Patent Application
20140033725
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the art of gas turbomachines and, more particularly, to an injector seal for a gas turbomachine.
Many turbomachines include a compressor portion linked to a turbine portion through a common compressor/turbine shaft or rotor and a combustor assembly. The compressor portion guides a compressed air flow through a number of sequential stages toward the combustor assembly. In the combustor assembly, the compressed air flow mixes with a fuel to form a combustible mixture. The combustible mixture is combusted in the combustor assembly to form hot gases. The hot gases are guided to the turbine portion through a transition piece. The hot gases expand through the turbine portion rotating turbine blades to create work that is output, for example, to power a generator, a pump, or to provide power to a vehicle. In addition to providing compressed air for combustion, a portion of the compressed airflow is passed through the turbine portion for cooling purposes.
According to one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, an injector seal for a gas turbomachine includes a seal body having a first surface, an opposing second surface, a central opening configured and disposed to receive a gas turbomachine injector, an outer edge, and a plurality of passages extending through the seal body. The plurality of passages are configured and disposed to guide a fluid at the first surface through the second surface.
According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, a gas turbomachine includes a compressor portion, a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion, a combustor assembly including at least one combustor having a combustor liner defining a combustion chamber, and a transition piece fluidically connecting the combustor and the turbine portion. The transition piece includes a transition piece liner defining a combustion passage. An injector extends into one of the combustion chamber and the combustion passage through a corresponding one of the combustor liner and transition piece liner. An injector seal surrounds the injector. The injector seal includes a seal body having a first surface, and opposing second surface, a central opening configured and disposed to receive a gas turbomachine injector, an outer edge, and a plurality of passages extending through the seal body. The plurality of passages are configured and disposed to guide a fluid at the first surface through the second surface.
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
As further shown in
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, combustor 12 includes an injector seal 70 arranged about each injector assembly 50 and abuts combustor liner 32. As shown in
In accordance with the exemplary aspect shown, injector seal 70 includes a plurality of passages 90 that extend through seal body 74. Each passage 90 includes a first end 93 that extends to a second end 94 through an intermediate portion 96. First end 93 is exposed at first surface 77 which second end 94 is exposed at second surface 78. In further accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown, first end 93 is off-set relative to second end 94 such that intermediate portion 96 is angled relative to an axial axis of seal body 74. Passages 90 provide a conduit that allows gases flowing within fluid flow passage 36 to pass onto, and cool, an end portion (not separately labeled) of injector assembly 50. Thus, injector seal 70 not only prevents combustion gasses from entering into fluid flow passage 36 but also provides passage for fluid to impinge upon and cool injector assembly 50.
At this point it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments describe an injector seal that prevents combustion gases from escaping from a combustion flow path while at the same time providing passage for fluid directed at an end portion of an injector for cooling purposes. The passage may extend through the injector seal at an angle that guides the fluid directly onto the end of the injector. Alternatively, the passages may also extend through the seal along a substantially linear path or from an outer edge toward an inner edge of the injector seal. Also, while shown and described as being associated with injectors mounted in a combustor liner, the injector seal may also be employed to seal about an injector provided in a transition piece liner as shown in
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.
