Gas Turbine Vane Cooling Hole Distribution for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine vanes face challenges in achieving adequate cooling due to extreme temperatures, which affects their durability and performance, as existing cooling methods may not effectively distribute coolant to all critical areas within the high-energy exhaust gas flow path.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a specific distribution of cooling holes with defined Cartesian coordinates (e.g., HDA, HDB, HEA, HEB, SAA, SAB, TCA, TCB, TDA, TDB, TDC, TBA, TBE) on the turbine vane surfaces, providing fluid communication and surface breakout intersections to enhance coolant distribution and film cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling holes are added to turbine vane surfaces, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning cooling holes at specific locations on the turbine vane surface where cooling is most needed. The coordinates specify precise breakout points on the airfoil surface, leading edge, and trailing edge areas, ensuring cooling effectiveness is concentrated where thermal loads are highest rather than uniformly distributing holes throughout the entire vane structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling hole distribution is segmented into multiple groups based on their functional locations: holes on the airfoil surface (HDA-HDJ), holes on the leading edge (HBA-HBL), holes on the trailing edge (HCA-HCJ), and holes on the platform surfaces (TCA-TCH, TBA-TBH). This segmentation allows each group to address specific thermal management needs of different vane regions independently.
2Reliability
If cooling air flow is utilized to improve durability, then thermal protection is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine vane utilizes self-service by employing its own structure (the cooling holes defined in the patent) to provide the cooling function needed for durability. The cooling holes are integrated directly into the vane geometry, allowing the vane to serve its own thermal management needs without requiring separate external cooling systems or additional components.
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 cooling hole distribution effectively improves the durability and performance of gas turbine engine vanes by ensuring adequate coolant reach to critical areas, enhancing thermal management and reducing the risk of damage from high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling air flow is therefore utilized over some structures to improve durability and performance
Implementation Method 2
The high-energy exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. All structures within the exhaust gas flow path are exposed to extreme temperatures.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine having a plurality of cooling holes defined therein, the plurality of cooling holes provide fluid communication to a surface of the turbine vane, the plurality of cooling holes including holes noted by the following coordinates: HDA, HDB, HEA, HEB, SAA, SAB, and HCA of Table 1.