Staggered Casting Core Extensions for Turbine Airfoil Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High turbine inlet temperatures in gas turbine engines exceed the melting points of component materials, necessitating significant cooling air extraction to prevent damage, which incurs cycle penalties and requires balancing cooling flow and heat transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of a staggered core printout design in airfoil components to optimize internal cooling channel configurations, with core extensions positioned to promote parallel or angled cooling air flow relative to streamline paths, enhancing film decay and aero mixing losses for improved cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If significant cooling air extraction is used to cool turbine components, then the airfoil is protected from damage, but cycle penalties increase and cooling flow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The core extensions are positioned at specific locations along the airfoil to create localized cooling zones where they are most needed. By placing core extensions at staggered positions rather than uniformly, the cooling effect is optimized at critical heat transfer locations while reducing overall cooling air requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The core extensions are designed to promote parallel or angled cooling air flow relative to streamline paths before the cooling air reaches critical areas. This preliminary flow conditioning enhances film decay and aero mixing losses, improving cooling efficiency upstream and reducing the total cooling air flow needed
2Temperature
If significant cooling mass flow rates are used to cool airfoils, then adequate cooling is achieved, but cooling flow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The staggered core extension design changes the flow parameters by creating variable spacing between cooling features along the airfoil. This variable spacing optimizes the balance between cooling flow rate and heat transfer capability at different locations, improving overall cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The core extensions add a spatial dimension to the cooling architecture by positioning cooling features at staggered locations rather than in a single plane. This multi-dimensional arrangement enhances cooling effectiveness while reducing the total cooling air flow required
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 design improves airfoil life and cooling efficiency by optimizing the distribution and flow of cooling air within the airfoil, effectively managing heat transfer and reducing material stress from high-temperature combustion gases.
Implementation Method 1
One method of cooling turbine airfoils utilizes internal cooling channels or cavities formed in the airfoil to promote convective heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
The cooling air is then discharged out of the airfoil through a plurality of holes formed along a length of the airfoil. The cooling air exiting the holes forms a film of cooler air that shields the airfoil from incoming combustion gases
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A core (80) for gas turbine engine component comprises a body (82) extending between first (84) and second ends (86) to define a length, and extending between first and second edges to define a width. A plurality of core extensions (92) are formed as part of the body. The plurality of core extensions (92) are positioned to be staggered relative to each other such that at least two adjacent core extensions are variable relative to each other in at least one dimension. A gas turbine engine component is also disclosed.