Impingement Plate Metering for CMC Cooling Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components in gas turbine engines is challenging due to high impingement air velocities and pressures that can cause damage, and existing cooling systems face limitations in flexibility and flow system constraints.
Innovation Solution
An impingement apparatus with chambers and metering holes that control pressure drops and coolant fluid flow, allowing localized modulation of cooling effectiveness without system-level changes, using sheet metal or other materials to minimize damage and enhance thermal gradient control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high velocity coolant flow is used for impingement cooling, then heat transfer effectiveness is improved, but thermal gradients and pressure damage to CMC components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a chamber that modifies the pressure and velocity parameters of the coolant flow. The chamber creates a controlled pressure drop that reduces the impingement velocity of the coolant while maintaining adequate heat transfer effectiveness, thereby resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and damage prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber acts as an intermediary element between the high-pressure coolant source and the CMC component. It mediates the flow by creating a controlled environment that reduces peak impingement velocities and thermal gradients while maintaining sufficient cooling performance.
2Temperature
If system-level pressure and flow are increased for better cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but flexibility and design options are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system into distinct functional zones: a chamber section that controls pressure and flow characteristics, and an impingement section that delivers cooled flow to the component. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each section and provides design flexibility without requiring system-level changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber provides localized control of pressure and flow parameters directly at the impingement location. This local quality approach allows customization of cooling characteristics without affecting the rest of the system, thereby maintaining flexibility and design options.
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
The impingement apparatus effectively cools CMC components while reducing thermal gradients and pressures, minimizing damage and expanding design space for cooling systems in turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure created by the coolant fluid inside the chamber is lower than the pressure of the exterior coolant fluid source before entering the chamber through the one or more metering holes
Implementation Method 2
The high velocity flow travels through the holes and impinges on the component to be cooled
Implementation Method 3
Impingement cooling provides effective heat transfer coefficients and controlled cooling distribution
Data Source
AI summary
An impingement apparatus, containing a chamber defined by sides forming the chamber, a plurality of impingement holes located on a side of the chamber, which are able to act as a plurality of flow passages for a coolant fluid to pass from the chamber through the plurality of impingement holes to impinge of a surface to be cooled, one or more metering holes located on one or more sides of the chamber other than on the side on which the impingement holes are located, which are able to act as one or more flow passages for the coolant fluid to pass from an exterior coolant fluid source into the chamber, wherein the pressure created by the coolant fluid inside the chamber is lower than the pressure of the exterior coolant fluid source before entering the chamber through the one or more metering holes.