Gas Turbine Ring Segment Cooling with Pinless Impingement Areas

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently managing high temperatures within turbine blades and vanes, particularly in the combustion and turbine sections, leading to potential material degradation and reduced performance.

Innovation Solution

A ring segment assembly is introduced, comprising a ring segment with impingement pockets and pins, combined with an impingement plate featuring a negative Poisson's ratio structure, to enhance cooling efficiency by directing cooling flow through pinless areas for improved heat transfer and reduced stress at weld points.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If traditional cooling methods are used in turbine blades and vanes, then cooling coverage is provided, but cooling efficiency is insufficient and stress concentration occurs at weld points

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidstress concentration at weld points

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ring segment assembly is divided into multiple functional zones including impingement pockets, pinless areas, and transition zones. This segmentation allows different regions to perform specialized cooling functions, improving overall cooling efficiency while distributing stress away from concentrated weld points through the distributed pin array design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by creating pinless areas within the ring segment where no pins are present, allowing uninterrupted cooling flow in critical regions. This local modification reduces stress concentration at weld points while maintaining effective cooling coverage in high-temperature zones

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If cooling flow is increased to improve cooling efficiency, then heat transfer improves, but the requirement for cooling flow increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transferVSAvoidcooling flow requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts pins from specific areas to create pinless zones, removing obstacles that impede cooling flow. This extraction allows cooling fluid to move more freely through critical regions, enhancing heat transfer efficiency without requiring increased cooling flow quantity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a new dimensional aspect by creating three-dimensional pinless areas within the ring segment structure. This dimensional modification creates volumetric flow paths that significantly improve heat transfer efficiency without proportionally increasing the quantity of cooling flow required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Temperature

If pins are added to enhance cooling flow direction, then cooling coverage improves, but stress concentration and leakage occur at pin locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling flow directionVSAvoidstress concentration and leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of pin-induced stress concentration into a benefit by strategically placing pins only in non-critical areas while creating pinless zones in high-stress regions. The pins in permissible areas help direct cooling flow, while the pinless areas eliminate stress concentration and leakage problems in critical zones

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 ring segment assembly enhances cooling efficiency, reducing the requirement for cooling flow and improving the performance of gas turbine engines by minimizing stress and leakage, thereby optimizing operational efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

directing cooling flow through pinless areas for improved heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

an impingement plate featuring a negative Poisson's ratio structure, to enhance cooling efficiency by directing cooling flow through pinless areas for improved heat transfer and reduced stress at weld points

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNegative Poisson's ratio: Auxetic Structures

Data Source

PatentEP4276283B1Ring segment assembly in gas turbine engine

Publication Date: 2026.01.28 SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO KG

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5

AI summary

A ring segment assembly (200) includes a ring segment (202) including an impingement pocket (318) having an impingement surface (320), a plurality of pins (402) extending from the impingement surface (320), and an impingement plate (204) spaced a non-zero distance (702) from the impingement surface (320). The plurality of pins (402) are arranged to define a plurality of pinless impingement areas (404). The impingement plate (204) has a plurality of bumps (602) and a plurality of valleys (604). The impingement plate (204) defines a plurality of impingement holes (606). Each impingement hole (606) of the plurality of impingement holes (606) is formed in one of the valley (604) of the plurality of valleys (604) and positioned opposite one of the plurality of pinless impingement areas (404).