that would compromise insulation.
3Ease of operation
If supports extend through the heat shield for external attachment, then assembly and disassembly become easier, but the build process and thermal insulation become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The supports are pre-formed as integral features of the heat shield structure during the additive manufacturing process. The apertures and support geometries are created in advance as part of the build process, eliminating the need for post-manufacturing modifications or complex assembly operations. This preliminary action simplifies the overall manufacturing workflow while enabling easy attachment and detachment of the fluid conduit.
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 approach effectively maintains heat shielding integrity by decoupling the fluid conduit from the build platform, allowing for efficient thermal management and accommodating expansion, thereby enhancing the performance of fluid conduits in gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
fluid passages such as used for fuel need to be insulated from heat
Implementation Method 2
heat shield
Implementation Method 3
accommodating relative thermal expansion/contraction between the fluid conduit and the heat shield
Implementation Method 4
forming fluid conduit inside a heat shield in an additive manufacturing process
Implementation Method 5
Securing the fluid conduit to the heat shield can include welding, bolting, and/or brazing the supports to the heat shield
Implementation Method 6
Securing the fluid conduit to the heat shield can include welding, bolting, and/or brazing the supports to the heat shield
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes forming fluid conduit inside a heat shield in an additive manufacturing process, removing powder from an interior passage of the fluid conduit and from an insulation gap defined between the fluid conduit and the heat shield, separating the heat shield and fluid conduit from the build platform, and shifting the fluid conduit to a shifted position relative to the heat shield. The method includes securing the fluid conduit to the heat shield in the shifted position.