Variable Thickness Combustor Liner for Gas Turbine Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Particulates in the cooling air used in gas turbine engines accumulate on heat shield panels, reducing their cooling efficiency and durability due to excessive heat loads, oxidation, cracking, and thermal stresses.
Innovation Solution
A combustor design with a combustion liner of variable thickness to adjust the distance between the liner and the heat shield panel, optimizing airflow and Mach number within the impingement cavity to reduce particulate accumulation by promoting airflow that carries particulates away from the heat shield panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling air is used to cool heat shield panels, then cooling efficiency is improved, but particulate accumulation occurs on the panels reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the impingement cavity by providing a combustion liner with variable thickness. This adjusts the cavity volume and airflow characteristics, creating optimized flow patterns that maintain cooling effectiveness while reducing particulate accumulation through enhanced lateral airflow and modified Mach number conditions
2Productivity
If the combustor is configured to burn fuel in minimum volume, then combustion efficiency is improved, but heat load on combustor structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing variable thickness in the combustion liner rather than uniform thickness. This creates regions of different thermal mass and cooling capacity at different locations, allowing optimized heat management that protects the combustor structure from excessive thermal stresses while maintaining efficient combustion
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 design effectively maintains the cooling efficiency of the airflow by minimizing particulate buildup on heat shield panels, reducing thermal stress and extending the durability of the components.
Implementation Method 1
adjusting a distance between an inner surface of the combustion liner and a second surface of the heat shield panel throughout a length of the combustion liner such that a Mach number of a cross airflow within the impingement cavity is adjusted
Implementation Method 2
cooling air...impinge upon a back side of a heat shield panel that faces a combustion liner inside the combustor
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas turbine engine component assembly comprising: a first component (400) having a first surface (410) and a second surface (420) opposite the first surface; a second component (600) having a first surface (610) oriented towards the second surface of the first component, a second surface (620) opposite the first surface of the second component, and a cooling hole (307) extending from the second surface of the second component to the first surface of the second component, wherein the second surface of the first component and the first surface of the second component define a cooling channel (390) therebetween, and wherein the second component has a variable thickness (T1) along a first length (CLL1) of the second component, the variable thickness being configured to adjust a distance (D1, D2) between the first surface of the second component and the second surface of the first component throughout the first length such that a Mach number of a cross airflow (590a) within the cooling channel is adjusted.