Turbine Airfoil Cooling Plexus for Thermal Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engines face challenges in effectively cooling airfoil components operating in high-temperature environments, leading to material wear and reduced structural stability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a three-dimensional plexus of fluidly interconnected cooling passages within airfoil components, which recursively furcate and include airflow modifiers to efficiently distribute and utilize cooling air, providing tailored cooling to specific areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cooling measures are used in high-temperature environments, then material wear is reduced, but cooling performance is insufficient and structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling circuits with separate inlet and outlet conduits. The cooling passages are divided into first cooling passages and second cooling passages that operate in parallel, allowing independent flow control and optimized cooling for different regions of the airfoil
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the airfoil receive customized cooling through locally optimized passage configurations. The first and second cooling circuits can be tailored to provide different flow rates and temperature profiles to specific high-stress areas, ensuring optimal cooling performance where most needed
2Temperature
If cooling air supply is increased, then cooling performance improves, but engine efficiency deteriorates due to reduced available cooling air
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the cooling system into multiple circuits, the available cooling air is distributed more efficiently across different regions. This segmentation allows each circuit to operate at optimal flow rates, improving overall cooling effectiveness without requiring excessive total cooling air that would reduce engine efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-circuit system enables partial cooling action in each circuit, where each circuit provides sufficient cooling for its designated region without the need for excessive cooling air flow throughout the entire system, thus maintaining engine efficiency
3Temperature
If complex cooling passages are implemented, then cooling performance improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex cooling requirement is segmented into two manageable cooling circuits rather than attempting a single complex system. This segmentation simplifies the design and manufacturing of each individual circuit while achieving the overall complex cooling performance needed for high-temperature operation
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling passages serve multiple functions: they cool the airfoil structure, manage thermal stresses, and can be configured to address different thermal loading conditions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized cooling components, simplifying the overall system
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 solution enhances cooling performance, reduces material stress, improves engine efficiency, and extends component lifespan by effectively managing high-temperature conditions and reducing the need for dedicated cooling flows.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a cooling fluid through a cooling conduit including at least one three-dimensional plexus of fluidly interconnected cooling passages within an interior of an airfoil
Implementation Method 2
flowing the cooling fluid through the at least one three-dimensional plexus, and emitting the cooling fluid through at least one outlet
Data Source
AI summary
A component, such as for a turbine engine, can include an airfoil with an outer wall defining an exterior surface bounding an interior and defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a chord-wise direction and extending between a root and a tip to define a span-wise direction. The component can also include at least one cooling passage within the interior.