Replaceable Turbomachine Blade Tip for Advanced Cooling Passages

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current gas turbine systems face challenges in achieving advanced heat transfer designs, particularly at the blade tip and nozzle edges, due to limitations in the investment casting process, which hinders efficient cooling and overall system efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves attaching a tip or edge coupon to the airfoil body using a retention member and retention member seat, allowing for advanced coolant passage configurations and improved heat transfer, while enabling the use of separate components for new and used parts, facilitating easier replacement and upgrade.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If investment casting process is used to manufacture blade tips and nozzles as monolithic structures, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but advanced heat transfer designs cannot be achieved in blade tips and nozzle edges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidadvanced heat transfer design capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is divided into two separate components: an airfoil body and a tip. The airfoil body is manufactured using conventional investment casting, while the tip is separately manufactured with advanced cooling features and then attached to the airfoil body. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling advanced heat transfer designs in the tip while maintaining manufacturing simplicity for the airfoil body.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate tips or coupons are manufactured and attached to airfoil bodies, then advanced cooling arrangements can be implemented, but adequate coupling between the part and the rest of the airfoil becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvanced cooling arrangement capabilityVSAvoidcoupling adequacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Retention members are embedded into the airfoil body during the investment casting process, before the tip is attached. This preliminary action ensures that the coupling mechanism is pre-positioned and properly integrated into the airfoil body, providing reliable mechanical attachment and sealing when the tip is subsequently attached. The retention members create positive mechanical engagement and prevent detachment during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If welding, brazing or bonding is used to attach tips to airfoil bodies, then coupling is achieved, but component replacement and upgrade becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoupling strengthVSAvoidcomponent replacement ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment system is designed to be reversible and dynamic rather than permanent. Mechanical retention members allow the tip to be attached securely during operation while enabling easy removal and replacement when needed. This dynamic attachment system facilitates maintenance, repair, and upgrade operations by allowing quick detachment of tips without requiring destructive processes like welding or brazing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Temperature

If significant amounts of air are used for cooling blades and nozzles, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but overall gas turbine system efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidsystem efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Advanced cooling arrangements are implemented locally in the tip and nozzle edge regions where heat transfer demands are highest, rather than cooling the entire blade or nozzle uniformly. The tip includes cooling passages and structures specifically positioned to address thermal challenges at the blade tip, allowing effective cooling of critical areas while minimizing the total amount of cooling air required, thus preserving overall system efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 approach enhances the efficiency of gas turbine systems by reducing cooling air flow, increasing power generation, and extending component life, while allowing for advanced cooling designs and part replacement.

Implementation Method 1

a retention member extending from the tip body for coupling to a tip retention member seat in the airfoil body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Fastening: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 2

at least one second coolant passage in the tip body configured for fluid communication with the at least one first coolant passage in the airfoil body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid Flow:

Data Source

PatentUS11143033B2Turbomachine blade tip attachment

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A blade for a turbomachine, a tip for a blade of a turbomachine and a related method are disclosed. The blade may include a tip body having a shape at least partially configured for coupling to an airfoil body of the blade; at least one coolant passage in the tip body configured for fluid communication with at least one coolant passage in the airfoil body; and a retention member extending from the tip body for coupling to a tip retention member seat in the airfoil body. The tip can be replaced, allowing for changes in the coolant passages in the tip of a blade.