Rotor Disk Lug Trenches for Turbine Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The high operating temperatures and pressure ratios in next-generation gas turbine engines lead to increased thermal loads, which can shorten the operational life of turbine components, particularly the rotor disk assembly, due to inadequate cooling mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of disk lug trenches on the rotor disk assembly, which allow cooling air to flow radially inward and provide thermal cooling to the distal surface of disk lugs, thereby reducing the temperature and extending the operational life of the components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the rotor disk assembly operates at high temperatures and pressure ratios, then the power output and efficiency of the gas turbine engine are improved, but the thermal load on the rotor disk assembly increases, shortening its operational life

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower outputVSAvoidoperational life

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor disk assembly is segmented into multiple cooling zones with dedicated cooling air passages for each disk lug, allowing targeted cooling of high-thermal-load areas while maintaining overall engine power output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Cooling air acts as an intermediary substance that transfers heat away from the rotor disk assembly components, enabling the system to operate at high temperatures while protecting critical parts from thermal damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If cooling air is directed through the rotor disk assembly to cool components, then the thermal load is reduced, but the complexity of the cooling system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal loadVSAvoidcooling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling passages are merged with the structural features of the rotor disk assembly itself, using the disk lug geometry to define cooling channels rather than adding separate cooling components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The rotor disk assembly utilizes its own structural features (disk lug geometry) to create and direct cooling air flow, eliminating the need for external cooling system components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 disk lug trenches effectively decrease the temperature of the rotor disk assembly, enhancing its operational life by providing a more efficient cooling mechanism for the high-pressure turbine components.

Implementation Method 1

compressed air from the compressor section is channeled to the turbine section where it can be directed through the rotor disk assembly and cool various components of the rotor disk assembly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3101232B1Rotor disk assembly and corresponding gas turbine engine

Publication Date: 2022.02.23 RTX CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A

AI summary

A rotor disk 230 is provided. The rotor disk 230 may comprise a disk lug 334 and a trench 332. The disk lug 334 may be fixed to a distal surface of the rotor disk 230. The trench 332 may be disposed on a surface of the disk lug 334. The trench 332 may extend radially inwards from a distal surface of the disk lug 334. The trench 332 may be configured to at least partially define a flow path by which cooling air may reach a distal surface of the disk lug 334 in order to provide disk lug cooling.