Turbine Vane Cooling Passage with Flow Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine vanes in gas turbine engines face challenges with flow non-fill characteristics and increased pressure losses due to abrupt turns in cooling passage networks, leading to reduced heat pickup capability and thermal mechanical fatigue.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates strategically placed and shaped flow guides, pedestals, and ribs within the cooling passage network to facilitate even air distribution, reduce thermal mass, and enhance heat transfer, while maintaining structural support, by using a configuration of flow guides that divide the entrance region into channels and a plenum region with staggered diamond-shaped pedestals and an oblique rib to divert cooling air towards an outlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If abrupt turns are used in cooling passage networks, then structural simplicity is maintained, but flow non-fill characteristics and pressure losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved flow guides with gradual transitions instead of abrupt turns in the cooling passage network. The flow guides feature curved surfaces that gently redirect cooling air flow, eliminating sharp angles and promoting smooth flow paths that reduce turbulence and pressure losses while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flow guides as intermediary elements between the cooling air inlet and the turbine vane surface. These flow guides act as mediators that distribute cooling air evenly across the vane surface, preventing flow non-fill characteristics and ensuring uniform cooling coverage without requiring complex passage geometries.
2Ease of manufacture
If abrupt turns are used in cooling passage networks, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but heat pickup capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The curved flow guides facilitate better heat transfer by eliminating flow separation zones that occur at abrupt turns. The gradual curvature maintains attached flow along the passage walls, increasing the effective heat transfer surface area and improving heat pickup capability while remaining manufacturable through conventional casting or machining processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow guides serve as intermediary structures that enhance the heat transfer interface between the cooling air and the turbine vane surface. By distributing flow evenly and maintaining contact between the cooling air and vane surface, these flow guides increase the effective heat transfer area and improve overall heat pickup capability.
3Reliability
If thermal mass is reduced, then thermal mechanical fatigue is reduced, but structural support may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing structural support only where needed through strategically placed pedestals and ribs. These localized structural elements provide necessary support to prevent bulging and maintain structural integrity while minimizing overall thermal mass. The flow guides are designed with sufficient thickness and support structures to handle thermal loads without requiring excessive material.
Solution Approach 2:
The turbine vane employs composite construction with a cooling passage network embedded in the airfoil structure. The passage network is integrated into the vane body using techniques that maintain structural strength while minimizing added thermal mass. The combination of the vane airfoil and cooling passages creates a composite structure that provides both structural support and effective cooling.
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
This configuration improves flow fill characteristics, reduces pressure losses, and enhances heat transfer efficiency while minimizing unnecessary thermal mass, addressing thermal mechanical fatigue and bulging concerns in turbine vanes.
Implementation Method 1
flow guides that divide the entrance region into channels and a plenum region
Implementation Method 2
enhance heat transfer
Implementation Method 3
cooling air flow... enhance heat transfer
Implementation Method 4
maintaining structural support, by using a configuration of flow guides that divide the entrance region into channels and a plenum region with staggered diamond-shaped pedestals and an oblique rib
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
An airfoil includes a cooling passage network (74) embedded in an airfoil wall (68) between inner and outer portions of the airfoil wall (68). The cooling passage network (74) has an entrance region adjacent a first end (68e) of the airfoil section (66), a plenum region between the entrance region and a second end (68f) of the airfoil section (66), and an exit region adjacent the plenum region. The entrance region includes a plurality of flow guides (84) that divide the entrance region into a plurality of channels that open into the plenum region. The plenum region includes a plurality of pedestals (88) that have a shape that is different from the flow guides (84).