Gas Turbine Cooling Passage with Integral Refractory Baffle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine components face challenges in efficiently cooling high-temperature regions due to limitations in the design of internal cooling passages, particularly in reducing the cross-sectional area and increasing cooling fluid velocity effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a core structure with different materials, where a ceramic material is used to create a cooling passage with a non-ferrous obstruction that reduces the cross-sectional area by leaving a refractory metal portion within the cast component, enhancing the cooling fluid velocity and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If sheet metal baffles are inserted into cooling passages, then cooling fluid velocity increases, but manufacturing complexity and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle is merged with the airfoil structure by integrating it into the cooling passage during the casting process. The baffle is formed as an integral part of the airfoil using a core structure that is positioned within the mold before casting, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the velocity-enhancing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle structure is prepared in advance as a core structure that is inserted into the mold before the casting process. This preliminary action allows the baffle to be formed integrally with the airfoil during casting, avoiding post-manufacturing assembly operations and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
2Speed
If cooling passage cross-sectional area is reduced to increase velocity, then cooling efficiency improves, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle creates localized reduction in cross-sectional area at specific positions within the cooling passage, rather than uniformly reducing the entire passage area. This localized approach increases cooling fluid velocity at critical regions for heat dissipation while minimizing overall pressure loss by maintaining larger passage areas in other sections.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a component that includes providing a core structure, casting a component about the core structure, removing a first portion of the core structure from the cast component, and leaving a second portion of the core structure in the cast component to provide a reduced cross-section in the cast component.