Gas Turbine Cooling Plenum Heat Exchanger Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face efficiency losses due to large clearance gaps between the turbine vane carrier and rotor, leading to overheating and the need for high-temperature-resistant materials, which complicates cooling and reduces performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an annular element, such as a membrane or supporting element, upstream of the first stage vane to separate the cooling plenum from the combustor plenum, and using a heat exchanger to cool air before directing it into the cooling plenum, allowing for reduced gap sizes and lower temperature requirements for the turbine vane carrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large clearance gaps are defined between the turbine vane carrier and rotor to allow thermal expansion during transient operation, then interference between vanes and rotor is prevented, but engine efficiency significantly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the plenum into two separate zones: a combustor plenum for hot compressed air and a cooling plenum for cooled air. This segmentation allows independent temperature control, enabling the turbine vane carrier to be cooled while the combustor plenum maintains high temperature for combustion. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing small gaps (improving efficiency) while preventing thermal expansion interference through active cooling (maintaining reliability).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a cooling plenum as an intermediary zone between the combustor plenum and the turbine vane carrier. This cooling plenum receives cooled air from the heat exchanger and directs it to cool the turbine vane carrier, acting as a thermal buffer. The intermediary cooling plenum enables the turbine components to maintain lower temperatures despite being in the hot combustion environment, allowing small clearance gaps without thermal expansion interference.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the turbine vane carrier is exposed to high temperature hot compressed air, then thermal expansion occurs during transient operation, but high-temperature-resistant materials are required which complicates the design
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary cooling action by directing cooled air from the heat exchanger into the cooling plenum before the hot compressed air reaches the turbine vane carrier. This preliminary cooling prevents the turbine components from experiencing high thermal expansion, allowing the use of standard materials rather than specialized high-temperature-resistant materials, thus reducing design complexity while maintaining thermal stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plenum serves as a thermal intermediary that protects the turbine vane carrier from direct exposure to high-temperature hot compressed air. By introducing cooled air as a protective intermediary, the turbine components operate at lower temperatures, eliminating the need for complex high-temperature-resistant materials while still accommodating thermal expansion through controlled cooling.
3Loss of energy
If cooled air is directed into the cooling plenum to reduce turbine vane carrier temperature, then gap size can be reduced for improved efficiency, but thermal load on the turbine must be managed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by providing cooling selectively to the turbine vane carrier through the cooling plenum, while the combustor plenum maintains high temperature for combustion. This localized cooling approach reduces the temperature of specific turbine components (where it is needed for efficiency) without compromising the overall thermal environment required for combustion, thus managing thermal load while improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the air in the cooling plenum by introducing cooled air from the heat exchanger. This parameter change (from hot to cooled air) allows the turbine vane carrier to operate at lower temperatures, enabling smaller clearance gaps and improved efficiency while the combustor plenum maintains its high temperature parameter for proper combustion function.
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 reduces thermal expansion mismatch between the turbine vane carrier and rotor, minimizing gaps and enhancing efficiency by maintaining lower temperatures within the cooling plenum, thus improving overall engine performance and material usage.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger (6) is provided in the gas turbine engine (1), connected between the compressor (2) and the turbine (5)
Implementation Method 2
the turbine vane carrier and the rotor are heated by the hot compressed air contained in the cooling plenum and in the combustion plenum and expand
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The gas turbine engine (1) comprises a compressor (2), a combustor plenum (3) housing at least one combustion chamber (4), at least one turbine (5) having at least a first stage (16). The turbine (5) comprises an outer housing (7) and a turbine vane carrier (12). A cooling plenum (13) for air is defined between the outer housing (7) and the turbine vane carrier (12). The gas turbine engine (1) comprises an annular element (15, 19) upstream of a vane (10A) of the first stage with respect to the hot gas direction (G), and a heat exchanger (6) is connected between the combustor plenum (3) and the cooling plenum (13). The method for cooling the gas turbine engine involves cooling the compressed air in said heat exchanger (6).