Gas Turbine Rotor Cooling Plenum and Seals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas turbine engine cooling systems rely on multiple sources of cooling air with varying pressures and temperatures, leading to thermal gradients that compromise turbine component longevity and performance.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system where a single source of high-pressure air is used to cool the entire rotor compartment through a sealed plenum, with strategically placed seals and passages within the turbine discs to ensure uniform cooling across the rotor system, utilizing a tangential on-board injector nozzle to reduce air temperature and direct cooling air flow between and around discs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple sources of cooling air with varying pressures and temperatures are used, then cooling coverage can be extended, but thermal gradients increase and component longevity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple cooling air sources into a single high-pressure compressor source, merging all cooling supply lines into one unified system that delivers uniform temperature and pressure cooling air throughout the rotor compartment, eliminating thermal gradients caused by multiple varying sources
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of cooling air by using a single high-pressure compressor source that provides consistent temperature and pressure, rather than accepting varying parameters from multiple sources. This parameter uniformity prevents thermal stress and improves component longevity
2Stability of the object's composition
If a single source of cooling air is used, then temperature and pressure uniformity improves, but cooling system complexity must be managed through effective sealing and distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the rotor compartment into multiple sealed plenums using circumferential seals between turbine discs and radial seals at disc hubs. This segmentation allows the single cooling air source to be distributed uniformly across different zones while maintaining pressure and temperature consistency through isolated pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sealed plenums as intermediary chambers between the single cooling air source and the turbine components. These plenums act as mediators that distribute cooling air uniformly while maintaining consistent pressure and temperature, managing the complexity of distribution through structured intermediate zones
3Temperature
If cooling air is channeled through turbine cooling circuits, then heat transfer is controlled, but system complexity increases compared to direct cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling air distribution function from complex multi-source cooling circuits and consolidates it into a single source with simplified distribution pathways. The cooling function is maintained through direct routing from the high-pressure compressor through sealed plenums to turbine components, removing unnecessary circuit complexity
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 enhances the longevity of turbine components by maintaining consistent cooling across the rotor system, reducing thermal stress and improving engine performance by using a single source of cooling air with uniform temperature and pressure.
Implementation Method 1
The flow of cooling air across the turbine rotor and through the interior of the blades removes heat
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a tangential on-board injector nozzle to reduce air temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system for gas turbine engines includes a turbine rotor compartment defining a cooling air plenum. A plurality of turbine discs are rotatably housed within the rotor compartment. A cooling air inlet is in fluid communication with the plenum. Each turbine disc includes a cooling outlet in fluid communication with the plenum for cooling the rotor compartment.