Undulating Tip Shroud Stiffness and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The operational life cycle of turbine blade tip shrouds is limited by creep, which is exacerbated by high temperatures, and existing cooling solutions increase manufacturing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A tip shroud with a shroud plate featuring undulating ridges that provide localized stiffness and reduce material usage, allowing for smooth transitions and the integration of transverse cooling passages without the need for a core plenum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a core plenum and transverse cooling passages are added to cool the shroud, then creep performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the core plenum from the shroud structure, extracting only the essential cooling function. Instead of a complex internal plenum system, the invention uses a simplified shroud plate with integrated cooling passages that extend to the outer surface, eliminating the need for a separate core plenum component while maintaining cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The shroud plate is segmented into multiple functional zones: undulating ridges for structural stiffness, cooling passages for thermal management, and smooth transitions for aerodynamic flow. This segmentation allows each feature to be optimized independently while simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to a monolithic plenum structure
2Productivity
If material is reduced in the shroud to decrease weight, then productivity is improved, but stiffness and strength are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud plate features undulating ridges that create localized zones of increased thickness and stiffness where structurally required, while maintaining thinner sections in areas where full thickness is not needed. This local quality variation optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio by placing material only where it provides maximum structural benefit
Solution Approach 2:
The undulating ridges introduce curved, three-dimensional surface geometry to the shroud plate. These curved features increase structural stiffness and strength without requiring proportional increases in material thickness, as the curvature itself provides mechanical reinforcement while maintaining material efficiency
3Ease of manufacture
If the shroud design is simplified to reduce manufacturing cost, then ease of manufacture is improved, but cooling effectiveness and creep resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the shroud plate itself: structural support, cooling, and aerodynamic flow management. By integrating cooling passages directly into the shroud plate and using the undulating ridges for both structural and flow management functions, the design eliminates separate cooling components while maintaining or improving creep resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the shroud plate by introducing undulating ridges with specific amplitude and wavelength characteristics. These parameter changes optimize the balance between structural stiffness, cooling effectiveness, and manufacturing feasibility, allowing cost-effective fabrication while maintaining reliable creep resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine blade includes an airfoil that includes a root end and a tip end. The tip end is radially spaced from the root end. A tip shroud extends from the tip end. The tip shroud includes a shroud plate. The shroud plate includes a plurality of undulating ridges.