Non-Axisymmetric Turbine Blade Endwall for Secondary Vortex Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas turbines face issues with secondary vortices due to assembly tolerances and irregular gaps between turbine blades, leading to aerodynamic losses and reduced efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The turbine blade features a non-axisymmetric endwall contour with convex and concave portions formed from rim seals at the leading edge, reducing secondary vortices by aligning with adjacent blades.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If turbine blades are assembled manually from first stage to last stage, then assembly is flexible and adaptable, but assembly tolerances increase and time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidassembly tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The endwall contour is designed with non-axisymmetric features including convex and concave portions that create a unique geometric pattern. This asymmetric design allows for positive location features that guide blade assembly positioning, ensuring consistent alignment and reducing assembly tolerances while maintaining adaptability through the modular blade-disk structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The non-axisymmetric endwall contour with convex and concave portions is pre-formed on the rotor disk before blade assembly. This preliminary geometric configuration provides built-in positioning features that automatically align blades during assembly, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual alignment procedures and reducing assembly tolerances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If regular gaps are maintained between adjacent turbine blades, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but secondary vortices are generated causing aerodynamic loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade assembly simplicityVSAvoidaerodynamic loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The endwall contour features localized convex and concave portions at specific positions between adjacent blades. These local geometric variations create favorable flow patterns in the endwall region, reducing secondary vortices and minimizing aerodynamic losses while maintaining simple regular gaps between blades for ease of manufacture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The design accepts the presence of regular gaps between blades (which would normally cause secondary vortices) but converts this potential harm into a benefit by using the gap region as a location for the non-axisymmetric endwall contour features. The convex and concave portions in these gap regions actively manage the flow, reducing secondary vortices and transforming the harmful effect into improved aerodynamic performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS12503952B2Turbine blade having non-axisymmetric endwall contour and gas turbine including same

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO LTD

AI summary

Proposed is a turbine blade which includes an airfoil including a pressure surface, a suction surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, an endwall formed integrally on a lower portion of the airfoil, and a root part formed integrally on a lower portion of the endwall, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the endwall is formed with a curved surface from a rim seal positioned at a first side of the endwall to a second end of the endwall.