Turbine Shroud Carrier Assembly with Integrated Cooling Pins

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Solution Overview

Problem

Turbine shroud components in gas turbine engines face challenges due to differing coefficients of thermal expansion, leading to misalignment and potential overheating, as traditional fasteners fail to accommodate varying expansion and contraction rates.

Innovation Solution

A turbine shroud assembly design featuring a carrier assembly with integrated pins and a sleeve system that provides cooling air to prevent overheating, along with radially locating screws to secure the blade track segment, allowing for radial and axial location within the turbine outer case.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional fasteners such as rivets or bolts are used to couple shroud components, then the components can be securely fastened together, but the fasteners cannot accommodate differing thermal expansion rates causing misalignment and potential overheating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment stabilityVSAvoidthermal expansion accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The support pins are designed with integrated cooling channels that allow them to dynamically adjust and accommodate thermal expansion differences between the CMC blade track segment and metallic carrier assembly. The cooling air flow through the pins enables them to maintain structural integrity while adapting to varying thermal conditions, preventing misalignment during thermal cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The support pins serve as an intermediary element between the CMC blade track segment and the metallic carrier assembly. By incorporating cooling channels within the pins themselves, the design mediates the thermal expansion mismatch between dissimilar materials, allowing secure coupling while accommodating differential expansion through active cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If CMC materials are used for the blade track segment to withstand high temperatures, then temperature resistance is improved, but thermal management becomes more critical due to differing thermal expansion properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature resistanceVSAvoidthermal management system

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling function is merged directly into the support pins by integrating cooling channels within the pin structure itself. This eliminates the need for separate cooling systems and combines the structural support function with thermal management, reducing overall system complexity while enabling effective cooling of the CMC blade track segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The support pins perform dual functions: providing structural support and facilitating thermal management. The cooling channels within the pins allow cooling air to directly reach the CMC blade track segment through the support structure itself, enabling the system to self-regulate temperature without additional complex thermal management components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If integrated support pins with cooling channels are used to couple the blade track segment, then cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The support pins utilize additive manufacturing technology, which enables complex internal cooling channel geometries to be created directly during the manufacturing process. This manufacturing approach transforms what would traditionally be a complex post-processing operation into a straightforward parameter-setting task during additive fabrication, improving cooling efficiency without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 design effectively manages thermal expansion, maintains alignment, and prevents overheating by utilizing a carrier assembly with integrated pins and a sleeve system to direct cooling air, enhancing the durability and performance of turbine shroud components.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling hole may be formed in the first integrated support pin to provide cooling air to the second integrated support pin and an outer surface of the arcuate runner of the blade trade segment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The sleeve may transfer cooling air from the first integrated support pin to the second integrated support pin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

Due to the differing coefficients of thermal expansion, the components of some turbine shrouds expand at different rates when exposed to combustion products

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS11215080B1Turbine shroud assembly with integrated ceramic matrix composite component support pins

Publication Date: 2022.01.04 ROLLS ROYCE CORP

AI summary

A turbine shroud assembly for use with a gas turbine engine includes a turbine outer case, a blade track segment, and a carrier assembly. The carrier assembly includes a forward carrier segment and an aft carrier segment, and each of the forward carrier segment and aft carrier segment include integrated pins. The carrier assembly is configured to couple the blade track segment to the turbine outer case.