High Temperature Capability and Innovative Cooling with a Spar and Shell Turbine Blade

The efficiency of future power production facilities must be improved to address the well-known problems of increased global energy usage and increased emissions from the combustion of carbon-based fuels. These emissions, carbon dioxide in particular, are increasingly accepted by the scientific community as a leading cause and contributor to global warming. Technology advances within the turbine systems represent an excellent approach to improving overall power plant efficiency. In particular, technologies that permit turbines to operate at higher temperatures and pressures are desired. This project will develop the ¿spar-shell¿ system, which combines advances in both materials and cooling systems to provide highly durable turbine components that require the lowest cooling flow possible. Phase I involved a conceptual design of the spar-shell turbine blade, which included (1) a definition of the mechanical arrangement of an optimized turbine blade based on multi-piece construction, (2) identification of the materials best optimized to the spar-shell turbine blade for use in specific environments, (3) definition of cooling system features required to produce high thermal efficiency, (4) identification of manufacturing and fabrication requirements and (5) an evaluation of benefits and costs. In Phase II, a detailed design of the concept will be completed, which will focus on the development of a demonstration test article for future evaluation in a test engine. Phase II also will involve the creation of manufacturing drawings. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The spar-shell blade represents a promising leap in gas turbine technology and should be applicable to 14% of today¿s total world-wide power generation capacity. The spar-shell blade also should be an enabling technology for advanced zero-emission gas and steam turbines such as the High-Hydrogen and Oxy-Fuel turbines. Finally, the spar-shell technology could be leveraged to develop blade designs capable of enhancing existing gas turbine power plant performance and efficiency in Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) applications.