Resistive Rotor Disk Heating for Turbomachine Thermal Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbomachines, such as gas turbines, experience varied temperature profiles across rotor disks during transient events like cold startup, leading to high stress conditions that can adversely affect the life of the disks due to uneven heating from compressed air flows.
Innovation Solution
A rotor disk heating system that resistively heats portions of the rotor disks using an electrical current or voltage applied to a multilayered heating material, either within grooves or continuously on the annular surface, ensuring even temperature distribution and controlled heating through a controller and power supply system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If rotor disks are heated by compressed air flow during transient events, then the rotor disk reaches operating temperature, but uneven temperature distribution causes high stress conditions that adversely affect disk life
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system applies different heating intensities to different radial zones of the rotor disk. The controller independently controls heating elements in inner and outer radial regions to achieve uniform temperature distribution across the disk, preventing thermal stress while ensuring proper heating.
2Stability of the object's composition
If resistive heating is applied to rotor disks, then even temperature distribution is achieved, but additional heating system complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system divides the rotor disk heating function into multiple independent heating zones with separate heating elements. Each zone can be controlled independently by the controller, allowing precise temperature management while distributing the heating function across multiple simpler components rather than one complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating elements are integrated directly into the rotor disk structure, allowing the disk to heat itself resistively when electrical current passes through it. This eliminates the need for external heating apparatus and reduces system complexity while achieving uniform temperature distribution.
3Ease of operation
If multilayered heating material is used in grooves, then controlled resistive heating is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating elements are placed within grooves that are formed in the rotor disk, nesting the heating function within the existing structural geometry. This integration allows the heating system to utilize the disk's own structure, reducing the need for separate mounting apparatus and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining heating control.
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 system achieves even heating across rotor disks, improving their cyclic life and allowing for controlled blade tip clearance, thereby mitigating stress and extending the operational lifespan of the turbomachine components.
Implementation Method 1
a rotor disk heating system configured to resistively heat portions of the rotor disks by converting electrical energy to thermal energy through electrical resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes at least one rotor disk. The system also includes a rotor disk heating system configured to resistively heat at least a portion of the at least one rotor disk via an electrical current or voltage applied to the portion of the at least one rotor disk.