Turbine Blade Core with De-dusting Conduit
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing methods for turbine engine blades face challenges in producing a variety of complex internal cavity shapes while ensuring effective dusting and cooling, leading to increased mass and reduced cooling efficiency due to additional material on the pressure face side.
Innovation Solution
A moulding core system comprising a first and second core element, where the second core element includes a through hole oriented along the spanwise direction, forming a bridge that creates a de-dusting conduit traversing the second cavity from end to end, allowing for efficient dust evacuation without modifying the cavity shape, and optionally using an alumina rod to support the conduit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple internal cavities are created to optimize cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the blade structure increases and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple independent internal cavities (first cavity, second cavity, third cavity) that can be separately formed using distinct core elements. This segmentation allows each cavity to be optimized for specific cooling functions while maintaining overall structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A bridge fitting acts as an intermediary structure connecting the first and second cavities. This bridge fitting includes a de-dusting conduit that traverses the second cavity, enabling dust evacuation from the first cavity while maintaining the integrity of the second cavity's cooling function. The intermediary structure allows multiple cavities to coexist without excessive complexity.
2Reliability
If de-dusting holes are added to evacuate dust, then dust evacuation capability is improved, but the blade mass increases and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The de-dusting conduit is merged with the bridge fitting structure rather than being a separate feature. The bridge fitting serves dual purposes: connecting cavities structurally and providing a pathway for dust evacuation. This merging eliminates the need for additional standalone de-dusting holes that would increase mass and potentially interfere with cooling airflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge fitting performs multiple functions simultaneously: it structurally connects the first and second cavities, provides a de-dusting conduit for dust evacuation, and maintains the integrity of the second cavity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate features that would increase blade mass.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional moulding methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ability to produce complex internal cavity shapes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The moulding core is segmented into multiple independent core elements (first core element, second core element, third core element), each responsible for forming a specific cavity. This segmentation allows each core element to be independently designed and manufactured, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while enabling complex cavity geometries that would be difficult to achieve with a single monolithic core.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge fitting serves as an intermediary component that connects core elements and enables the formation of complex interwoven cavity shapes. By introducing this intermediary structure, the system can produce sophisticated cavity geometries while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular assembly of core elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A core for the moulding of a turbine engine blade, this blade including a vane extending along a spanwise direction and ending in a top, this core including a first core element to delimit a first internal cavity and a second core element of which at least one portion delimits a second internal cavity. The second cavity is situated between the first cavity and the top of the blade along the spanwise direction, and the portion of the second core element delimiting the second cavity includes a through hole, which emerges in line with an end face of the first core element to constitute a de-dusting conduit of the first cavity, this conduit traversing the second cavity from end to end while emerging in the top of the blade.