Design of Thermal Management Scheme for Turbine Generator Using Impeller Inlet Airflow Cooling

As the core component of the gas turbine power generation system, the improvement of the power density of the turbine direct-drive generator is crucial to enhancing the system's power-to-weight ratio. Embedded cooling motors can achieve efficient air cooling by utilizing the impeller main gas flow, thereby increasing the motor power density and the power-to-weight ratio of the power generation system. This paper innovatively proposes a heat pipe guide vane cooling structure to integrate the motor air cooling structure with the compressor's inlet guide vane structure. Through the design of the heat pipe guide vane cooling structure, the application of embedded cooling motors utilizing impeller main flow cooling in the gas turbine power generation system is realized. Numerical simulations and experimental verification methods were employed to analyze the impact of the heat pipe guide vane cooling structure on the flow field, temperature field, and heat transfer performance in the motor casing area. The results show that the heat pipe guide vane cooling structure can effectively suppress the overall temperature rise of the motor and significantly reduce the end-winding temperature. Under the 43kW experimental power generation conditions, the generator's power density and the gas turbine power generation system's power-to-weight ratio are 5.36 kW/kg and 3.36kW/kg.