Patent Application
20120315139
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the art of turbomachines and, more particularly to cooling flow control members for turbomachine buckets.
Turbomachines typically include a compressor portion operationally linked to a turbine portion. Turbomachines also include a combustor that receives fuel and air which is mixed and combusted to form a high energy fluid or hot gases. The hot gases are directed into a hot gas path toward turbine blades or buckets. The turbine buckets convert thermal energy from the hot gases to mechanical, rotational energy that provides power to, for example, generators, pumps etc. During operation, compressor discharge air is passed through the turbine buckets to provide cooling that may extend an overall operational life of turbine portion components.
Typically, the compressor discharge air is passed into a turbine rotor that supports a plurality of turbine buckets. The compressor discharge air passes through the turbine rotor into each of the plurality of buckets to provide internal cooling. The compressor discharge air enters each of the turbine bucket through a dovetail member, and passes through an airfoil portion before exiting toward a shroud member mounted to a housing of the turbine portion. While effective at providing cooling, diverting compressor discharge air into the buckets reduces an overall operational efficiency of the turbomachine.
According to one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a turbomachine bucket includes a base portion having a first end that extends to a second end, and an airfoil portion extending from the first end of the base portion. The airfoil portion includes a first end section that extends to a tip section. A plurality of cooling channels extend through the turbomachine bucket from the first end of the base portion to the tip portion, and a cooling flow control member is arranged in one of the plurality of cooling channels. The cooling flow control member creates at least a partial flow restriction in the one of the plurality of cooling channels to modify cooling flow passing through the turbomachine bucket.
According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a method of controlling cooling flow passing through a plurality of cooling passages formed in a turbomachine bucket includes exposing the plurality of cooling passages formed in the turbomachine bucket, inserting a cooling flow control member into at least one of the cooling passages and controlling a cooling fluid flow passing through the turbomachine bucket with the cooling flow control member.
According to yet another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a turbomachine includes a compressor portion, a turbine portion, and a turbomachine bucket arranged in one of the compressor portion and the turbine portion. The turbomachine bucket includes a base portion having a first end that extend to a second end, and an airfoil portion extending from the first end of the base portion. The airfoil portion includes a first end section that extends to a tip section. A plurality of cooling channels extend through the turbomachine bucket from the first end of the base portion to the tip portion, and a cooling flow control member is arranged in one of the plurality of cooling channels. The cooling flow control member creates at least a partial flow restriction in the one of the plurality of cooling channels to modify cooling flow passing through the turbomachine bucket.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
With reference to
With this arrangement, hot combustion gases 35 flowing from a combustor (not shown) enter a hot gas path 38 and flow into turbine portion 8. Hot combustion gases 35 flow across vanes 31-33 of turbine portion 8 developing mechanical energy. A cooling flow 40 is passed from compressor portion 6 through wheel members 26-28. Each bucket 31-33 receives a corresponding portion 42-44 of cooling flow 40. With this arrangement, the cooling flow 40 lowers a temperature of corresponding ones of buckets 31-33 before passing to a turbine stator (not separately labeled) supported relative to housing 4. As each bucket 31-33 includes similar structure, a detailed description will be made to
Bucket 31 includes a bucket body 54 having a base portion 56 and an airfoil portion 58. Base portion 56 includes a first or dovetail end 61 that extends to a second end 62 through an intermediate portion 63. Airfoil portion 58 includes a first end section 68 that extends from second end 62 of base portion 56 to a second or tip end section 69 through an intermediate section 70. Bucket 31 includes a plurality of cooling channels, one of which is indicated at 80, that extend from dovetail end 61 of base portion 56 to tip end section 69 of airfoil portion 58 within bucket body 54. As best shown in
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment, bucket 31 includes a cooling flow control members 90 arranged within select ones of cooling channels 80. As best shown in
At this point it should be understood that the cooling flow control member in accordance with the exemplary embodiment provides either a complete or partial blockage to cooling flow passing through one or more cooling channels in a turbomachine bucket. It should also be understood that while shown inserted into a base portion of the bucket, the cooling flow control member may be placed at any portion in either the base portion or the airfoil portion. It should be further evident that while shown in connection with a turbine bucket, the cooling flow control member may also be employed in a compressor bucket and/or in stationary turbine or compressor vanes.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
