Thermal conditions for cooled gas-turbine metal-ceramic blade

Abstract

Application of the alumo-boron-nitride heat-resistant structural ceramics allows distribution of the thermal and mechanical loads on the metal-ceramic blade elements reasonably rationally from the thermotechnical point of view. The ceramic shell, actually free of the mechanical effects, absorbs the heat from the high-temperature gas and serves as a shield for the strength core. The latter, being loaded mechanically, is cooled with air, the flow thereof is mainly the function of the heat supply from the peripheral platform and ceramic shell, additionally separated by a thin- wall metal screen from the core. Calculation of the pattern factors for the basic parts was performed at rating as applied to the nozzle vanes and rotor blades of the 2.5 MW GTE with the gas temperature at the inlet TIT=1623K. It was demonstrated that an admissible temperature level of the mechanically loaded parts could be achieved at the cooling air flows of 1.5%. Decreasing the power consumption on cooling allowed to get a high efficiency of the designed engine amounting to 42–43% (speed at rating is around 23,000 r/min). During rotation the length of the ceramic shell, installed loosely on the strength core, moves due to the action of the centrifugal forces and is pressed to the platform of the core. At the same time, a relatively lower compressive stresses of around 40 MPa are generated in the shell which ensures a feasibility of a long-term reliable operation of the turbine.