Segmented Turbine Liner Panels for Thermal Stress Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing segmented liner systems in turbomachines, such as gas turbines, face issues with liner panel buckling, deformation, and disengagement due to thermal and vibrational stresses, requiring costly and labor-intensive replacement of entire panels.
Innovation Solution
A segmented liner system with discrete panels and a combination of radial and axial support members, including threaded fasteners and plates, allows for easier handling, installation, and independent maintenance, reducing stress and enabling panel segments to be replaced without removing the entire panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If liner panels are coupled to supports with welded connections, then the liner panels are securely attached to the outer casing, but the connections are subject to stress from vibration and thermal growth leading to buckling, deformation, and cracking over time
Solution Approach 1:
The liner panel is divided into multiple segments that can move independently relative to each other, allowing each segment to accommodate thermal expansion and vibration stresses without causing buckling or deformation of the entire panel. The segments are connected through support members that provide flexibility while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support members are designed with varying properties (such as different lengths, positions, or material characteristics) to optimize the balance between securing the liner panel and allowing necessary movement. This enables the system to adapt to changing thermal and vibrational conditions without compromising attachment strength or panel reliability.
2Ease of repair
If the entire liner panel must be removed for maintenance, then complete inspection and replacement can be performed, but significant labor and expense are required
Solution Approach 1:
The liner panel is segmented into multiple independent sections that can be accessed and replaced individually. This allows maintenance personnel to remove and replace only the specific segment that requires maintenance, rather than dismantling the entire panel assembly, thereby significantly reducing labor time and costs while maintaining complete inspection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Individual segments or specific components of the liner panel can be extracted and removed independently from the overall assembly. This enables targeted maintenance operations where only the affected portion is taken out for repair or replacement, leaving the rest of the panel in place and functional.
3Temperature
If insulation is packed between the outer casing and liner panel, then the outer casing temperature is reduced, but the liner panels and outer casing have differing thermal growth rates causing relative movement and stress
Solution Approach 1:
The liner panel is divided into segments that can expand and contract independently in response to thermal growth. This segmentation allows each segment to accommodate differential thermal expansion between the liner panel and outer casing without causing stress concentrations that would lead to buckling or deformation, while the insulation continues to effectively reduce outer casing temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The support members and segment connections are designed to be dynamic rather than rigid, allowing for controlled movement and adjustment as thermal conditions change. This enables the system to maintain stable relative positions under normal conditions while accommodating thermal growth variations without causing stress damage.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbomachine, e.g., a gas turbine, includes a compressor, a combustion section downstream from the compressor, a turbine downstream from the combustion section and an exhaust section downstream from the turbine. The exhaust section includes a diffuser. The diffuser includes an outer casing and a liner radially inward of the outer casing. The liner includes a plurality of discrete liner panels. The diffuser further includes a plurality of radial support members extending radially inward from the outer casing. The diffuser also includes a plurality of axial support members disposed proximate to the liner.