Variable Orientation Rectifier Vanes for Axial Turbine Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current turbomachine cooling systems face challenges in maintaining optimal cooling across varying engine speeds while minimizing manufacturing costs and pressure drops, particularly at the high-pressure turbine disc, where inefficient cooling can lead to reduced engine performance and potential damage during rapid acceleration from idling.
Innovation Solution
An axial turbomachine with a rectifier stage featuring variable orientation vanes that modulate the cross-section of the air leak passage between the compressor and turbine, allowing for controlled adjustment of the leak passage section based on vane orientation, ensuring efficient cooling across different operating conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bore cooling section is increased to improve cooling during rapid acceleration from idle, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but engine performance is reduced due to increased leaks reducing rotor and stator efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The rectifier stage vanes are made variable-orientation to dynamically adjust the leak passage cross-section according to operating conditions. During rapid acceleration from idle, the vanes orient to increase the passage section for enhanced cooling. During nominal operation, the vanes adjust to minimize the passage section, reducing leaks and maintaining engine performance. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and engine performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the leak passage cross-section by adjusting the vane orientation angle. This parameter change allows the system to optimize the balance between cooling flow rate and engine performance depending on the operating regime, effectively resolving the contradiction between these two competing requirements.
2Productivity
If fixed clearances are optimized for nominal operation, then engine performance is maximized, but cooling is insufficient during transient phases like rapid acceleration from idle
Solution Approach 1:
The rectifier stage introduces dynamic adjustability to the previously fixed clearance system. By making the vane orientation variable, the leak passage cross-section can be adapted in real-time to different operating conditions, providing sufficient cooling during transient phases while maintaining optimized performance during nominal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The variable-orientation rectifier stage serves multiple functions: it acts as a flow control mechanism for cooling, a performance optimization device, and a transient condition adapter. This multi-functionality allows a single system to address both nominal operation optimization and transient phase cooling requirements.
3Reliability
If complex cooling circuit configurations are used to achieve satisfactory cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost and pressure drops increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the flow modulation function from the complex cooling circuit configuration and concentrates it in the rectifier stage with variable-orientation vanes. This simplifies the overall system by removing the need for multiple valves and complex circuit arrangements, while maintaining cooling effectiveness through the geometric control of the leak passage.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using complex circuit configurations with multiple components, the invention achieves flow control by changing the geometric parameter (cross-section) of a single leak passage through vane orientation adjustment. This parameter-based control simplifies the device structure while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
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 solution enables efficient cooling at all speeds, particularly during nominal operation, by dynamically adjusting the air leak passage section, thereby maintaining engine performance and preventing turbine damage from inadequate cooling during rapid acceleration.
Implementation Method 1
the rectifier stage is configured to modulate the cross section of the leak passage as a function of the orientation of the vanes of the stage
Implementation Method 2
a leak passage of air compressed by the compression device, between the compression device and the turbine device for cooling the turbine device
Data Source
AI summary
An axial turbomachine comprising a compression device with a variable-orientation vane rectifier stage; a combustion chamber downstream of the compression device; a turbine device downstream of the combustion chamber; and a leak passage of air compressed by the compression device, between the compression device and the turbine device for cooling the turbine device; and where the rectifier stage is configured to modulate the section of the leak passage according to the orientation of the vanes of the stage.