Multi-Wall Blade Cooling Circuit for Turbine Tip Thermal Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine systems face challenges in effectively cooling the high heat load areas of multi-wall turbine blades, particularly at the tip, where both high and low cooling effectiveness channels are exposed to extreme temperatures, leading to potential component failure.
Innovation Solution
A three-pass serpentine cooling circuit is implemented within the multi-wall turbine blade, extending radially outward to cover central plenums and near wall cooling channels, providing convection cooling and shielding from high heat loads while redistributing cooling air as a film to the tip area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling channels are used in multi-wall turbine blades, then cooling air can be provided to turbine blades, but the tip area and high heat load regions are not adequately cooled due to exposure to extreme temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The serpentine cooling circuit is nested within the multi-wall blade structure, extending radially outward to cover central plenums and near wall cooling channels. This nested configuration allows the cooling circuit to be integrated within the existing blade walls, providing cooling to high heat load regions without adding external components that would increase device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling circuit transitions from traditional linear or simple serpentine paths to a three-dimensional serpentine path that extends radially outward through multiple wall layers. This dimensional change allows the cooling air to reach the tip area and high heat load regions that were previously inaccessible to conventional cooling channels, effectively cooling the tip area while maintaining structural integrity.
2Productivity
If higher temperature flows are used to increase gas turbine performance, then efficiency and power output increase, but turbine blade cooling becomes more difficult and component failure risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
Cooling air is introduced through the serpentine cooling circuit before the hot gas flows reach the critical tip area and high heat load regions. The cooling air establishes a protective thermal barrier in advance, preventing excessive heat accumulation in these vulnerable areas and allowing the turbine to operate at higher temperatures without compromising blade integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The serpentine cooling circuit provides localized cooling enhancement to specific high heat load regions, particularly the tip area and regions adjacent to the leading and trailing edges. By concentrating cooling effectiveness where heat loads are highest, the system enables higher overall operating temperatures while maintaining local thermal safety margins in critical areas.
3Quantity of substance
If near wall cooling channels are made smaller to reduce cooling flow requirements, then cooling air consumption decreases, but maintaining sufficient cooling velocity becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The serpentine cooling circuit creates a dynamic flow path that maintains cooling air velocity through its extended radial configuration. The multi-pass serpentine design ensures that cooling air gains momentum and maintains sufficient velocity as it progresses through the circuit, even in smaller channel sections, by leveraging the pressure gradient and flow path geometry to sustain cooling effectiveness with reduced overall cooling air consumption.
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 cools the tip area of the multi-wall blade, shielding low and high effectiveness channels from excessive heat, enhancing the cooling efficiency and preventing component failure by providing a cooling film, thus allowing the gas turbine system to operate at higher temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
providing convection cooling and shielding from high heat loads while redistributing cooling air as a film to the tip area
Implementation Method 2
providing a cooling film, thus allowing the gas turbine system to operate at higher temperatures
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A cooling system according to an embodiment includes: a three-pass serpentine cooling circuit (40, 140, 240); and an air feed cavity (41, 141, 241) for supplying cooling air to the three-pass serpentine cooling circuit (40, 140, 240); wherein the three-pass serpentine cooling circuit (40, 140, 240) extends radially outward from and at least partially covers at least one central plenum (20) and a first set of near wall cooling channels (18) of a multi-wall blade (6).