The present invention relates to a transition duct for a gas turbine engine and, more particularly, to a transition duct design having a longer structural life and an improved aero performance.
Generally, combustion turbines have three main assemblies, including a compressor assembly, a combustor assembly, and a turbine assembly. In operation, the compressor assembly compresses ambient air. The compressed air is channeled into the combustor assembly where it is mixed with a fuel. The fuel and compressed air mixture is ignited creating a heated working gas. The heated working gas is typically at a temperature of between 2300 to 2900° F. (1200 to 1593° C.), and is expanded through the turbine assembly. The turbine assembly generally includes a rotating assembly comprising a centrally located rotating shaft and a plurality of rows of rotating blades attached thereto. A plurality of stationary vane assemblies, each including a plurality of stationary vanes, are connected to a casing of the turbine and are located interposed between the rows of rotating blades. The expansion of the working gas through the rows of rotating blades and stationary vanes or airfoils in the turbine assembly results in a transfer of energy from the working gas to the rotating assembly, causing rotation of the shaft.
The combustor assembly typically includes a plurality of combustors arranged in an annular array about the engine. The hot working gas from each combustor is transferred to the turbine by a respective transition duct. The outlet of the combustor is generally cylindrical, and the inlet to the turbine at the exit to each transition duct generally corresponds to an arcuate sector. Accordingly, the cross-sectional shape of the transition duct must change from a generally cylindrical shape at the combustor exit to a generally rectangular arc-like shape at the turbine inlet. In addition, since the combustors are typically mounted at a radial outward location relative to the turbine inlet, the transition ducts must define a gas path extending radially inwardly in the direction of the gas flow to the turbine.
The combination of complex geometry changes as well as extreme mechanical and thermal loading seen by the transition duct create a harsh operating environment that can lead to premature deterioration, requiring repair and replacement of the transition duct. In particular, as higher firing temperatures are utilized, increased transition duct failures may occur due to low cycle fatigue (LCF) cracks that may be observed at an upper panel of the transition. Accordingly, extreme care must be taken with respect to the design of these geometric transitions to avoid sharp geometric changes that may create regions of high stress, i.e., stress concentration points.
The present invention provides a transition duct having a geometric profile that is preferably optimized to reduce high stress concentrations from LCF. The present transition duct also has an improved structural dynamic response that effectively increases the separation of the transition frequency response from the combustion resonant frequencies, while also maintaining a desired aero efficiency in transferring hot working gas from the combustor to the turbine inlet.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a transition duct is provided having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and a body portion extending between the inlet and outlet openings at respective inlet and outlet ends. The inlet opening defines a generally circular cross-section for the body portion and has a geometric center. The body portion has an internal profile substantially in accordance with coordinate values X, Y and Z at sections defined by a respective angle θ, as set forth in Table 1, where each of the X, Y and Z coordinates are taken at a sweep angle θ passing through the section origin and measured from a first plane defined by the inlet end and increasing toward a second plane defined by the outlet end. The first plane and the section planes intersect at an angle origin line about which the angle θ is measured. The X and Y coordinate values are determined relative to a section origin at a substantially central geometric location within each respective section. The Z coordinate values are measured along a Z-axis extending perpendicular to the first plane, and having an origin at the center of the generally circular inlet opening and increasing toward the outlet end.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a transition duct is provided having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and a body portion extending between the inlet and outlet openings at respective inlet and outlet ends. The inlet opening defines a generally circular cross-section for the body portion and has a geometric center. The body portion has an internal profile including first, second, third and fourth profile sections located approximately at angles θ of 1.0°, 10.0°, 21.0° and 30.0°, respectively, taken at a sweep angle θ passing through the section origin and measured from a first plane defined by the inlet end and increasing toward a second plane defined by the outlet end. The first plane and the section planes intersect at an angle origin line about which the angle θ is measured, where each section defines a Cartesian X Y coordinate origin with corresponding quadrants determined relative to the section origin at a substantially central geometric location within each respective section, wherein the first section comprises a generally circular cross-section; the second section comprises a first side extending from the third quadrant to the second quadrant, a second side extending from the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant, an outer side extending between the first and second quadrants and curved concave inwardly toward the coordinate origin, an inner side extending between the third and fourth quadrants and curved concave inwardly toward the coordinate origin, the first and second sides extending in diverging relation from the inner side toward the outer side; the third section comprises a first substantially linear side extending from the third quadrant to the second quadrant, a second substantially linear side extending from the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant, an outer side extending between the first and second quadrants and curved concave inwardly toward the coordinate origin, an inner side extending between the third and fourth quadrants and curved concave inwardly toward the coordinate origin, the first and second sides extending in diverging relation from the inner side toward the outer side; and the fourth section comprises a first substantially linear side extending from the third quadrant to the second quadrant, a second substantially linear side extending from the fourth quadrant to the first quadrant, an outer side extending between the first and second quadrants and curved concave inwardly toward the coordinate origin, an inner side extending between the third and fourth quadrants and curved concave outwardly away from the coordinate origin, the first and second sides extending in diverging relation from the inner side toward the outer side.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a transition duct is provided having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and a body portion extending between the inlet and outlet openings at respective inlet and outlet ends. The inlet opening defines a generally circular cross-section for the body portion and has a geometric center. The body portion has an internal profile including first, second, third and fourth profile sections substantially in accordance with coordinate values X, Y and Z located at angles θ of 1.0°, 10.0°, 21.0° and 30.0°, as set forth in Table 1, where each of the X, Y and Z coordinates are taken at a sweep angle θ passing through the section origin and measured from a first plane defined by the inlet end and increasing toward a second plane defined by the outlet end. The first plane and the section planes intersect at an angle origin line about which the angle θ is measured. The X and Y coordinate values are determined relative to a section origin at a substantially central geometric location within each respective section. The Z coordinate values are measured along a Z-axis extending perpendicular to the first plane, and having an origin at the center of the generally circular inlet opening and increasing toward the outlet end.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying Drawing Figures, in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and wherein:
Referring to
The transition duct 10 may be formed by any known manufacturing process, and may comprise a body formed of an upper panel 28 and a lower panel 30 joined along longitudinally extending seams 32 (one illustrated) at longitudinal welds to form a panel assembly, as is known in the art. The upper and lower panels 28, 30 may also be provided with cooling holes in a manner known in the art. In addition, the upper and lower panels 28, 30 may be formed of a high temperature material such as a high temperature metal alloy including, without limitation, IN617 (Inconel 617) or H230 (Haynes 230). It should be noted that the transition duct 10 is not limited to any particular construction, and the invention encompasses any transition duct 10 that utilizes the profile described further below.
The interior surface of the body formed by the panels 28, 30 may preferably be provided with a coating to protect the interior of the transition duct 10 from deterioration, such as may be caused by prolonged exposure to the hot combustion gases traveling from the combustor 12. The coating may comprise a known coating material, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,032, incorporated herein by reference, or any other coating having similar protective properties. In addition, the coating is preferably a thin coating layer that will not substantially affect the beneficial profile characteristics provided by the present invention.
The profile of the transition duct 10 is described herein with reference to the uncoated surface profile of the interior surface of the body defined by the upper and lower panels 28, 30. Referring to
Coordinate values X, Y and Z are provided to identify points on the transition duct 10 for each discrete section 34 at specified angles θ substantially in accordance with the X, Y and Z coordinate values as set forth in Table 1 below. The values given in Table 1 are in millimeters. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to particular dimensions, in that the X, Y and Z values given in Table 1 could be scaled up or down, i.e., may represent unitless scaled values, depending on the diameter of the particular combustion liner with which the transition duct 10 of the present invention is intended to be used.
Further, it should be noted that the coordinate values given in Table 1 correspond to coordinates on the transition duct 10 when at room temperature, and that the given coordinate values will not necessarily correspond to the location of particular points on the transition duct 10 when the transition duct 10 is at an elevated temperature during transfer of hot combustion gases.
The X and Y coordinate values are determined with reference to respective X and Y axes having a zero point or origin of a Cartesian coordinate system at the origin of the particular section 34 located substantially at the geometric center within each respective section 34 (see
It should be apparent that although the X, Y and Z coordinate values given in Table 1 provide discrete sections 34 comprising wireframe sections for defining the transition profile, the entire profile is defined by a best-fit curve to the given sections to define a smoothly continuous internal flow path formed by the interior surface of the transition duct 10. Further it may be noted that the data provided in Table 1 is computer generated and that limited deviations from this data may occur, within manufacturing tolerances, during production of the transition duct 10.
Referring to
The second section 34B of
The third section 34C of
The fourth section 34D of
As an alternative embodiment to the invention the internal profile may be provided within an envelope of the profile given by the coordinate values of Table 1. By way of example and without limitation, the internal profile described herein may be provided within an envelope of ±6.350 mm normal to any surface with the X, Y and Z coordinate values and the angles θ noted in Table 1.
The transition duct 10 described herein provides a preferred transition duct internal profile for transitioning from a generally circular inlet to a generally rectangular arc-like outlet while minimizing stress concentrations and providing frequency separation between the natural frequency of the transition duct 10 and the combustion resonant frequencies, resulting in a reduced likelihood of low cycle fatigue cracks.
The X, Y and Z coordinate values, determined by the above-described Cartesian coordinated system, identified at corresponding sweep angles θ are summarized in the following Table 1.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6644032 | Jorgensen et al. | Nov 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20080087020 A1 | Apr 2008 | US |