Thermal Gradient Test Facility for Gas Turbine Components
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal and mechanical fatigue test methods for gas turbine engine components fail to generate steep temperature gradients across thin walls, leading to costly and inefficient durability testing, with existing methods being impractical for simulating engine operating conditions, resulting in inaccurate life prediction models and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A test facility that uses a combustor and turbocharger to generate high mass-flow, high temperature, and high pressure fluid to create a steep thermal and pressure gradient across a test component, mimicking engine conditions with internal impingement cooling and optical access for non-invasive measurement, allowing for independent variation of parameters to simulate realistic thermal and mechanical loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional induction thermal mechanical testing methods are used, then testing can be conducted with existing equipment, but steep temperature gradients across thin walls cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the heating mechanism from traditional induction methods to direct flame impingement, fundamentally altering the thermal parameter application method. This enables steep temperature gradients (exceeding 1000°F across thin walls) by concentrating thermal energy directly on the test specimen surface, achieving temperature distributions that match actual gas turbine engine operating conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controllable flame source as an intermediary between the heat source and test specimen. This flame intermediary allows precise control over heat flux magnitude and distribution, enabling researchers to simulate various engine operating conditions by adjusting flame characteristics such as temperature, velocity, and impingement angle
2Reliability
If full-up engine tests are conducted to obtain accurate durability data, then representative operating conditions can be simulated, but the cost exceeds $6M per test
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential thermal-mechanical loading function from the complete gas turbine engine system and isolates it in a dedicated test facility. By removing unnecessary engine components and retaining only the critical test specimen and flame heating system, the patent achieves representative durability testing at a fraction of the cost of full engine tests
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the engine operating environment that reproduces the critical thermal and mechanical stresses without requiring the complete engine system. The test facility copies the essential physics of engine operation through controlled flame impingement and mechanical loading, providing equivalent durability data at reduced cost
3Ease of operation
If current TMF test methods are used, then testing can be performed with existing equipment, but the ability to perform boundary layer cooling measurements is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the test facility into distinct functional zones that allow independent optimization of each measurement capability. The open test chamber design separates the heating zone from the measurement zone, enabling placement of multiple measurement instruments (thermocouples, pressure taps, optical sensors) on and around the test specimen without interfering with the thermal field generation
4Device complexity
If traditional heating methods are used, then equipment complexity can be minimized, but adequate heat flux under representative conditions cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs turbulent flame impingement that creates dynamic, time-varying thermal loading on the test specimen. The fluctuating flame structure and turbulent flow patterns produce effective heat transfer coefficients that are significantly higher than steady heating methods, achieving representative engine-like thermal cycling and steep gradients
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 approach reduces energy consumption and costs while providing a more accurate and efficient method for testing gas turbine engine components, enabling the creation of more durable designs that can extend engine life and reduce maintenance expenses.
Implementation Method 1
generate high mass-flow, high temperature, and high pressure fluid to create a steep thermal and pressure gradient across a test component
Implementation Method 2
mimicking engine conditions with internal impingement cooling
Data Source
AI summary
A test facility provides high temperature, high pressure and high mass flow fluid to a test object to form a relatively large thermal gradient on the object. Energy in the fluid is recuperated to drive system components, such as a heat exchanger and a turbocharger compressor. A test chamber housing the test object can be arranged to conform to a contour of the test object. A control system permits independent variation of pressure, temperature, cooling fluid and fluid velocity, as well as mechanical loading on the test object. Noncontact, optical inspection measurement techniques can be employed to measure test chamber and/or test object parameters. The test object can be configured to direct cooling airflow to permit various temperature or pressure gradients to be implemented. The test facility is relatively inexpensive to operate and provides a significant cost advantage over testing conducted in a full gas turbine engine.