Interdigitated Turbine Section for Gas Turbine Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine engines face inefficiencies due to the need for significant cooling air to mitigate damage from hot combustion gases, which reduces overall engine efficiency, performance, and operability, and are limited by the design of nozzle guide vanes that require substantial cooling, increasing fuel consumption and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an interdigitated turbine section with a first rotating component and a second rotating component, where the first component includes an inner and outer shroud with connecting airfoils, reducing the need for a nozzle guide vane by accelerating combustion gases directly to match the high-pressure turbine rotor speed, thereby minimizing cooling air consumption and optimizing energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional nozzle guide vanes are used to accelerate combustion gases, then turbine rotor speed matching is improved, but cooling air consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the conventional stationary nozzle guide vane from the system entirely. Instead, the first rotating component (high-pressure turbine rotor) directly accelerates combustion gases through its rotating airfoils, eliminating the need for a separate stationary acceleration stage and its associated cooling requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Conventionally, stationary vanes accelerate gases before they reach rotating blades. This patent inverts the approach by having the rotating component itself perform the acceleration function, combining what were traditionally separate stationary and rotating functions into a single rotating element.
2Reliability
If significant cooling air is used to protect nozzle guide vanes, then component reliability is improved, but engine efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the stationary nozzle guide vane that requires extensive cooling, the patent eliminates the need for large quantities of cooling air, thereby preserving engine efficiency while still protecting the rotating component through its dynamic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating component serves itself by using the combustion gases to drive its rotation, and in turn uses its rotation to accelerate the gases. The dynamic operation inherently manages thermal loads without requiring separate cooling systems.
3Power
If conventional serial turbine stages are used, then turbine functionality is achieved, but part count and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the nozzle guide vane and the first turbine stage into a single rotating component. The first rotating component simultaneously performs acceleration and power extraction functions that were traditionally separated, reducing part count and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The first rotating component serves multiple functions: it accelerates combustion gases (traditionally the nozzle guide vane's function), extracts power, and conditions the flow for subsequent stages. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components required.
4Productivity
If additional interdigitated stages are added, then engine efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements interdigitated stages where rotating and stationary components are nested alternately along the axial direction. The second rotating component is positioned between stages of the first rotating component, creating a compact nested arrangement that enables additional efficiency-improving stages without proportionally increasing complexity.
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 configuration enhances engine efficiency, performance, and operability by reducing cooling air usage, decreasing part count and weight, and minimizing packaging dimensions, while allowing for additional stages of interdigitation, thus improving fuel efficiency and reducing maintenance intervals.
Implementation Method 1
the first rotating component may define at least one stage of the plurality of outer shroud airfoils upstream of the second rotating component... accelerating combustion gases directly to match the high-pressure turbine rotor speed
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section that includes a first rotating component and a second rotating component. The first rotating component includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The first rotating component further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The second rotating component is upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the first rotating component along the longitudinal direction. The second rotating component includes a plurality of second airfoils extended outward in the radial direction. The first rotating component defines at least one stage of the plurality of outer shroud airfoils upstream of the second rotating component.