Inverted Platefins for Combustor Basket Cooling Gap

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing combustor basket designs with nested inner and outer liners suffer from thermal erosion and distortion due to high temperature exposure, leading to a collapse of the cooling air gap, which diminishes cooling airflow and accelerates further erosion.

Innovation Solution

The design features radially inwardly projecting platefins on the outer liner to maintain the cooling air passage gap, with optional effusion cooling holes in the inner liner, reducing thermal erosion and enhancing radial cooling flow between the liners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dimples are formed on the inner liner distal tip to maintain cooling gap, then cooling airflow is improved, but the dimples erode or collapse under thermal exposure causing gap collapse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling airflow maintenanceVSAvoiddimple structural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by moving the gap-maintaining platefins from the inner liner to the outer liner. This inversion places the structural elements in a cooler environment where they are not subject to thermal erosion and distortion, thereby maintaining their integrity and the cooling gap over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The platefins on the outer liner act as an intermediary structure that maintains the cooling gap without being directly exposed to the harsh thermal environment. This intermediary positioning protects the gap-maintaining function from thermal degradation while still achieving the desired cooling airflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If through holes are added to inner liner to improve cooling airflow, then radial cooling flow is enhanced, but thermal erosion of inner liner increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling airflowVSAvoidthermal erosion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by moving the gap-maintaining platefins from the inner liner to the outer liner. This inversion places the structural elements in a cooler environment where they are not subject to thermal erosion and distortion, thereby maintaining their integrity and the cooling gap over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If platefins are located on inner liner to maintain gap, then cooling gap is maintained, but platefins are susceptible to thermal erosion and distortion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling gap maintenanceVSAvoidthermal exposure of platefins

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by moving the gap-maintaining platefins from the inner liner to the outer liner. This inversion places the structural elements in a cooler environment where they are not subject to thermal erosion and distortion, thereby maintaining their integrity and the cooling gap over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The platefins on the outer liner act as an intermediary structure that maintains the cooling gap without being directly exposed to the harsh thermal environment. This intermediary positioning protects the gap-maintaining function from thermal degradation while still achieving the desired cooling airflow.

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

This configuration maintains robust cooling airflow and extends the service life of the combustor basket by protecting the platefins from thermal damage and ensuring consistent airflow between the inner and outer liners.

Implementation Method 1

distal tips of the platefins abut an outer circumference of the inner liner distal end, thereby forming a cooling air passage gap

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical contact force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

effusion cooling through holes are formed in the inner liner outer circumference, oriented in the air passage gap between the fins, so that cooling air passes through the effusion holes into the cooling air passage gap

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEffusion cooling: Effusion

Implementation Method 3

cooling air passes through the cooling air passage gap

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10309652B2Gas turbine engine combustor basket with inverted platefins

Publication Date: 2019.06.04 SIEMENS ENERGY INC

AI summary

A gas turbine engine combustor basket has nested outer and inner liners that are separated by a gap at their respective distal downstream ends for passage of cooling air between the liners. Radially inwardly projecting platefins formed on an inner circumferential surface of the outer liner maintain the cooling air passage gap. In some embodiments effusion cooling through holes are formed in the inner liner outer circumference, oriented in the air passage gap between the fins, so that cooling air passes through the effusion holes into the cooling air passage gap.