Turbine Blade Helical Passages for Lower Thermal Gradients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turbine blade configurations in gas turbine engines face challenges in effectively managing high temperatures and maintaining efficient cooling, leading to thermal stress and reduced cooling efficacy.
Innovation Solution
The turbine blade design incorporates a blade body with periodic passages formed by core body portions that alternate between hot and cold wall segments, facilitating efficient heat transfer and cooling through helical passages centered about a passage axis, with independent coolant flow paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional turbine blade cooling configurations are used, then the blade can operate in high temperature environments, but thermal gradients and stress remain high reducing cooling efficacy
Solution Approach 1:
The blade body is segmented into multiple core body portions that form alternating hot and cold wall segments within periodic passages. This segmentation creates a multi-zone thermal management system where hot wall segments conduct heat from the gas path while cold wall segments receive cooling air, effectively reducing thermal gradients across the blade structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic passages are configured to periodically alternuate between hot wall segments and cold wall segments along the flow path. This periodic arrangement allows cooling air to sequentially contact cold wall segments while being heated by hot wall segments, creating an efficient heat exchange pattern that reduces overall thermal gradients and improves cooling efficacy.
2Temperature
If cooling air is extracted from compressor section, then turbine blade cooling is achieved, but thermal stress and gradient management becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
Different segments of the blade body are assigned different thermal characteristics through the periodic passage configuration. Hot wall segments are positioned to conduct heat from high-temperature zones while cold wall segments are positioned to receive and dissipate cooling air. This local differentiation of thermal properties allows efficient heat management while distributing thermal stress across multiple zones rather than concentrating it.
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 design reduces thermal gradients and improves cooling efficiency, maintaining structural integrity and reducing stress across the blade body by periodically heating and cooling compressed air, resulting in more effective temperature management.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one periodic passage includes at least one hot wall segment and at least one cold wall segment. The hot wall segment is further formed by the hot wall and spaced from the intermediate wall by the at least one core body portion. The cold wall segment is further formed by the intermediate wall and spaced from the hot wall by the at least one core body portion.
Implementation Method 2
This design reduces thermal gradients and improves cooling efficiency, maintaining structural integrity and reducing stress across the blade body by periodically heating and cooling compressed air
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine includes a blade body. The blade body includes a pressure side wall, a suction side wall, an intermediate wall, and at least one core body portion. The pressure side wall or the suction side wall forms a hot wall of the blade body. The intermediate wall is disposed between the pressure side wall and the suction side wall. The at least one core body portion is disposed between the hot wall and the intermediate wall. The at least one core body portion forms at least one periodic passage. The at least one periodic passage includes at least one hot wall segment and at least one cold wall segment. The hot wall segment is further formed by the hot wall and spaced from the intermediate wall. The cold wall segment is further formed by the intermediate wall and spaced from the hot wall.