Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
A Jet Impingement Cooling System with Improved Showerhead Arrangement for Gas Turbine Blades
Categories for this Invention
Technology: Cooling system of turbine blades
Category: Aerospace & Defense Technologies
Industry: Aviation
Application: Cooling system in Powering aircraft
Market: The global gas turbine services market size was valued at USD 33.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7% from 2023 to 2030.
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Problem Statement
- Gas turbines are crucial in aerospace and power industries, with efficiency being a key criterion.
- Jet impingement cooling is effective, but blade material safety limits are a concern.
- Several proposals have been proposed to improve turbine airfoil cooling performance,
- Including multiple impingement cooling circuits, projecting ribs or fins, flow channels, and multiple features for cooling.
- However, these methods can lead to pressure loss and backward flow of cooled air.
- The addition of projections can increase convective heat transfer area but increase blade weight,
- Indirectly reducing turbine engine efficiency and potentially leading to thermal stresses.
- A cooling system with reduced impingement cooling circuits and 3-D protrusions is needed.
Technology
- Utilizes jet impingement cooling system.
- Includes structurally supported impingement inserts and holes/impingement tubes for cooling the leading edge.
- Cooled air from a chamber passes through the tubes, while hot gases pass through the trailing edge.
- A chamfer is made at the exit of the tubes, ensuring uniformity and extension in cooling coverage.
- 3-D hemispherical protrusions are disposed at the inner wall of the leading edge for further heat transfer enhancement.
Key Features / Value Proposition
Jet cooling & Formation of showerhead
- achieved by directing cooled air through impingement inserts with cylindrical holes, forming a showerhead.
Reduction in Blade weight
- The cylindrical holes form a showerhead, resulting in 3-D protrusions on the inner wall of the leading edge, acting as turbulent promoters and reducing blade weight.
Cooling Insert
- Introduces impingement cooling inserts for turbine blade assembly, providing cooled air path for impingement cooling of the leading edge of the blade.
Showerhead Arrangement
- The shower head arrangement includes multiple jet impingement holes/tubes, modified by chamfering one end facing the blade’s leading edge.
Coolant requirements
- The arrangement has homogeneous flow, enhances heat transfer, and extends cooling coverage on the blade’s leading edge, reducing coolant requirements
Key Performance
- The showerhead arrangement and impingement holes/tubes reduce coolant flow by reducing the number of holes.
Edge distance
- The chamfering can be led or trailed based on turbine operating conditions and jet-to-leading edge distance.
Heat transfer
- 3-D protrusions in in-line or staggered arrays are used to modify the inner leading edge surface for enhanced heat transfer
Questions about this Technology?
Contact For Licensing
sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in
Research Lab
Prof. Prasad B V S S S
Department of Mechanical Eng.
Intellectual Property
IITM IDF Ref. 1598
Patent No: IN 346399
PCT/IN2018/050615
Technology Readiness Level
TRL- 3
Experimental Proof of concept;