Shaped Cooling Pins for Gas Turbine Dust Accumulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines experience reduced cooling efficiency and increased maintenance costs due to the accumulation of fine sand and dust particles in turbine airfoils, which impede the cooling process and shorten the lifespan of turbine components.
Innovation Solution
The use of shaped cooling pins within the turbine airfoil's cooling circuit, featuring a minor diameter at one end and a major diameter at the other, arranged in a specific pattern to reduce stagnation regions and minimize particle accumulation, thereby maintaining effective cooling even in dusty environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cylindrical cooling pins are used in the cooling circuit, then the cooling circuit structure is simple, but fine sand and dust particles accumulate in stagnation regions, impeding cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing cylindrical pins with shaped cooling pins that have curved surfaces. The first curved surface at the upstream end and the second curved surface at the downstream end create streamlined flow paths that reduce stagnation regions, preventing particle accumulation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through curved surface geometry
2Reliability
If shaped cooling pins with curved surfaces are used, then particle accumulation is reduced and cooling efficiency is maintained, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes geometric parameters by defining specific curvature characteristics - the first curved surface has a first radius of curvature and the second curved surface has a second radius of curvature. These parameter specifications provide manufacturing guidelines that balance the complexity of creating curved surfaces with the need to reduce stagnation regions and prevent particle accumulation
3Temperature
If the cooling pin diameter is increased to improve heat transfer area, then cooling capacity increases, but the stagnation region volume increases, leading to more particle accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses curved surfaces with specific radii of curvature to reduce stagnation region volume. The first curved surface at the upstream end and second curved surface at the downstream end create streamlined flow that prevents particle accumulation, allowing adequate heat transfer area without creating large stagnation zones where particles would accumulate
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 shaped cooling pins effectively reduce the accumulation of fine sand and dust particles, maintaining the cooling efficiency of turbine airfoils and reducing heat transfer area reduction by up to 50% compared to cylindrical pins, while maintaining a 5% reduction in heat transfer area, thus extending component life and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one shaped cooling pin is disposed in the at least one cooling circuit... The first end has a first curved surface defined by a minor diameter and the second end has a second curved surface defined by a major diameter
Implementation Method 2
The at least one cooling circuit is in fluid communication with a source of a cooling fluid... The first curved surface is upstream in the cooling fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling circuit to receive a cooling fluid includes at least one shaped cooling pin disposed in the cooling circuit. The at least one shaped cooling pin has a first end and a second end extending along an axis. The first end has a first curved surface defined by a minor diameter and the second end has a second curved surface defined by a major diameter. The first curved surface is to be upstream in the cooling fluid and the minor diameter is less than the major diameter.