Patent Application
20130199207
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to gas turbine systems, and more particularly to a compressor section of gas turbine systems.
Typically, in gas turbine systems, bucket supply secondary cooling airflow is extracted from a late stage of the compressor and directed radially inward through a flute, impellers, or a gap between compressor wheels. The airflow travels toward a center bore of the wheels. During the transition from the flute to the center bore, swirling vortices result and therefore an undesirably high pressure drop occurs within and proximate the center bore. A reduction of airflow swirling, and hence the pressure drop associated therewith would be advantageous.
According to one aspect of the invention, provided is a gas turbine system that includes a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. The gas turbine system includes a first wheel and a second wheel having a center bore extending axially therethrough, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are relatively adjacent each other. Also included is a gap disposed between the first wheel and the second wheel, wherein airflow is directed radially inward within the gap toward the center bore of the second wheel. The compressor section further includes an airflow manipulation device disposed within the gap and at least partially extending into the center bore, wherein the airflow manipulation device includes at least one slot extending axially into the center bore.
According to another aspect of the invention, a compressor section of a gas turbine system includes a front wheel. Also included is a rear wheel having a center bore extending axially therethrough and a plurality of impellers defining at least one impeller slot. Further included is a cavity disposed between the front wheel and the rear wheel. Yet further included is an air deflector having at least one vane that extends from proximate the cavity to an interior region of the center bore of the rear wheel. According to yet another aspect of the invention, a compressor section of a gas turbine system includes a front wheel and a rear wheel. Also included is an airflow manipulation device disposed between the front wheel and the rear wheel, wherein the airflow manipulation device comprises a plurality of vanes that extend into an axial center bore of the rear wheel, and wherein the airflow manipulation device is operably coupled to the front wheel or the rear wheel.
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.
Referring to
The front wheel 18 and the rear wheel 20 are disposed within the compressor section 12 in a manner that forms an axial gap 22 between the two wheels, with the gap 22 extending radially inward from an outer radial location 24 that corresponds substantially to an outer diameter 26 of at least one of the wheels 18, 20. The gap 22 is configured to allow airflow from the outer radial location 24 toward a center axis 28 that extends axially through a center bore 30 of the rear wheel 20. The airflow passes through the center bore 30 and towards a turbine section containing a plurality of turbine wheels. Although the aforementioned description relates to the front wheel 18 and the rear wheel 20 being disposed within the compressor section 12, it is to be understood that the wheels referred to may be disposed anywhere in the gas turbine system 10, including but not limited to the turbine section 16.
The rear wheel includes a plurality of impellers 32 that define at least one impeller slot 34. The number of impeller slots 34 is a function of how many impellers 32 are present, with each impeller slot 34 defined by adjacent pairs of impellers 32. The impeller slots 34 extend radially inward from a location proximate the outer radial location 24 toward the center bore 30 and may take on a curved configuration, as defined by the geometry of the impellers 32. Typically, the impeller slots 34 will extend to a location proximate an inlet 35 of the center bore 30. Each impeller 32 extends axially forward, or upstream, to directly contact or come in close contact with the front wheel 18. In the case of the impellers 32 directly contacting or abutting the front wheel 18, the airflow is solely transferred radially inward through the impeller slots 34.
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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.
