Segmented Impingement Cooling Baffle for Gas Turbine Vanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of gas turbine engine component geometries makes it difficult to manufacture and install baffles that provide effective impingement cooling, as existing baffle designs struggle to maintain a consistent baffle offset and secure connection across diverging or converging core walls.
Innovation Solution
A segmented baffle design with an inner and outer baffle portion connected by a central joint, featuring guide tabs and a cover to regulate airflow, maintains a consistent baffle offset and facilitates assembly by allowing relative motion due to thermal growth, enabling effective impingement cooling in complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single-piece baffle design is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ability to accommodate complex component geometries and maintain consistent baffle offset deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled together to form a complete baffle structure. Each segment can be manufactured separately using standard processes, then joined using mechanical fasteners (such as rivets or bolts) to create a baffle that conforms to complex internal geometries of turbine components while maintaining consistent offset from the core wall.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid baffle connection is used, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to accommodate thermal growth and expansion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle connection system incorporates flexible or adjustable joints that allow the baffle segments to move relative to each other in response to thermal expansion and contraction. This dynamic connection mechanism maintains structural integrity while accommodating dimensional changes caused by temperature variations during engine operation.
3Productivity
If cooling airflow is allowed to pass freely through the baffle, then airflow utilization is maximized, but cooling efficiency on specific surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle design incorporates localized flow control features such as restricted openings, directed passages, or selectively positioned segments that channel cooling airflow to specific areas requiring enhanced cooling (such as regions with higher heat flux or thinner material sections). This ensures optimal distribution of cooling airflow where it is most needed while maintaining overall system efficiency.
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 segmented baffle design ensures consistent cooling airflow impingement on core walls, improving cooling efficiency and ease of installation in complex gas turbine engine components by maintaining a constant baffle offset and accommodating thermal expansion.
Implementation Method 1
a segmented baffle design with an inner and outer baffle portion connected by a central joint, featuring guide tabs and a cover to regulate airflow, maintains a consistent baffle offset and facilitates assembly by allowing relative motion due to thermal growth
Implementation Method 2
One cooling scheme utilized is the injection of cooling air along a flowpath surface of the components to form a cooling film at the component surface. In many components, such as turbine vanes, cooling air is directed into an interior of the component and impinged on an inner surface of the component to provide impingement cooling of the component
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A component (30) for a gas turbine engine, in particular a stator vane, includes a first end (36), a second component end (38), and a cavity (44) extending from the first (36) to the second component end (38). An impingement baffle assembly (50), comprising a plurality of apertures (52), is located in the cavity including a first baffle portion (64) inserted into the cavity (44) and a second baffle portion (62) inserted into the cavity (44). The first baffle portion (64) overlaps the second baffle portion (62) at a central joint (66). The overplapping central joint (62) is formed preferably by guide tabs (74) simplifying the assembly of the baffle portions (62,64). Thereby manufacture and installation of the impingement cooling baffles is substantially simplified, allowing the baffles to be compatible with increasingly complex component shapes.