Zigzag Turbine Airfoil Trailing Edge Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine engines, the trailing edge of airfoil assemblies experiences high temperatures due to high pressure ratios and firing temperatures, leading to overheating issues that existing cooling methods struggle to effectively address.
Innovation Solution
The airfoil assembly incorporates a cooling system with a cooling fluid cavity and zigzagged cooling fluid passages that include alternating angled sections with both radial and chordal components, nested in close proximity to enhance cooling efficiency near the trailing edge, along with turbulating features and outlet passages to increase heat transfer and convective cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling methods are used in the trailing edge, then the cooling system is simple, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient due to high temperatures from high pressure ratios and firing temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple cooling fluid passages arranged in a zigzag pattern, with each passage segment handling a specific portion of the trailing edge cooling. The passages are segmented into alternating angled sections that radially and chordally extend toward the trailing edge, allowing distributed cooling across the high-temperature region.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fluid passages are configured with both radial and chordal components, extending in multiple dimensions rather than a single direction. This multi-dimensional arrangement increases the effective cooling surface area and allows the cooling fluid to access heat transfer surfaces from different spatial orientations, enhancing trailing edge cooling efficiency.
2Area of stationary object
If straight cooling fluid passages are used, then the passage design is simple, but the effective surface area for heat transfer is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fluid passages follow curved zigzag trajectories rather than straight lines, with alternating angled sections that radially and chordally extend toward the trailing edge. This curved configuration increases the path length of the cooling fluid and expands the effective heat transfer surface area compared to straight passages.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple cooling fluid passages are nested in close proximity to each other within the airfoil structure, with radially adjacent passages positioned closely together. This nested arrangement maximizes the use of available space and increases the total effective cooling surface area without significantly increasing external dimensions.
3Power
If cooling fluid passages are not turbulated, then the flow is simple, but heat transfer efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Turbulating features are incorporated into the cooling fluid passages to generate controlled turbulence in the cooling fluid flow. This turbulence enhances mixing and disrupts thermal boundary layers, significantly improving convective heat transfer efficiency from the trailing edge to the cooling fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system utilizes fluid dynamics principles by introducing turbulating features that manipulate the cooling fluid flow characteristics. The alternating angled sections and close proximity nesting of passages create flow interactions that enhance thermal transfer through pneumatic-hydraulic mechanisms.
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 configuration significantly enhances cooling efficiency at the trailing edge, increasing the effective surface area and turbulence of the cooling fluid, thereby effectively preventing overheating and extending the lifespan of airfoil components.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling fluid passages are in fluid communication with the cooling fluid cavity and receive cooling fluid from the cooling fluid cavity for cooling the outer wall near the trailing edge
Implementation Method 2
zigzagged passages that include alternating angled sections, each section having both a radial component and a chordal component
Implementation Method 3
The cooling fluid passages extend from the cooling fluid cavity toward the trailing edge of the outer wall and receive cooling fluid from the cooling fluid cavity for cooling the outer wall near the trailing edge
Data Source
AI summary
An airfoil in a gas turbine engine includes an outer wall, a cooling fluid cavity, and a plurality of cooling fluid passages. The outer wall has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, and radially inner and outer ends. The cooling fluid cavity is defined in the outer wall, extends generally radially between the inner and outer ends of the outer wall, and receives cooling fluid for cooling the outer wall. The cooling fluid passages are in fluid communication with the cooling fluid cavity and include zigzagged passages that include alternating angled sections, each section having both a radial component and a chordal component. The cooling fluid passages extend from the cooling fluid cavity toward the trailing edge of the outer wall and receive cooling fluid from the cooling fluid cavity for cooling the outer wall near the trailing edge.