Turbomachine Circulation Structure Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing turbomachines face challenges in easily integrating and optimizing circulation structures within their housings to enhance aerodynamic stability and compressor performance, particularly in areas with high aerodynamic loads where local stalls and surging occur.

Innovation Solution

A turbomachine design featuring a two-part structural housing divided radially into a front and rear area, allowing for the circulation structure to be easily integrated with adjustable flow guide elements that can be manufactured and assembled separately, enabling optimal alignment and adjustment to the application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a circulation structure is integrated into a turbomachine housing to optimize aerodynamic stability and compressor performance, then the aerodynamic stability and compressor load capacity are improved, but the complexity of manufacturing and installing the circulation structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaerodynamic stabilityVSAvoidcirculation structure integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation structure is divided into a front structural area and a rear structural area that can be manufactured and assembled separately. The housing is correspondingly divided into a front housing area and a rear housing area, allowing the circulation structure to be integrated in a modular fashion that reduces manufacturing and installation complexity while maintaining aerodynamic stability optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the circulation structure is designed with fixed geometry to optimize specific flow conditions, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the adaptability to different applications and operating conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaerodynamic performanceVSAvoidapplication-specific adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The flow guide elements within the circulation structure can have different lateral distances from one another, different geometries and/or different positions relative to one another. This allows the circulation structure to be specifically adjusted to the respective application while maintaining optimized aerodynamic performance through locally tailored flow guidance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If the circulation structure is designed as a single integrated component to simplify the overall design, then the design coherence is improved, but the ease of manufacture and installation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign coherenceVSAvoidmanufacture and installation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation structure is divided into a front structural area and a rear structural area that can be manufactured and assembled separately. This segmentation allows each area to be optimized for its specific manufacturing requirements and assembly considerations, improving ease of manufacture and installation while maintaining design coherence through the overall integrated configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2818724B1Fluid flow engine and method
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 MTU AERO ENGINES GMBH
  • EP2818724B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2818724B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2818724B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A turbomachine having at least one circulation structure is disclosed. The circulation structure has an annular space with baffle elements surrounding a main flow path and is open to the main flow path. A housing of the turbomachine to receive the circulation structure is divided in an axial plane into a front housing region and a rear housing region and the circulation structure is divided into a front structure region and a rear structure region in the axial plane of separation. A circulation structure divided into two parts in the axial direction and a method for the same is also disclosed.