Turbine Support Case With Variable Wall Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing turbine support cases in gas turbine engines are heavy and costly due to their large wall thickness, which is a result of using forged materials, and there is a need for a design that reduces weight and manufacturing costs while maintaining structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A turbine support case design comprising three annular portions, where the middle portion has a thinner wall thickness than the outer portions, allowing for the use of less expensive materials with higher thermal expansion coefficients in less critical areas, and connecting these portions coaxially with welds or mechanical fasteners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If forged materials with large wall thickness are used for turbine support cases, then structural integrity is ensured, but weight and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine support case is divided into multiple annular portions (first, second, and third portions) with different wall thicknesses. The first and second portions have greater wall thickness for structural strength, while the third portion has reduced wall thickness to decrease weight. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction by providing strength where needed and reducing weight where possible.
Solution Approach 2:
The support case is segmented into multiple distinct annular portions that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently - critical areas use thicker forged materials while non-critical areas use thinner or different materials, resolving the contradiction between overall structural integrity and total weight.
2Strength
If forged materials with large wall thickness are used for turbine support cases, then structural integrity is ensured, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different annular portions use different wall thicknesses and potentially different materials based on their specific functional requirements. This local quality approach allows expensive forged materials to be used only where structurally necessary, while less critical portions use cheaper materials or thinner sections, reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining required structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the support case into multiple portions that can be manufactured separately, the design allows for optimized manufacturing processes for each section. This reduces the need for expensive large-scale forging operations and enables the use of more cost-effective manufacturing methods for non-critical portions.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform wall thickness is used throughout the turbine support case, then manufacturing is simplified, but weight and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support case employs non-uniform wall thickness with different annular portions having different thicknesses based on their specific structural requirements. This local differentiation reduces weight in non-critical areas while maintaining adequate thickness in critical areas, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and weight reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
The turbine support case comprises a first annular portion, a second annular portion, and a third annular portion connected between the first and the second portion. The third portion has an average wall thickness smaller than an average wall thickness of the first and the second portion.