Monolithic Turbine Rotor Support Structure With Cooling Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotating structures in gas turbine engines, such as shafts and bladed rotors, lack optimal support structures that enhance structural integrity and thermal management, limiting their performance and durability.
Innovation Solution
The use of additive manufacturing to create a monolithic body with a shaft, bladed rotor, and a support structure featuring channels and baffles that provide radial and axial support, allowing for improved thermal management and structural integrity through a unique arrangement of channels and baffles that are machined to optimize performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional manufacturing methods are used for rotating structures, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but structural integrity and thermal management are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the shaft, bladed rotor, and support structure into a single monolithic body formed by additive manufacturing. This integration eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of multiple components, while enabling complex internal channel networks for thermal management that would be difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes additive manufacturing to create three-dimensional internal channels and cooling passages within the monolithic body. These channels extend in multiple directions (radially, axially, and circumferentially) through the support structure, enabling comprehensive thermal management that cannot be achieved with conventional subtractive or formative manufacturing processes.
2Reliability
If support structure is added to enhance structural integrity, then durability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is integrated with the shaft and bladed rotor into a single monolithic body. This merging approach provides the necessary structural support and durability while eliminating the complexity of assembling multiple separate components. The support structure includes channels that are formed as part of the monolithic geometry through additive manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support through the integrated support structure, enables thermal management through internal channels, and maintains rotational functionality. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating what would otherwise require separate components.
3Temperature
If channels are added for thermal management, then temperature control is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes additive manufacturing parameters to directly create complex channel geometries with precise dimensions and orientations. The build orientation, layer thickness, and other manufacturing parameters are optimized to achieve the required channel precision while maintaining the benefits of additive manufacturing for complex internal structures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of manufacturing is provided. During this method, a body is formed using an additive manufacturing process. The body includes a shaft (30), a bladed rotor (32) and a support structure (34). The shaft (30) projects axially along an axis (24) out from the bladed rotor (32). The support structure (34) projects radially out from the shaft (30) and axially to the bladed rotor (32). The support structure (34) includes a plurality of channels (76) arranged circumferentially about the axis (24). Each of the channels (76) projects radially into the support structure (34) towards the axis (24) and to a respective channel side (78). Each of the channels (76) projects axially into the support structure (34) towards the bladed rotor (32) and to a respective channel end (80).