Multi-Wall Blade Trailing Edge Cooling Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional trailing edge cooling systems in gas turbine blades inefficiently use cooling air by expelling it after it flows through the cooling circuits, not maximizing its heat capacity before exhaust.

Innovation Solution

A multi-wall blade with a trailing edge cooling system that reuses the cooling air flow by redirecting it through a series of radially and circumferentially offset cooling circuits, allowing the air to be collected and reused for further cooling of the blade, including film and impingement cooling, and distribution to other internal circuits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If cooling air is passed through traditional trailing edge cooling circuits and then expelled, then the blade structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the heat capacity of the cooling air is not maximized and cooling efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat capacity of cooling airVSAvoidcooling circuit structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling circuit is configured with nested serpentine passages where the first cooling passage and second cooling passage are arranged in a nested configuration within the blade structure. This allows the cooling air to traverse multiple cooling zones sequentially, maximizing heat extraction from the blade while maintaining a compact overall structure that does not significantly increase manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling circuit enables continuous circulation of cooling air through the blade structure. The cooling air enters through the coolant feed, traverses the first cooling passage, continues through the second cooling passage, and exits via the coolant collection passage. This continuous flow path ensures that the cooling air maintains its cooling function throughout the entire circuit, maximizing the utilization of its heat capacity before being expelled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Productivity

If cooling air flow is increased to maximize heat capacity utilization, then cooling efficiency improves, but the complexity of the cooling circuit increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidcooling circuit configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling circuit is segmented into distinct functional zones: the first cooling passage dedicated to trailing edge cooling and the second cooling passage for additional cooling sections. This segmentation allows cooling air to be distributed to different areas of the blade in a systematic manner, improving overall cooling efficiency while keeping each individual passage relatively simple in design and easy to manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If multiple cooling circuits are added to reuse cooling air, then the heat capacity utilization is maximized, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling air utilizationVSAvoidblade manufacturing

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The first cooling passage and second cooling passage are merged into a single continuous cooling circuit that shares common boundaries with the blade structure. This merging approach allows the cooling air to flow sequentially through both passages without requiring separate independent systems, thereby maximizing cooling air utilization while maintaining ease of manufacture through a unified structural design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enhances the utilization of cooling air by maximizing its heat capacity, providing efficient cooling to the blade and other sections, thereby improving the operational efficiency and performance of the gas turbine system.

Implementation Method 1

a turn fluidly coupling the outward leg and the return leg, the turn being configured to redirect flow of coolant in the outward leg into the return leg

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow redirection:

Implementation Method 2

Cooling air (or other suitable coolant) provided by, for example, a compressor of a gas turbine system, may be passed through and out of the cooling passages to cool various portions of the multi-wall blade

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Implementation Method 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3315723B1Multi-wall blade with trailing edge cooling system

Publication Date: 2022.03.02 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

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Figure 3~5

AI summary

A trailing edge cooling system for a multi-wall blade, including: a cooling circuit 32, including: an outward leg 34 extending toward a trailing edge 14 of the multi-wall blade and fluidly coupled to a coolant feed; a return leg 38 extending away from the trailing edge of the multi-wall blade and fluidly coupled to a coolant collection passage 46; and a turn 36 for coupling the outward leg and the return leg; wherein the outward leg is radially offset from the return leg along a radial axis of the multi-wall blade.