Gas Turbine Seal Member Cooling Channel Blockage Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The transition piece seal in gas turbines is prone to cooling channel blockage due to thermal elongation differences between the seal and adjacent components, leading to unstable cooling.
Innovation Solution
A seal member with a clearance forming portion that protrudes further downstream than the cooling channel openings, preventing blockage by maintaining a stable discharge path for cooling air, and is positioned on the outer side of the combustion gas flow passage to avoid direct high-temperature exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling channels are provided inside the transition piece seal, then the seal member can be cooled, but the cooling channels may be blocked due to thermal elongation differences between the seal and adjacent components
Solution Approach 1:
The clearance forming portion protrudes in advance toward the downstream side beyond the end face, creating a preliminary geometric feature that ensures the cooling channel openings remain unblocked even when thermal elongation causes the seal and adjacent components to contact each other. This preliminary structural arrangement prevents the harmful effect before it occurs.
2Reliability
If the seal member is positioned closer to the combustion gas flow passage, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but exposure to high-temperature combustion gas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is positioned such that only specific local regions are exposed to high-temperature combustion gas, while other regions remain in cooler zones. The clearance forming portion and cooling channels are strategically arranged to provide cooling primarily to the high-temperature exposure areas, creating local quality differentiation in temperature management.
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
Ensures continuous and stable cooling of the seal member by preventing opening blockage and reducing the flow rate of cooling air, thereby maintaining performance and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a difference in thermal elongation between the transition piece seal and the vane
Implementation Method 2
cooling channels through which cooling air is discharged from a plurality of openings provided in the end face
Data Source
AI summary
A seal member is between a combustor around a rotor axis and a vane on a downstream side in an axial direction and defining a part of a combustion gas flow passage through which combustion gas is configured to flow, the seal member being configured to seal a gap between the combustor and the vane. The seal member has: an end face that faces the downstream side in the axial direction so as to face a lateral end face of the vane facing an upstream side in the axial direction; cooling channels through which cooling air is configured to be discharged from a plurality of openings defined in the end face in an array in a circumferential direction based on the rotor axis; and a clearance forming portion that protrudes further toward the downstream side in the axial direction than the end face in which the openings are defined.