Gas Turbine Cooling Architecture Unit Cell Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently cooling components due to high heat generation, requiring an effective cooling architecture that balances heat transfer and pressure drop within the engine components.
Innovation Solution
A cooling architecture featuring a unit cell design with specific geometry parameters, including a performance area factor (PAF) that optimizes heat transfer and pressure drop, is implemented within the turbine blades, utilizing a set of conduits with varying diameters and wall thicknesses to maximize heat transfer while maintaining an acceptable pressure drop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling architecture is added to engine components, then heat transfer performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling architecture is divided into multiple unit cells, each containing a specific arrangement of conduits. This segmentation allows the complex cooling function to be broken down into manageable, repeatable modules that can be systematically designed and manufactured.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific geometric parameters of the unit cells, including conduit diameter, wall thickness, and cell dimensions, to achieve optimal heat transfer performance. By carefully controlling these parameters within specific ranges, the cooling effectiveness is maximized while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Temperature
If cooling architecture with specific geometry parameters is implemented, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies particular ranges for geometric parameters (conduit diameter, wall thickness, unit cell dimensions) that balance heat transfer performance with manufacturability. These parameter ranges are optimized to ensure both effectiveness and ease of manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the cooling architecture into standardized unit cells with consistent internal geometries, the manufacturing process is simplified. Each unit cell can be manufactured using the same processes and then assembled or cast as a complete cooling structure.
3Device complexity
If conventional cooling designs are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but cooling performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is organized into discrete unit cells that can be systematically arranged throughout the engine component. This segmented approach provides structured complexity that delivers superior cooling performance while maintaining a degree of design simplicity through repetition of standardized modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces specific geometric parameter optimizations (conduit diameters, wall thicknesses, unit cell dimensions) that enhance cooling performance beyond conventional designs. These parameter changes are carefully controlled to achieve performance improvements without excessive 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
The solution effectively balances heat transfer and pressure drop, optimizing the cooling performance of engine components by narrowing the design parameters to specific ranges, reducing material costs and time, and enhancing the overall efficiency of the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling architecture for cooling the engine component located in a turbine engine
Implementation Method 2
a substantial amount of heat may be generated during operation of the thrust generating systems, lubrication systems, electric motors and/or generators, hydraulic systems or other systems
Data Source
AI summary
An engine component for a gas turbine engine, the engine component comprising a cooling architecture comprising at least one unit cell having a set of walls with a thickness, the set of walls defining fluidly separate conduits having multiple openings, each of the multiple openings having a hydraulic diameter; wherein the thickness (t) and the hydraulic diameter (DH) relate to each other by an equation:(DH+2t)2((DH+2t)/DH)1/3to define a performance area factor (PAF).