Separable Plugs for Localized Film Cooling in Gas Turbine Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Components with internal cooling conduits, such as gas turbine parts, face inefficiencies due to increased cooling fluid flow across the entire component when local thermal bond coat regions are damaged, leading to unnecessary overcooling of unspalled regions and decreased operating efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a plurality of separable plugs in the outer wall with a clearance gap, which decouple at a threshold temperature, allowing localized film cooling by releasing cooling fluid from internal voids to address spalled regions specifically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If increased cooling fluid flow rate is provided to compensate for thermal bond coat spalling, then the spalled regions are protected from overheating, but unspalled regions experience unnecessary overcooling and operating efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by providing cooling fluid flow only to spalled regions through selectively positioned openings in the thermal bond coat, rather than increasing cooling across the entire component. This allows targeted protection of damaged areas while maintaining normal operating conditions in unspalled regions, thus preserving overall operating efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple discrete openings distributed across the thermal bond coat surface. Each opening can be independently activated to provide cooling to specific spalled regions, allowing the system to address local damage without affecting the entire component uniformly.
2Temperature
If increased cooling fluid flow rate is applied to the entire component, then spalled regions receive adequate cooling, but unnecessary overcooling occurs in unspalled regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating temperature control gradients across the component surface through selectively positioned openings. Cooling fluid is directed only to areas where thermal bond coat spalling has occurred, maintaining appropriate temperatures in damaged regions while avoiding energy-wasting overcooling in intact areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service cooling where the component essentially identifies its own cooling needs through the selective positioning of openings in spalled regions. The cooling fluid automatically flows to where it is needed most without requiring external control mechanisms, reducing energy waste from unnecessary cooling.
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
This solution mitigates the effects of thermal bond coat spalling by providing targeted film cooling, maintaining component integrity and efficiency by ensuring only the affected areas receive increased cooling, thereby preventing unnecessary overcooling of unspalled regions.
Implementation Method 1
internal cooling conduits... that circulate a cooling fluid internally, for example, along an interior surface of the outer wall of the component
Implementation Method 2
a thermal bond coat on an exterior surface of the outer wall. The thermal bond coat and cooling fluid each facilitate maintaining the outer wall below a threshold temperature
Implementation Method 3
plurality of separable plugs... to facilitate modulated film cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A component includes an outer wall that includes an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface. The component also includes at least one internal void defined adjacent the interior surface and configured to receive a cooling fluid therein. The component further includes a plurality of openings defined in and extending through the outer wall such that the outer wall defines an edge of each of the plurality of openings. Additionally, the component includes a plurality of separable plugs each positioned in a corresponding opening. Each of the separable plugs is sized to fit within the corresponding opening such that a clearance gap is defined between the separable plug and the edge of the corresponding opening. Each of the separable plugs is coupled to the outer wall by at least one tab that extends across the clearance gap from the each separable plug to the edge of the corresponding opening.