Gas Turbine Housing Rib Cooling Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

In gas turbine systems with silo combustion chambers, the hot-gas-carrying housings experience high thermal stresses, leading to material cracking and a limited number of starts before inspection or repair is required, due to uneven heating and the hoop effect caused by the rib arrangement.

Innovation Solution

The arrangement includes a protective shaft casing with a rib that extends beyond the peripheral surface of the inner housing hub, featuring cooling fluid channels to improve heat dissipation and reduce thermal stresses, and a heat-insulating coating on the hot-gas-side surface to enhance cooling efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rib is added to the inner housing hub to provide structural support and fixation, then the mechanical strength and stability are improved, but thermal stress concentration and material cracking occur due to uneven heating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidcrack resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rib is divided into multiple segments along its length, with cooling channels creating discrete cooling zones. This segmentation allows different parts of the rib to be cooled independently, reducing thermal stress concentration while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Cooling channels are positioned specifically within the rib structure to provide localized cooling where thermal stress is most severe. This creates non-uniform temperature distribution that specifically addresses the thermal stress problem in the rib region without compromising overall structural strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If cooling fluid channels are introduced to improve heat dissipation, then thermal stress is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling channels are integrated directly into the rib structure itself, merging the structural support function with the thermal management function. This eliminates the need for separate cooling components and reduces overall device complexity while achieving effective heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The rib structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the housing element, acts as a mounting feature for fixation, and incorporates cooling channels for thermal management. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the rib extends beyond the peripheral surface to provide fixation, then mechanical stability is improved, but thermal stress concentration occurs at the rib base

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation stabilityVSAvoidthermal stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

Cooling channels are positioned to cool the rib base area before thermal stress can concentrate and cause cracking. This preliminary cooling action prevents the development of high thermal stresses at the critical rib base location where the rib extends beyond the peripheral surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 the risk of material cracking and allows for increased operational cycles by improving cooling fluid flow and heat management, thereby extending the lifespan of the gas turbine system components.

Implementation Method 1

measures include the cooling of the particularly stressed areas by means of a cooling fluid which flows along the outside of the walls of these areas in order to absorb and dissipate the heat

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

the cooling of the particularly stressed areas by means of a cooling fluid which flows along the outside of the walls of these areas in order to absorb and dissipate the heat transferred to the hot-gas-carrying surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a heat-insulating coating on the hot-gas-side surface to enhance cooling efficiency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP1904717B1Hot gas-conducting housing element, protective shaft jacket, and gas turbine system
Publication Date: 2013.03.06 SIEMENS AG
  • EP1904717B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP1904717B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1904717B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Disclosed is a hot gas-conducting housing element (6) for a hot gas-conducting housing (9) of a gas turbine system (1) encompassing a compressor (7), a turbine (5), and a turbine rotor (11, 12). The hot gas-conducting housing element (6) is embodied so as to surround a protective shaft jacket (15, 15a) placed around the turbine rotor (11, 12) and conduct a hot gas to the turbine (5). The hot gas-conducting housing element (6) comprises: - at least one hot gas inlet (18); - an opening (19) facing the turbine; - a section for conducting the hot gas from the at least one hot gas inlet (18) to the opening (19) facing the turbine, said conducting section being provided with an inner housing hub (17a, 17b, 17c) which is configured so as to surround the protective shaft jacket (15, 15a), extends to the opening (19) facing the turbine, and is equipped with a rib (22a, 22b, 22c) on a circumferential surface (14a, 14b, 14c) facing the protective shaft jacket (15, 15a). Said rib (22a, 22b, 22c) extends in the circumferential direction, protrudes from the circumferential surface, and is disposed in the zone of the circumferential surface (14a, 14b, 14c) bordering the opening (19) that faces the turbine. The rib (22a) and/or the inner housing hub (17b, 17c) is/are fitted with cooling fluid ducts (25a, 28b, 28c).