Patent Grant
10012100
The present disclosure relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more specifically to turbine shrouds used in gas turbine engines.
Gas turbine engines are used to power aircraft, watercraft, power generators, and the like. Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses air drawn into the engine and delivers high pressure air to the combustor. In the combustor, fuel is mixed with the high pressure air and is ignited. Products of the combustion reaction in the combustor are directed into the turbine where work is extracted to drive the compressor and, sometimes, a fan assembly. Left-over products of the combustion are exhausted out of the turbine and may provide thrust in some applications.
Compressors and turbines typically include alternating stages of static vane assemblies and rotating wheel assemblies. The rotating wheel assemblies include disks carrying blades around their outer edges. When the rotating wheel assemblies turn, tips of the blades move along blade tracks included in static shrouds that are arranged around the rotating wheel assemblies. Such static shrouds may be coupled to an engine case that surrounds the compressor, the combustor, and the turbine.
Some shrouds positioned in the turbine may be exposed to high temperatures from products of the combustion reaction in the combustor. Such shrouds sometimes include components made from materials that have different coefficients of thermal expansion. Due to the differing coefficients of thermal expansion, the components of some turbine shrouds expand at different rates when exposed to combustion products. For example, coupling such components with traditional fasteners such as rivets or bolts may not allow for the differing levels of expansion and contraction during operation of the gas turbine engine.
The present application discloses one or more of the features recited in the appended claims and/or the following features which, alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter.
A turbine shroud may include an annular metallic carrier and a blade track. The annular metallic carrier may be arranged around a central axis of the turbine shroud and formed to include a plurality of keyways extending in a radial direction into the annular metallic carrier. The blade track may include a ceramic annular runner and a plurality of ceramic inserts extending outward in a radial direction away from the ceramic annular runner. Each of the plurality of ceramic inserts may be tubular and may be arranged to extend into a corresponding one of the plurality of keyways formed in the annular metallic carrier to locate the blade track and the annular metallic carrier relative to the central axis while allowing radial growth of the annular metallic carrier and the blade track at different rates during use of the turbine shroud.
In some embodiments, the ceramic annular runner may include a forward section, an aft section spaced apart axially from the forward section, and a midsection extending between the forward section and the aft section. The ceramic inserts may extend outwardly from the midsection of the ceramic annular runner.
In some embodiments, the blade track may be formed to include a sensor passage. The sensor passage may extend radially through at least one of the ceramic inserts and the ceramic annular runner.
In some embodiments, the turbine shroud may further include a sensor coupled to the at least one ceramic insert for movement therewith. The sensor may extend radially inward through the sensor passage toward the ceramic annular runner. In some embodiments, the sensor may comprise a blade-tip probe.
In some embodiments, the annular metallic carrier may include a forward side and an aft side spaced apart axially from the forward side. Each keyway may open into the aft side and may extend axially toward the forward side.
In some embodiments, each insert may be formed to include an insert aperture that extends radially through the insert. In some embodiments, each insert may have a round shape when viewed radially inwardly from radially outward of the blade track.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a blade track may include a ceramic annular runner and a plurality of ceramic inserts. The ceramic annular runner may include an outer radial surface and an inner radial surface spaced apart radially from the outer radial surface. The plurality of ceramic inserts may be coupled with the ceramic annular runner for movement therewith and may extend radially outward away from the outer radial surface. Each insert may be tubular and form an insert aperture that extends radially through the insert.
In some embodiments, the ceramic annular runner may include a forward section, an aft section spaced apart axially from the forward section, and a midsection extending between the forward section and the aft section. The ceramic inserts may be located in the midsection of the ceramic annular runner.
In some embodiments, the ceramic annular runner may be formed to include a plurality of insert receivers. A portion of each ceramic insert may be positioned in a corresponding insert receiver.
In some embodiments, the insert receivers may extend in a radial direction partway through the ceramic annular runner from the outer radial surface toward the inner radial surface. In some embodiments, each ceramic insert may have a round shape when viewed from radially outward of the blade track.
In some embodiments, at least one ceramic insert may include an insert aperture extending therethrough. The ceramic annular runner may further include a runner aperture extending in a radial direction through the ceramic annular runner. The runner aperture may be aligned with the insert aperture to define a sensor passage that extends radially through the blade track.
In some embodiments, the blade track may further comprise a sensor coupled to a ceramic insert for movement therewith and the sensor extends radially through the sensor passage. In some embodiments, the sensor may comprise a blade-tip probe.
In some embodiments, the ceramic annular runner and the inserts may consist essentially of ceramic matrix composite material. In some embodiments, the ceramic annular runner and the inserts may consist essentially of silicon carbide containing matrix and silicon carbide containing reinforcements.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a turbine shroud may include a number of steps. The method may include providing a blade track including an annular runner and a plurality of tubular inserts coupled with the annular runner and extending radially outward away from the annular runner, rotating the annular runner to a predetermined orientation relative to a carrier so that keyways formed in the carrier are aligned with corresponding tubular inserts, and nesting the annular runner into the carrier so that the tubular inserts are received in the keyways to thereby establish a connection between the blade track and the carrier.
In some embodiments, the method may further include inserting a sensor through an insert aperture that extends radially through a tubular insert and into a runner aperture that extends radially through the annular runner.
These and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiments.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to a number of illustrative embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same.
The turbine 18 illustratively includes static turbine vane assemblies 21, 22, etc. and corresponding turbine wheel assemblies 26 etc. as shown in
The turbine 18 also includes a plurality of turbine shrouds 46 etc. that include a central axis 24 and the turbine shrouds 46 extend circumferentially about the central axis 24 as shown in
The turbine shroud 46 illustratively includes a carrier 48 and a blade track (sometimes called seal ring) 50 as shown in
In the illustrative embodiments, tubular inserts 56 included in the blade track 50 extend into keyways 58 formed in the carrier 48 to couple the blade track 50 to the carrier 48 as show in
The carrier 48 includes a carriage 49 and an intermediate support 51 as shown in
The carriage 49 is illustratively formed to include a connection flange 62, a connector 64, and a support band 68 as shown in
The support band 68 includes a forward side and an aft side spaced apart axially from the forward side along the central axis 24 as shown in
The intermediate support 51 includes a support flange 94, an intermediate band 96, and a support lip 98 as shown in
The support lip 98 is formed to include a plurality of keyways 58 as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the blade track 50 includes an annular runner 54 and the plurality of inserts 56 as shown in
The annular runner 54 includes a forward section 38, an aft section 40 spaced apart axially from the forward section 38 relative to the central axis 24, and a midsection 42 positioned axially between the forward section 38 and the aft section 40 as shown in
The location of the inserts 56 in the annular runner 54 influence the thermal stresses in the annular runner 54 produced around the inserts 56. In the illustrative embodiment, the blade track 50 is used in the turbine 18. The components such as, for example, the turbine shroud 46 in the turbine 18 experience high temperatures during operation. As a result, the turbine shroud 46 may be cooled with air to increase its useful life. Illustratively, high-pressure cooling air is supplied to an outer radial surface 72 of the blade track 50 to purge the channel 80. As a result of the cooling air, the forward section 38 and the aft section 40 of the annular runner 54 are cooler than the midsection 42.
In some embodiments, the blade track 50 further includes an abradable layer 82 coupled to the inner radial surface 74. The abradable layer 82 may be thinner about the midsection 42 due to rubbing of the blades 36 against the abradable layer 82 about the midsection 42. As a result, the forward and aft sections 38, 40 may be cooler than the midsection 42 of the annular runner 54 due to the combustion products in the turbine 18 and the relatively thin region of the abradable layer 82.
Because the forward and aft sections 38, 40 may be cooler than the midsection 42, the peak thermal stresses in the annular runner 54 may be located at the forward and aft sections 38, 40. However, the peak mechanical stresses may be located in the midsection 42 due to the inserts 56 being formed in the midsection 42. As a result, locating the inserts 56 in the midsection 42 may separate the peak mechanical stresses from the peak thermal stresses of the annular runner 54. In some embodiments, the inserts 56 are located about midway circumferentially between hot streaks 75 developed by spaced apart fuel nozzles included in the engine 10 to further reduce the temperatures experienced by the inserts 56. The hot streaks 75 may be located directly axially aft of corresponding fuel nozzles or they may be circumferentially off set from the fuel nozzles due to swirl induced in the combustor 16.
In the illustrative embodiment, the annular runner 54 is formed to include a plurality of insert receivers 60 spaced apart circumferentially and sized to receive the plurality of inserts 56 as shown in
The annular runner 54 includes an outer radial surface 72 and an inner radial surface 74 positioned radially between the central axis 24 and the outer radial surface 72 as shown in
The illustrative inserts 56 are tubular and are formed to include an insert aperture 76 as shown in
The inserts 56 are illustratively round and have a diameter 78 as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the inserts 56 and the insert receivers 60 are circular when viewed looking radially inwardly toward the central axis 24. In other embodiments, each insert 56 and insert receiver 60 may be rectangular or may have another shape when viewed in the radial direction. When viewed in the radial or axial directions, sides of each insert 56 are perpendicular to a centerline of the annular runner 54.
The annular runner 54 is illustratively made from a ceramic material; and, more particularly, a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) including silicon carbide reinforcements and silicon carbide matrix. For purposes of this application, a ceramic material is any monolithic ceramic or composite in which at least one constituent is a ceramic. In other embodiments, the annular runner 54 may be made of other metallic, non-metallic, or composite materials with low coefficients of thermal expansion.
The annular runner 54 has a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion because of its composition. The annular runner 54 is illustratively a unitary component forming a full hoop as shown in
Similarly, in the illustrative embodiment, each insert 56 is made from a ceramic material; and, more particularly, a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) including silicon carbide reinforcements and silicon carbide matrix. In other embodiments, each insert 56 may be made from monolithic silicon carbide, dense chopped fiber reinforced silicon carbide, monolithic silicon nitride based materials, monolithic aluminum oxide, whisker reinforced aluminum oxide, and/or MAX phase materials (e.g. Ti3SIC2, Ti2AlC, etc.).
In other embodiments, the inserts 56 may comprise silicon-carbide reinforcements suspended in a silicon-carbide containing matrix material. In other embodiments, the insert 56 may comprise oxide-oxide reinforcements suspended in an oxide-oxide containing matrix material. In still other embodiments, each insert 56 may be made of other metallic, non-metallic, or composite materials with low coefficients of thermal expansion that are compatible with both the carrier 48 and the annular runner 54.
In the illustrative embodiment, the inserts 56 are bonded to the carrier 48 via brazing as shown in
In other embodiments, instead of bonding the inserts 56 to the annular runner 54 using a braze layer, the inserts 56 may be integrally woven into a preform that is later coprocessed to create the annular runner 54 so that the inserts 56 are bonded to the annular runner 54. In some such embodiments, the inserts 56 are machined after coprocessing of the annular runner 54 so that the inserts 56 have a predetermined shape/orientation relative to the geometry of the annular runner 54.
In the illustrative embodiment, the turbine shroud 46 further includes seals 88 as shown in
The intermediate support 51 is formed to include an inwardly-opening forward chamber 90 and the carriage 49 is formed to include an inwardly-opening aft chamber 92 as shown in
According to at least one method of assembling the turbine shroud 46, a user rotates the annular runner 54 to a predetermined orientation relative to the carrier 48 so that the inserts 56 are aligned with the corresponding keyways 58. Then the user nests the annular runner 54 into the carrier 48 so that the annular runner 54 is concentric with the carrier 48 to thereby establish the connection between the blade track 50 and the carrier 48. A sensor 291 may then be inserted through an insert aperture 76 that extends radially through a tubular insert 56 and into a runner aperture 286 that extends radially through the annular runner 54.
Another illustrative blade track 150 is shown in
The blade track 150 includes an annular runner 154 and a plurality of inserts 156 as shown in
The inserts 156 include an upper key portion 161 and a lower shoulder portion 163 as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the inserts 156 and the annular runner 154 comprise ceramic materials. The lower shoulder portion 163 of the inserts 156 are integrally woven into a preform 159 that is later coprocessed to create the annular runner 154 so that the inserts 156 are bonded with the annular runner 154 as shown in
In other embodiments, the lower shoulder portion 163 includes a plurality of legs 165 as shown in
According to at least one method of forming the blade track 150, several axial cuts are made along a longitudinal axis of a tubular insert preform as shown in
According to at least another method of forming the blade track 150, several axial cuts are made along a longitudinal axis of a first tubular insert preform as shown in
The second upper key portion of the second insert preform is inserted into the first upper key portion. The first lower shoulder portion is rotated to cause the legs of the first lower shoulder portion be misaligned with the legs of the second lower shoulder portion as shown in
Another illustrative blade track 250 is shown in
The blade track 250 includes an annular runner 254 and the inserts 256 as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the insert receiver 260 and the runner aperture 286 form a counter bore as shown in
In some embodiments, the sensor passage 289 has an axial width that is between about 15% and about 50% of the axial width of the annular runner 254. In some embodiments, the sensor passage 289 has an axial width that is between about 15% and about 25% of the axial width of the annular runner 254.
The blade track 250 further includes a sensor 291 coupled to the insert 256 for movement therewith as shown in
Unlike segmented blade tracks, there are no inherent breaks in a full hoop blade track such as, for example, blade track 250 to potentially provide a sensor 291 access to the blades 36. The sensor passage 289 formed through the insert features of the blade track 250 provides access to the blades 36 for the sensor 291. Additionally, the sensor 291 experiences relatively little movement because the inserts 256 block relative movement between the blade track 250 and the carrier 48. As such, the sensor 291 can maintain alignment with the sensor passage 289 throughout the engine operating ranges and throughout a range of thermal growth between the carrier 246 and the blade track 250. In some embodiments, the inserts 256 align the blade track 250, the carrier 248, and the outer case 220 with each other to allow the sensor 291 to be mounted to the outer case 220 outside of the engine 10.
In the illustrative embodiment, the sensor 291 is connected to a controller as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the intermediate support 251 includes a forward side and an aft side spaced apart axially from the forward end. The keyways 258 comprise keyway slots 258 and each keyway slot 258 opens into the aft side of the intermediate support 251 and extends axially toward the forward side. As shown in
Illustratively, the blade track 250 further includes a retainer 252 as shown in
While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/103,818, filed 15 Jan. 2015, the disclosure of which is now expressly incorporated herein by reference.
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