Turbomachine Cooling Insert With Spring Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling systems in turbomachines often require bleeding compressed air from the compressor section, which reduces the volume of air available for combustion, thereby decreasing the efficiency of gas turbine engines.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system for turbomachines that includes an insert with a spring body positioned within a turbomachine component cavity, where the spring body conducts heat from the component to the insert body, facilitating both convective and conductive cooling while minimizing the diversion of compressed air, thereby maintaining engine efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling air is routed through inner cavities of turbine nozzles, then the airfoils are cooled effectively, but the volume of compressed air available for combustion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent pathways: an inner cavity for convective cooling and an outer cavity with a spring body for conductive cooling. This segmentation allows distributed heat removal without requiring a single large cooling air flow, thereby reducing the impact on combustion air availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring body acts as a thermal intermediary between the hot turbine nozzle and the cooling air in the outer cavity. It conducts heat from the nozzle to the cooling air without requiring direct contact between the cooling air and the hot combustion gases, enabling efficient heat transfer while using less cooling air.
2Reliability
If compressed air is bled from the compressor section for cooling, then the turbine nozzles are cooled, but the efficiency of the gas turbine engine is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the thermal parameters by implementing dual-cavity cooling with different cooling mechanisms. The inner cavity uses convective cooling while the outer cavity uses conductive cooling through the spring body, optimizing heat transfer efficiency and reducing the quantity of cooling air required, thereby minimizing energy loss.
3Temperature
If a cooling insert is positioned within the turbomachine component cavity, then cooling is provided to the component, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling insert serves multiple functions: it provides structural support within the cavity, enables convective cooling through its inner cavity structure, and facilitates conductive cooling through the spring body in the outer cavity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate cooling components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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
The cooling system enhances cooling efficiency by providing both convective and conductive cooling without significantly diverting compressed air, thus improving the overall efficiency of the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
The spring body conducts heat from the turbomachine component to the insert body
Implementation Method 2
facilitating both convective and conductive cooling
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a cooling system for a turbomachine. The cooling system includes a turbomachine component defining a turbomachine component cavity. The cooling system also includes an insert positioned within the turbomachine component cavity for cooling the turbomachine component. The insert includes an insert body and a spring body. The spring body includes a first portion fixedly coupled to the insert body, a second portion in sliding engagement with the turbomachine component, and a third portion in sliding engagement with the insert body.