Optimization Design of Lattice Structures in Internal Cooling Channel with Variable Aspect Ratio of Gas Turbine Blade

Traditional cooling structures in gas turbines greatly improve the high temperature resistance of turbine blades; however, few cooling structures concern both heat transfer and mechanical performances. A lattice structure (LS) can solve this issue because of its advantages of being lightweight and having high porosity and strength. Although the topology of LS is complex, it can be manufactured with metal 3D printing technology in the future. In this study, an integral optimization model concerning both heat transfer and mechanical performances was presented to design the LS cooling channel with a variable aspect ratio in gas turbine blades. Firstly, some internal cooling channels with the thin walls were built up and a simple raw of five LS cores was taken as an insert or a turbulator in these cooling channels. Secondly, relations between geometric variables (height (H), diameter (D) and inclination angle(omega)) and objectives/functions of this research, including the first-order natural frequency (freq1), equivalent elastic modulus (E), relative density ((rho) over bar) and Nusselt number (Nu), were established for a pyramid-type lattice structure (PLS) and Kagome-type lattice structure (KLS). Finally, the ISIGHT platform was introduced to construct the frame of the integral optimization model. Two selected optimization problems (Op-I and Op-II) were solved based on the third-order response model with an accuracy of more than 0.97, and optimization results were analyzed. The results showed that the change of Nu and freq1 had the highest overall sensitivity Op-I and Op-II, respectively, and the change of D and H had the highest single sensitivity for Nu and freq1, respectively. Compared to the initial LS, the LS of Op-I increased Nu and E by 24.1% and 29.8%, respectively, and decreased (rho) over bar by 71%; the LS of Op-II increased Nu and E by 30.8% and 45.2%, respectively, and slightly increased (rho) over bar; the LS of both Op-I and Op-II decreased freq1 by 27.9% and 19.3%, respectively. These results suggested that the heat transfer, load bearing and lightweight performances of the LS were greatly improved by the optimization model (except for the lightweight performance for the optimal LS of Op-II, which became slightly worse), while it failed to improve vibration performance of the optimal LS.