Tangential On-Board Injector Cooling Flow Velocity Matching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern gas turbine engines face challenges in effectively cooling rotating components due to elevated temperatures, which can exceed the thermal limits of hub materials, especially in the hot section where pressure ratios and temperatures are higher, leading to increased thermal loads that shorten component endurance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of tangential on-board injectors (TOBIs) with a dual-channel configuration, where the first channel is in fluid communication with a fluid conduit and the second channel exhausts cooling flow at an angle parallel to the disk-hub's rotational motion, creating a higher pressure ratio and reducing friction by matching the flow velocity with the disk-hub's linear velocity, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cooling methods are used on rotating components, then the structure is simple, but the thermal loads increase and component endurance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple independent channels (first channel and second channel) with different functions. The first channel provides cooling flow to the disk hub, while the second channel provides cooling flow to the rotor portion, allowing targeted cooling of different components to reduce thermal loads and extend endurance.
Solution Approach 2:
The second channel exhausts cooling flow at an angle parallel to the disk-hub's rotational motion, utilizing the tangential dimension. This angled exhaust reduces friction between the cooling flow and the rotating component by matching the flow velocity with the disk-hub's linear velocity, thereby improving cooling effectiveness without increasing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If cooling flow velocity does not match disk-hub velocity, then the system is simpler to control, but friction increases and cooling effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the velocity parameter of the cooling flow by exhausting it at an angle parallel to the disk-hub's rotational motion. This velocity matching reduces friction between the cooling flow and the rotating component, thereby improving cooling effectiveness while maintaining straightforward control through the dual-channel configuration.
3Stress or pressure
If single-channel TOBI configuration is used, then the device complexity is lower, but the pressure ratio is insufficient for effective cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The single-channel configuration is segmented into two independent channels (first channel and second channel) that operate in parallel. The first channel handles cooling flow to the disk hub while the second channel handles cooling flow to the rotor portion, thereby achieving a higher effective pressure ratio for cooling without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-channel configuration merges the cooling functions for the disk hub and rotor portion into a single integrated TOBI system. Both channels draw from the same compressor stages but deliver cooling flow to different locations, achieving high pressure ratio cooling effectiveness while maintaining system compactness.
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 configuration increases the overall pressure ratio of the TOBI system, improving cooling effectiveness by reducing friction and thermal loads on the components, thus extending the endurance life of the components and enhancing the efficiency of the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
a first pressure (PA) in the first channel may be substantially equivalent to a second pressure (PE) adjacent and aft the exit guide vane. a third pressure (PC2) in the second channel may be substantially equivalent to a fourth pressure (PC1) that is in a section between the stator blade and the rotor portion. PA may be substantially higher than PC1 and PC2.
Implementation Method 2
The cooling flow may be exhausted from the TOBI at an angle that is substantially parallel and in a direction corresponding to the rotational motion of the disk-hub. the velocity of the fluid exhausting the second channel may be substantially equivalent to the liner velocity of the disk-hub.
Data Source
AI summary
Cooling systems for high pressure compressor systems are provided. The cooling systems may comprise tangential on board injectors (“TOBIs”). The TOBIs may comprise one or more fluid channels configured to conduct cooling fluid flow to components of the compressor, including, for example, disk-hub portions of the compressor. In this regard, the TOBI may be configured to exhaust cooling air in a manner such that the exhausted air has a similar linear velocity of the disk-hub portion. The cooling air may also be exhausted in a manner that is substantially parallel to the disk-hub portion.