The present disclosure generally relates to turbomachines. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to cooling systems for turbomachines.
A gas turbine engine generally includes a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. The compressor section progressively increases the pressure of air entering the gas turbine engine and supplies this compressed air to the combustion section. The compressed air and a fuel (e.g., natural gas) mix within the combustion section. This mixture burns within a combustion chamber to generate high pressure and high temperature combustion gases. The combustion gases flow from the combustion section into the turbine section where they expand to produce work. For example, expansion of the combustion gases in the turbine section may rotate a rotor shaft connected to a generator to produce electricity.
The turbine section includes one or more turbine nozzles, which direct the flow of combustion gases onto one or more turbine rotor blades. The one or more turbine rotor blades, in turn, extract kinetic energy and/or thermal energy from the combustion gases, thereby driving the rotor shaft. In general, each turbine nozzle includes an inner side wall, an outer side wall, and one or more airfoils extending between the inner and the outer side walls. Since the one or more airfoils are in direct contact with the combustion gases, it may be necessary to cool the airfoils.
In certain configurations, cooling air is routed through one or more inner cavities defined by the turbine nozzles. Typically, this cooling air is compressed air bled from the compressor section. Bleeding air from the compressor section, however, reduces the volume of compressed air available for combustion, thereby reducing the efficiency of the gas turbine engine.
Aspects and advantages of the technology will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the technology.
In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a cooling system for a turbomachine. The cooling system includes a turbomachine component defining a turbomachine component cavity. The cooling system also includes an insert positioned within the turbomachine component cavity for cooling the turbomachine component. The insert includes an insert body and a spring body. The spring body conducts heat from the turbomachine component to the insert body. The spring body includes a first portion fixedly coupled to the insert body, a second portion in sliding engagement with the turbomachine component, and a third portion in sliding engagement with the insert body.
In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes a turbine section having a turbine section component defining a turbine section component cavity. An insert is positioned within the turbine section component cavity for cooling the turbomachine component. The insert includes an insert body and a spring body. The spring body conducts heat from the turbomachine component to the insert body. The spring body includes a first portion fixedly coupled to the insert body, a second portion in sliding engagement with the turbomachine component, and a third portion in sliding engagement with the insert body.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present technology will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the technology and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the technology.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present technology, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present technology.
Reference will now be made in detail to present embodiments of the technology, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the technology. As used herein, the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative direction with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” refers to the direction from which the fluid flows, and “downstream” refers to the direction to which the fluid flows.
Each example is provided by way of explanation of the technology, not limitation of the technology. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present technology without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present technology covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Although an industrial or land-based gas turbine engine is shown and described herein, the present technology as shown and described herein is not limited to a land-based and/or industrial gas turbine unless otherwise specified in the claims. For example, the technology as described herein may be used in any type of turbomachine including, but not limited to, aviation gas turbines (e.g., turbofans, etc.), steam turbines, and marine gas turbines.
Referring now to the drawings,
Each stage 30A-30C includes, in serial flow order, a corresponding row of turbine nozzles 32A, 32B, and 32C and a corresponding row of turbine rotor blades 34A, 34B, and 34C axially spaced apart along the rotor shaft 26 (
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As mentioned above, two airfoils 50 extend from the inner side wall 46 to the outer side wall 48. As illustrated in
Each airfoil 50 may define one or more inner cavities therein. An insert may be positioned in each of the inner cavities to provide the compressed air 38 (e.g., via impingement cooling) to the pressure-side and suction-side walls 80, 82 of the airfoil 50. In the embodiment illustrated in
The cooling system 100 includes an insert 104 positioned within a turbomachine cavity 106 of a turbomachine component 108. In some embodiments, for example, the insert 104 may be positioned in one of the forward or aft inner cavities 84, 86 in the nozzle 32B in place of the corresponding forward or aft insert 88, 90 shown in
The turbomachine component 104 is shown generically in
Referring particularly to
As mentioned above, the insert 104 is positioned in the turbomachine component cavity 106 of the turbomachine component 108. More specifically, an inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108 forms the outer boundary of the turbomachine component cavity 106. The insert 104 is positioned within the turbomachine component cavity 106 in such a manner that the outer surface 116 of the insert body 110 is spaced apart (e.g., axially spaced apart) from the inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108. The spacing between outer surface 116 of the insert body 110 and the inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108 may be sized to facilitate impingement cooling of the inner surface 114 of the turbomachine component 108.
As illustrated in
The impingement apertures 120 are arranged in linear rows 122 in the embodiment shown in
Referring particularly to
As illustrated in
As shown in
The spring bodies 124 may have any suitable cross-section and/or shape. For example, the spring bodies 124 may have a circular cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, or an elliptical cross-section. The spring bodies 124 may have a constant thickness/diameter as the spring bodies 124 along the length thereof. Alternately, the spring bodies 124 may be tapered (i.e., narrower at the third portion 132 than the first portion 128).
Referring still to
As mentioned above, the first portion 128 of the spring body 124 is fixedly coupled to the insert body 110. In some embodiments, the first portion 128 of the spring body 124 may be integrally formed with the insert body 110 as shown in
In certain embodiments, the insert 104 may be formed via additive manufacturing methods. The term “additive manufacturing” as used herein refers to any process which results in a useful, three-dimensional object and includes a step of sequentially forming the shape of the object one layer at a time. Additive manufacturing processes include three-dimensional printing (3DP) processes, laser-net-shape manufacturing, direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), direct metal laser melting (DMLM), plasma transferred arc, freeform fabrication, etc. A particular type of additive manufacturing process uses an energy beam, for example, an electron beam or electromagnetic radiation such as a laser beam, to sinter or melt a powder material. Additive manufacturing processes typically employ metal powder materials or wire as a raw material. Nevertheless, the insert 104 may be constructed using any suitable manufacturing process.
As mentioned above, the spring body 124 may extend upwardly and outwardly from the first portion 128 to the second portion 130. Similarly, the spring body 124 may extend upwardly and inwardly from the second portion 130 to the third portion 132. In this respect, each portion 128, 130, 132 may extend away from the insert body 110 in an upwardly oriented manner. As such, the first portion 128 defines a first angle 134 relative to the insert body 110, and the second portion 130 defines a second angle 136 relative to the turbomachine component 108. The first and second angles 134, 136 provide the support necessary to form the spring bodies 124 using additive manufacturing processes. In some embodiments, the first and second angles 134, 136 may be between thirty degrees and sixty degrees. In alternate embodiments, however, the spring bodies 124 may extend be oriented at any suitable angle relative to the insert body 110 and/or the turbomachine component 108.
As mentioned above, the insert 104 is inserted into the turbomachine component cavity 106. More specifically, the orientation and inherent flexibility of the spring bodies 124 may permit insertion of the insert 104 into the turbomachine component cavity 106. As the insert 104 enters the turbomachine component cavity 106, the second and third portions 130, 132 of the spring bodies 124 respectively slide along the outer surface 116 of the insert body 110 and the inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108. This sliding movement permits the spring body 124 to compress (i.e., flex in the axial and radial directions A, R). This compression removably retains the insert 104 within the turbomachine component cavity 106.
The spring bodies 124 also retain the insert body 110 within the turbomachine component cavity 106. Specifically, the spring bodies 124 exert forces on the turbomachine component 108 that hold the insert body 110 in place. The spring bodies 124 also maintain the gap between the insert body 110 and the turbomachine component 108 to facilitate impingement cooling as described above. In this respect, some or all of the spring bodies 124 should be sized to have sufficient structural strength to hold the insert body 110 in place and prevent the insert body 110 from rattling or vibrating within the turbomachine component cavity 106.
In operation, the insert 104 provides convective and conductive cooling to the turbomachine component 108. More specifically, cooling air (e.g., a portion of the compressed air 38) flows radially through the insert cavity 112. The impingement apertures 120 direct a portion of the cooling air flowing through the insert 104 onto the inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108. That is, the cooling air flows through the impingement apertures 120 and the turbomachine component cavity 106 until striking the inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108. As such, impingement apertures 120 provide convective cooling (i.e., impingement cooling) to the turbomachine component 108. The spring bodies 124 also disturb the air within the turbomachine component cavity 106, further increasing the rate of convective heat transfer. As mentioned above, the spring bodies 124 contact both the outer surface 116 of the insert body 110 and the inner surface 118 of the turbomachine component 108. In this respect, heat may conduct from the turbomachine component 108 through the spring bodies 124 to the insert body 110. The cooling air flowing through the insert cavity 112 may absorb the heat conductively transferred to the insert body 110 by the spring bodies 124.
As discussed in greater detail above, the impingement apertures 120 convectively cool the turbomachine component 108, and the spring bodies 124 conductively cool the turbomachine component 108. Since the insert 104 provides both convective and conductive cooling to the turbomachine component 108, the insert 104 provides greater cooling to the turbomachine component 108 than conventional inserts. As such, the insert 104 may define fewer impingement apertures 120 than conventional inserts. Accordingly, the insert 104 diverts less compressed air 38 from the compressor section 12 (
This written description uses examples to disclose the technology, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the technology, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the technology is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
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