Additive Manufacturing Integral Turbine Casing for Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face challenges with excessive deformation, thermal expansion, and weight issues due to separable flanges and assemblies, which hinder thermal control and engine efficiency, and require additional components that increase weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The development of an improved gas turbine engine with integral, unitary structures formed through additive manufacturing, featuring thermal control rings and manifolds that provide enhanced clearance control, reduced weight, and improved heat transfer properties, eliminating the need for flanges and sub-assemblies, and allowing for more efficient cooling and thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If separable flanges and assemblies are used in turbine casings, then deformation and displacement can be limited during engine operation, but weight increases and thermal control effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges previously separate casing components (flanges, brackets, hangers) into a single integral turbine casing structure manufactured via additive manufacturing. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple discrete parts while maintaining the casing's ability to control deformation through its optimized monolithic geometry and material distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from traditional subtractive or assembly-based methods to additive manufacturing. This enables the creation of complex integral structures with optimized thermal and mechanical properties that cannot be achieved through conventional assembly of separate parts, thereby controlling deformation without adding weight.
2Stability of the object's composition
If separable flanges and assemblies are used in turbine casings, then deformation can be limited, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple discrete casing components into a single integral structure, eliminating flanges, brackets, and hangers that would otherwise be required for assembly. This merging reduces device complexity by removing unnecessary intermediate components while maintaining structural integrity and deformation control capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The integral casing structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, controls thermal deformation, and serves as the mounting framework for turbine components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized components, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If separable flanges are used in turbine casings, then assembly is enabled, but thermal control structure placement is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The additive manufacturing process enables local optimization of the casing structure, allowing thermal control features to be placed precisely where needed within the integral geometry. The casing can have varying wall thicknesses, internal channels, and thermal pathways tailored to specific local thermal management requirements, providing superior adaptability compared to conventional assembled casings.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional casing designs with flanges are used, then assembly is enabled, but weight is added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all casing components into a single integral structure, eliminating the weight of multiple discrete parts, fasteners, and joining materials. The additive manufacturing process creates an optimized monolithic structure that achieves the necessary assembly capabilities through integrated geometry rather than through mechanical fastening of separate components.
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 solution reduces weight, mitigates deformation, and enhances engine efficiency by improving thermal control and heat transfer, while maintaining effective clearance control across the turbine rotor assembly.
Implementation Method 1
turbine section casings surrounding turbine section rotors... excessive deformation, thermal expansion or contraction... may result in excessive rub
Implementation Method 2
thermal control rings... providing a flow of air to control thermal growth of the turbine shroud
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine including: a first turbine rotor assembly including a plurality of first turbine rotor blades extended within a gas flowpath; and a casing surrounding the first turbine rotor assembly, wherein the casing comprises an outer casing wall extended around the first turbine rotor assembly; a plurality of vanes extended from the outer casing wall and within the gas flowpath at a location aft of the first turbine rotor assembly; and a thermal control ring positioned outward along a radial direction from the outer casing wall, and wherein the thermal control ring comprises a body and a plurality of pins, and wherein the plurality of pins extend between the outer casing wall and the body.