Patent Application
20160102577
The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine and, more particularly, to a power turbine section therefor.
In a gas turbine engine, such as a large frame heavy-duty industrial gas turbine (IGT) engine, a core gas stream generated in a gas generator section is passed through a power turbine section to produce mechanical work. The power turbine includes one or more rows, or stages, of stator vanes and rotor blades that react with the core gas stream.
Interaction of the core gas stream with the power turbine hardware may result in the hardware being subjected to temperatures beyond the design points. Over time, such temperatures may reduce the life of the power turbine at the junction between the gas generator section and the power turbine section.
A power turbine section for a gas turbine engine according to one disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes a heat shield assembly mounted to the bearing support to form a first annular compartment and a second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of the present disclosure includes a metering ring, the metering ring disposed between the first annular compartment and the second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the metering ring includes a multiple of apertures to communicate cooling flow from the first annular compartment to the second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the apertures are sized to permit the cooling air to disperse around the first annular compartment before communication to the second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a fitting to communicate cooling airflow into the heat shield assembly.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes an air strut in airflow communication with the fitting.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, the air strut comprising more than one passage, at least one of the more than one passage in airflow communication with the heat shield assembly.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the more than one passage is in aiflow communication with a compressor section.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the bearing support is a #7bearing support.
A power turbine section for a gas turbine engine according to another disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes an inlet case along an axis; a power turbine vane array mounted to the inlet case; a bearing support mounted to the power turbine vane array; a heat shield mounted to the bearing support; and a metering ring mounted to the bearing support to form a first annular compartment between the heat shield and the metering ring, and a second annular compartment between the metering ring and the bearing support.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the metering ring comprising a multiple of apertures to communicate cooling flow from the first annular compartment to the second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the apertures are sized to permit the cooling air to disperse around the first annular compartment before communication to the second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes a fitting to communicate cooling airflow into the heat shield assembly.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes an air strut mounted to the inlet case transverse to an inlet duct that defines a core flow path, the air strut including a passage in airflow communication with the fitting.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes an air strut mounted to the inlet case transverse to an inlet duct for a core gas path flow, the air strut including a passage in communication with the fitting.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the bearing support is a #7 bearing support.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes, wherein the gas turbine engine is an industrial gas turbine engine within a ground mounted enclosure.
A method of communicating a cooling airflow within a power turbine, according to another disclosed non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure includes communicating a cooling airflow from a compressor section through an air strut; communicating the cooling flow into a first annular compartment between a heat shield and a metering ring; and communicating the cooling airflow from the first annular compartment through the metering ring into a second annular compartment between the metering ring and a bearing support.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes sizing a multiple of apertures in the metering ring to permit the cooling air to disperse around the first annular within the first annular compartment before the communication to the second annular compartment.
A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure includes communicating the cooling airflow from the second annular compartment to a core flow path through the bearing support subsequent to the communicating the cooing airflow through the metering ring into the second annular compartment.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.
Various features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the disclosed non-limiting embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
The compressor section 24, the combustor section 26, and the turbine section 28 are commonly referred to as the gas generator section to drive the power turbine section 30. The power turbine section 30 drives an output shaft 34 to power a generator 36 or other system. The power turbine section 30 generally includes a power turbine inlet 50 (
With reference to
With reference to
The inlet duct 54 generally includes an annular inner duct wall 80 and an annular outer duct wall 82. The annular inner duct wall 80 includes an upstream edge 84 (shown in
The air strut 56 extends through the inlet duct 54 aft of the upstream edges 84, 92 with respect to the airflow direction, and forward of the downstream edges 86, 94. The downstream edges 86, 94 are upstream of the respective inner vane platform 72 and the outer vane platform 74. The annular inner duct wall 80 and the annular outer duct wall 82 are spaced to generally correspond with the span of the airfoils 70.
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
The first passage 112, in one disclosed, non-limiting embodiment, routes the airstream of airflow “S1” via conduit 146 as is best shown in
As there are packaging limitations to the number of fittings 206 (one shown) that are readily installed in the heat shield 202 adjacent to the air strut 56, the metering ring 204 provides for a relatively more uniform circulation of the cooling airflow “S2” into an annular compartment 180 adjacent the bearing support 58. The metering ring 204 includes apertures 204A (
The metering ring apertures 204A are sized to permit the cooling air to fully circulate within compartment 170 before communication to compartment 180. That is, the cooling air is dispersed around the compartment 170 due to pressure differentials such that the metering ring 204 readily controls escape of cooling air before fully circulating through compartments 170 and 180. Such circulation facilitates effective purge of core gas path flow “C” from compartment 190.
The use of the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar references in the context of description (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or specifically contradicted by context. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity). All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. It should be appreciated that relative positional terms such as “forward,” “aft,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” and the like are with reference to the normal operational attitude and should not be considered otherwise limiting.
Although the different non-limiting embodiments have specific illustrated components, the embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments.
It should be appreciated that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. It should also be appreciated that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements will benefit herefrom.
Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present disclosure.
The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Various non-limiting embodiments are disclosed herein, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that various modifications and variations in light of the above teachings will fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is therefore to be appreciated that within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described. For that reason the appended claims should be studied to determine true scope and content.
