Pedestal Array Turbulator Heat Transfer Augmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat transfer systems in gas turbine engines require significant amounts of cooling fluid to effectively manage heat from hot components, which can lead to inefficiencies and reduced engine performance.
Innovation Solution
A compact heat exchanger pedestal array is introduced, featuring pedestals and turbulator strips that disrupt cooling fluid flow, creating turbulent mixing and enhancing heat transfer from hot components to the cooling fluid, thereby minimizing the required cooling fluid volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional cooling circuits are used in gas turbine engine components, then heat transfer from hot components can be managed, but significant amounts of cooling fluid are required which reduces engine performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow regime parameter from laminar to turbulent flow by introducing pedestals and turbulator strips. This turbulence increases the heat transfer coefficient, allowing effective heat removal with reduced cooling fluid volume, thus resolving the contradiction between engine performance and cooling fluid quantity requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The pedestals and turbulator strips act as intermediary elements that modify the cooling fluid flow characteristics. These intermediaries create turbulent mixing and enhance heat transfer efficiency, enabling the system to achieve better cooling performance with less cooling fluid, thereby improving engine performance
2Temperature
If cooling fluid flow is increased to enhance heat transfer, then heat removal effectiveness improves, but the amount of cooling fluid required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow regime parameter from laminar to turbulent flow by introducing pedestals and turbulator strips. This turbulence increases the heat transfer coefficient, allowing effective heat removal with reduced cooling fluid volume, thus resolving the contradiction between engine performance and cooling fluid quantity requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The pedestals and turbulator strips create localized turbulence regions at critical heat transfer locations. By enhancing mixing and heat transfer coefficients locally rather than increasing overall flow volume, the system achieves improved temperature control without proportionally increasing cooling fluid 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 compact heat exchanger pedestal array significantly increases heat transfer efficiency from hot components in gas turbine engines, reducing the need for cooling fluid and enhancing engine performance by promoting turbulent mixing between the cooling fluid and the heated surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The turbulator strips and the pedestals disrupt the cooling fluid flow causing turbulent mixing and increasing heat transfer from the wall to the cooling fluid
Implementation Method 2
increasing heat transfer from the wall to the cooling fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A compact heat exchanger pedestal array for augmenting heat transfer in a machine is disclosed. The compact heat exchanger pedestal array includes a wall having first and second surfaces. The first surface faces a heated flow path and the second surface partially forms a flow path for cooling fluid. A plurality of pedestals extend from the second surface of the wall. At least one turbulator strip extends between adjacent pedestals. The turbulator strips and pedestals are operable for mixing the cooling fluid to increase heat transfer from the wall to the cooling fluid.