Modular Cooling Structure for Turbomachine Seal Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional turbomachines face inefficiencies due to high temperature exposure affecting seal components, leading to degradation and increased maintenance costs, as existing cooling channels are expensive and difficult to install.
Innovation Solution
A cooling structure for turbomachine seal slots, featuring a body with a passageway that provides cooling fluid to the seal slot, reducing thermal degradation and allowing for customizable and cost-effective implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling channels are used to cool seal areas, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular cooling structures that can be independently manufactured and installed. Each cooling structure includes a body with internal cooling channels and an attachment mechanism, allowing separate fabrication and subsequent assembly onto the turbomachine component, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling structure acts as an intermediary component between the cooling fluid supply system and the seal area. This intermediate structure contains the cooling channels and provides standardized attachment interfaces, mediating the complex cooling requirement into a manageable modular unit that is easier to manufacture and install.
2Temperature
If complex cooling channels are integrated into turbomachine components, then cooling performance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into standardized modular units with uniform attachment interfaces. Each cooling structure is a self-contained module with integrated cooling channels, reducing overall system complexity by breaking down the complex cooling requirement into manageable, repeatable units that can be manufactured using standard processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling structures are designed with universal attachment mechanisms that can be applied to various seal locations and configurations. This multi-functionality allows the same basic cooling structure design to serve multiple purposes and locations, reducing device complexity by avoiding custom-designed cooling solutions for each application.
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 cooling structure effectively minimizes the degradation of seal components by providing targeted cooling, reducing maintenance needs and installation costs, while enhancing operational efficiency by preventing hot gas leakage.
Implementation Method 1
a body coupled to a surface of the seal slot, the body including a passageway on a first surface of the body for providing a cooling fluid to the seal slot
Implementation Method 2
the cooling structure effectively minimizes the degradation of seal components by providing targeted cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling structure for a turbomachine. In one embodiment, the cooling structure is for a seal slot of the turbomachine. The cooling structure includes a body coupled to a surface of the seal slot. The body includes a passageway on a first surface of the body for providing a cooling fluid to the seal slot. In an other embodiment, a apparatus includes a first component and a second component adjacent the first component. The apparatus also includes a seal slot extending between the first component and the second component, and a cooling structure positioned within the seal slot. The cooling structure includes a body coupled to a surface of the seal slot. The body has a passageway on a first surface of the body for providing a cooling fluid to the seal slot.