Gas Turbine Nozzle Embossments for Cooling Insert Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas turbine nozzle impingement cooling systems require complex and costly casting and machining, leading to durability issues and increased maintenance costs due to air leakage across joints, which reduces component lifetime and overall system efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A gas turbine nozzle design featuring a band with a seal slot, an airfoil with a cavity, and an embossment with a curved configuration around the band and cavity, allowing for efficient insertion of an impingement cooling insert without expensive casting or machining, and enhancing cooling efficiency by preventing seal slot breakage into the cavity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If impingement cooling systems use complicated casting and structural welding, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzle assembly is divided into separate components: a nozzle body and a removable cooling insert. The cooling insert is further segmented into a body portion and a separate impingement plate, allowing independent manufacturing and assembly. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining cooling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling function is extracted from the main nozzle structure and placed into a separate, removable cooling insert. This allows the cooling system to be manufactured and assembled independently, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If ribs are machined into the cavity for positioning cooling inserts, then cooling insert positioning accuracy is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling insert positioning accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Positioning features such as ribs or protrusions are pre-formed on the cooling insert during its manufacturing process, before installation in the nozzle. This preliminary action ensures accurate positioning during assembly without requiring time-consuming post-assembly machining operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning features are integrated into the cooling insert as a unified structure, combining the cooling function with the positioning function in a single component. This eliminates the need for separate positioning elements and reduces assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If welding or brazing is used to attach cooling inserts, then cooling insert attachment strength is improved, but air leakage and reduced part life occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidpart life

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The welding or brazing process is replaced with a mechanical interference fit and sealing mechanism. The cooling insert includes a body portion that fits into a recess in the nozzle body, with sealing surfaces that create a leak-tight connection without requiring thermal joining processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of operation

If seal slots are machined into the band, then cooling insert insertion is enabled, but seal slot breakage into the cavity occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling insert insertionVSAvoidseal slot integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The embossment is formed as a cushioning feature that protrudes into the seal slot during assembly. This beforehand cushioning prevents the seal slot from breaking into the cavity by providing a protective barrier that absorbs mechanical stress during the insertion process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 nozzle design enables fast and cost-effective insertion of cooling inserts, prolongs component lifetime, and improves system efficiency by maintaining adequate cooling and preventing seal leakage, thus enhancing the durability and performance of gas turbine engines.

Implementation Method 1

an embossment positioned about the band and the cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical support:

Implementation Method 2

Impingement cooling systems cool these components via an airflow so as to maintain adequate clearances between the components and to promote adequate component lifetime

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpingement cooling:

Data Source

PatentUS9745920B2Gas turbine nozzles with embossments in airfoil cavities

Publication Date: 2017.08.29 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

The present application provides a nozzle for a gas turbine engine. The nozzle may include a band, a seal slot positioned within the band, an airfoil extending from the band, a cavity within the airfoil, and an embossment positioned about the band and the cavity.