Multi-Wall Turbine Blade Cooling Circuit Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine systems face challenges in effectively cooling turbine blades subjected to high temperature flows, which can lead to component failure, and existing cooling systems may not optimize the distribution and reuse of cooling air efficiently across multi-wall blades.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a multi-wall blade design with a serpentine cooling circuit that includes an odd number of pressure side cavities and a central cavity, where cooling air is redirected through a series of turns to efficiently distribute cooling air from the compressor to the platform core of the blade, providing convection cooling and optimizing the flow path for effective heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling air is passed through internal cooling channels to cool turbine blades, then the blade temperature is reduced and component failure is prevented, but the complexity of the blade structure increases due to the intricate maze of internal cooling channels
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple walls with separate internal cavities for different cooling circuits. The multi-wall structure segments the cooling functions into distinct channels, allowing independent optimization of each cooling path while maintaining overall blade integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple cooling circuits are nested within the multi-wall blade structure. The serpentine cooling circuit is embedded within the internal cavities of the multi-wall configuration, creating a compact nested arrangement that maximizes cooling surface area while minimizing external blade dimensions.
2Quantity of substance
If near wall cooling channels are made small to reduce cooling flow requirements, then cooling air consumption is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase to maintain effective cooling velocity
Solution Approach 1:
Different wall thicknesses and channel dimensions are used in different regions of the blade. Near-wall regions have smaller channels optimized for low flow consumption, while central regions have larger channels for high-velocity flow. This local differentiation allows each region to operate at optimal cooling efficiency with appropriate flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system uses a serpentine circuit configuration that dynamically adjusts flow velocity and distribution along the cooling path. The winding path creates varying flow conditions that maintain effective cooling velocity throughout the circuit despite the overall reduction in cooling air consumption.
3Reliability
If central channels are used as source of cooling air and reuse circuits are implemented to redistribute spent cooling flow, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reuse circuit continuously recycles spent cooling flow from the trailing edge back to the leading edge through the multi-wall structure. This continuous circulation maintains cooling effectiveness by repeatedly utilizing the same cooling air, extending its useful cooling action throughout the blade operation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the cooling flow after a single pass, the system recovers and redistributes the spent cooling air through reuse circuits. The cooling flow is recovered from regions where it has lost cooling potential and redirected to areas that still require cooling, maximizing the utilization of each unit of cooling air.
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 design enhances the cooling efficiency of turbine blades by ensuring effective distribution and reuse of cooling air, thereby improving the operational temperature and performance of gas turbine systems while reducing the risk of component failure.
Implementation Method 1
cooling air is redirected through a series of turns to efficiently distribute cooling air from the compressor to the platform core of the blade, providing convection cooling
Data Source
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AI summary
A cooling system for a turbomachine blade including a multi-wall blade (6) and a platform (3), including: a cooling circuit (30) for the multi-wall blade (6), the cooling circuit (30) including a central cavity (26) and a plurality of outer cavities (18, 20, 22, 24), wherein the central cavity (26) comprises an intermediate passage of the cooling circuit (30), and wherein a flow of cooling air (32) is fed into the cooling circuit (30) through a first outer cavity of the plurality of outer cavities (18, 20, 22, 24); and a connection (56) for fluidly connecting a second outer cavity of the plurality of outer cavities (18, 20, 22, 24) to a platform core (54) of the platform (3), the flow of cooling air (32) passing through the connection (56) into the platform core (54) of the platform (3).