Gas Turbine Cooling Air Baffle Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine engines require high levels of cooling air to manage temperature, which is inefficient and reduces air available for combustion, necessitating improved thermal management in turbine sections.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a housing with baffles that direct cooling air to cool both the outer diameter end wall of the stator assembly and the rotor shroud, allowing for pre-use of cooling air to enhance temperature control and reduce the overall cooling air requirement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high levels of cooling air flow are used to cool turbine components, then temperature control is improved, but air available for combustion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling air flow path is segmented into multiple zones using baffles. A first portion of cooling air is directed through a first cavity to cool the stator assembly, while a second portion flows through a second cavity to cool the rotor shroud. This segmentation allows targeted cooling of different components with optimized air distribution, improving temperature control efficiency while reducing total cooling air requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the turbine assembly receive cooling air with different characteristics. The stator assembly receives cooling air directed at its outer diameter end wall through the first cavity, while the rotor shroud receives cooling air through the second cavity. Each region is cooled according to its specific thermal requirements, optimizing temperature management and reducing overall cooling air consumption.
2Temperature
If cooling air is directed to multiple components, then temperature control coverage is improved, but cooling air requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system merges multiple cooling functions into a unified airflow path. A single source of cooling air is split and distributed through separate cavities to cool both the stator assembly and rotor shroud. This combined approach provides comprehensive temperature control coverage across multiple components while optimizing the total cooling air requirement through integrated flow management.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing with integrated cavities and baffles serves multiple cooling functions simultaneously. The same housing structure provides cooling pathways for both the stator assembly and rotor shroud, making the cooling system multi-functional. This universality allows comprehensive temperature control of different components using a single coordinated cooling air supply.
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 enables higher operating temperatures while minimizing the amount of cooling air needed, improving thermal management efficiency and reducing air usage, thus enhancing the performance of gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
a first portion of the cooling air flow is directed through a first cavity to cool the outer diameter end wall of the stator assembly and a second portion of the cooling air flow is directed through a second cavity to cool the rotor shroud
Data Source
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AI summary
A turbine section includes a stator assembly having an inner diameter end wall, an outer diameter end wall, and a stator vane; a turbine rotor assembly including a rotor blade extending into the mainstream gas flow path; a housing including an annular shroud that circumscribes the rotor blade and at least partially defines the mainstream hot gas flow path; a first baffle arranged to define a first cavity with the outer diameter end wall of the stator assembly; a second baffle; and a third baffle arranged to define a second cavity with the second baffle and a third cavity with the shroud. The first cavity is fluidly coupled to the second cavity and the second cavity is fluidly coupled to the third cavity such that cooling air flows from the first cavity to the second cavity and from the second cavity to the third cavity.