Multi-Wall Blade Cooling Circuit with Segmented Cavities

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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 multi-wall blade cooling systems have limitations in distributing cooling air efficiently across the blade's surface.

Innovation Solution

A cooling circuit for a multi-wall blade that includes a pressure side cavity, suction side cavity, central cavity, and leading edge cavities with impingement openings and channels, allowing cooling air to be directed and turned to recombine and flow through the blade, providing comprehensive convection and film cooling across the blade's surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional multi-wall blade cooling systems are used, then cooling air can be provided to turbine blades, but the distribution of cooling air across the blade surface is inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidcooling circuit configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling circuit is divided into multiple cavities (pressure side cavity, suction side cavity, central cavity, leading edge cavities) that are segmented to target specific high-heat-load regions of the blade. Each cavity receives and distributes cooling air independently to optimize cooling effectiveness in different anatomical regions of the turbine blade.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling system provides localized cooling quality by directing cooling air to specific cavities based on their thermal requirements. The leading edge cavities receive cooling air first to address the highest heat load region, while other cavities receive cooling air according to their specific thermal needs, creating non-uniform local cooling quality matched to local heat generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If cooling air flow is increased to improve cooling effectiveness, then blade temperature control improves, but pressure loss in the cooling circuit increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade temperature controlVSAvoidpressure loss
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling circuit is designed to pre-direct cooling air through leading edge cavities before it reaches other blade regions. The impingement openings in the leading edge cavities create preliminary cooling action at the highest heat load region, ensuring that cooling air is most effective where needed before any pressure loss occurs in subsequent circuit sections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The central cavity acts as an intermediary that receives cooling air from both pressure and suction side cavities and redistributes it. This intermediary structure allows for pressure recovery and redistribution of cooling flow, reducing overall pressure loss while maintaining effective cooling delivery to multiple blade regions.

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 cooling circuit enhances the distribution and effectiveness of cooling air, improving the thermal management of the multi-wall blade by ensuring efficient cooling across the blade's surface, thereby enhancing the operational performance and longevity of the gas turbine system.

Implementation Method 1

providing comprehensive convection and film cooling across the blade's surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 2

providing comprehensive convection and film cooling across the blade's surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFilm cooling:

Data Source

PatentEP3284908B1Multi-wall blade with cooling circuit
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP3284908B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3284908B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3284908B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A cooling circuit (30) for a multi-wall blade (6) according to an embodiment includes: a pressure side cavity (20A) with a surface (60) adjacent a pressure side (8) of the multi-wall blade (6); a suction side cavity (22A) with a surface (62) adjacent a suction side (10) of the multi-wall blade (6); a central cavity (26A) disposed between the pressure side and suction side cavities (20A, 22A), the central cavity (26A) including no surfaces adjacent the pressure and suction sides (8, 10) of the multi-wall blade (6); a first leading edge cavity (18B) with surfaces adjacent the pressure and suction sides (8, 10) of the multi-wall blade (6), the first leading edge cavity (18B) located forward of the central cavity (26A); a second leading edge cavity (18A) located forward of the first leading edge cavity (18B); at least one impingement opening (44) for fluidly coupling the first leading edge cavity (18B) to the second leading edge cavity (18A); and at least one channel (76) for fluidly coupling the central cavity (26A) to a tip (78) of the multi-wall blade (6).