Gas Turbine Inlet Plenum Stagnation Vanes Flow Distortion

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing inlet plenum designs for gas turbine engines, particularly those with perforated inlet baffles, suffer from significant flow distortion and pressure losses due to inadequate flow guidance, and stability issues with foreign object damage barriers, which compromise compressor efficiency and reliability.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a perforated inlet baffle with a plurality of arc-shaped stagnation vanes that extend proximate to the baffle to establish stagnant flow conditions, reducing flow distortion and pressure losses, while maintaining a barrier against foreign objects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a perforated inlet baffle is used to block foreign matter, then foreign object damage is prevented, but flow distortion and pressure losses increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign object damage preventionVSAvoidpressure losses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet plenum is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first region with a perforated baffle for FOD protection, and a second region with guide vanes for flow guidance. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, reducing overall flow distortion and pressure losses while maintaining FOD prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary elements between the perforated baffle and the compressor inlet. These vanes act as mediators that redirect and straighten the airflow after it passes through the baffle, reducing turbulence and flow distortion while maintaining the pressure differential needed for effective FOD blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a perforated inlet baffle is used to block foreign matter, then foreign object damage is prevented, but flow distortion increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeign object damage preventionVSAvoidflow distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet plenum is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first region with a perforated baffle for FOD protection, and a second region with guide vanes for flow guidance. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, reducing overall flow distortion and pressure losses while maintaining FOD prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary elements between the perforated baffle and the compressor inlet. These vanes act as mediators that redirect and straighten the airflow after it passes through the baffle, reducing turbulence and flow distortion while maintaining the pressure differential needed for effective FOD blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Shape

If guide vanes are used to guide airflow, then flow distortion is reduced, but foreign object damage barrier reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflow distortionVSAvoidforeign object damage barrier

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet plenum is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first region with a perforated baffle for FOD protection, and a second region with guide vanes for flow guidance. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, reducing overall flow distortion and pressure losses while maintaining FOD prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary elements between the perforated baffle and the compressor inlet. These vanes act as mediators that redirect and straighten the airflow after it passes through the baffle, reducing turbulence and flow distortion while maintaining the pressure differential needed for effective FOD blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of manufacture

If the inlet plenum uses a simple perforated baffle design, then manufacturing is easier, but flow guidance capability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinlet plenum manufacturingVSAvoidflow guidance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet plenum is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first region with a perforated baffle for FOD protection, and a second region with guide vanes for flow guidance. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, reducing overall flow distortion and pressure losses while maintaining FOD prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary elements between the perforated baffle and the compressor inlet. These vanes act as mediators that redirect and straighten the airflow after it passes through the baffle, reducing turbulence and flow distortion while maintaining the pressure differential needed for effective FOD blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution effectively minimizes flow distortion and pressure losses across the perforated inlet baffle, enhancing compressor efficiency and reliability by ensuring uniform flow conditions and preventing foreign object damage.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of stagnation vanes, each stagnation vane comprising a generally arc-shaped vane that extends proximate the PI baffle to establish an approximation of stagnant flow around the entire PI baffle to reduce flow distortion of the airflow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStagnant flow:

Data Source

PatentUS7625173B2Inlet plenum for gas turbine engine

Publication Date: 2009.12.01 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

AI summary

An inlet plenum for coupling airflow from a radial airflow inlet to an axial compressor inlet for a compressor comprises a perforated inlet (PI) baffle that comprises a generally cylindrical baffle that circumscribes the compressor inlet and a plurality of apertures, each aperture perforating the baffle to pass the airflow from the radial airflow inlet to the compressor inlet and a plurality of stagnation vanes, each stagnation vane comprising a generally arc-shaped vane that extends proximate the PI baffle to establish an approximation of stagnant flow around the entire PI baffle to reduce flow distortion of the airflow between the radial airflow inlet and the axial compressor inlet.