The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the art of turbomachines and, more particularly to a turbomachine including a component having a trench.
Turbomachines include a compressor portion linked to a turbine portion through a common compressor/turbine shaft and a combustor assembly. An inlet airflow is passed through an air intake toward the compressor portion. In the compressor portion, the inlet airflow is compressed through a number of sequential stages toward the combustor assembly. In the combustor assembly, the compressed airflow 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 along a hot gas path of the turbine portion through a transition piece. The hot gases expand along a hot gas path through a number of turbine stages acting upon turbine bucket airfoils mounted on wheels to create work that is output, for example, to power a generator. A portion of the compressed air is passed through various components of the turbomachine for cooling purposes.
According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a turbomachine includes a compressor portion, a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion, and a shroud mounted in one of the compressor portion and the turbine portion. The shroud includes a radial inner side, a radial outer side arranged opposite the radial inner side, and a plurality of side surfaces joining the radial inner side and the radial outer side. The radial outer side includes a recessed portion. At least one trench is formed in the recessed portion, and at least one cooling passage extends between the at least one trench and at least one of the plurality of side surfaces. An airfoil component is arranged in the one of the compressor portion and the turbine portion. The airfoil component includes an airfoil portion having at least one mounting member including an internal cavity and a plurality of side surface portions. At least one trench element is formed in the internal cavity, and at least one cooling passage element extends between the at least one trench element and one of the plurality of side surface portions.
According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a turbomachine shroud includes a radial inner side, and a radial outer side arranged opposite the radial inner side. The radial outer side includes a recessed portion. A plurality of side surfaces joins the radial inner side and the radial outer side. At least one trench is formed in the recessed portion, and at least one cooling passage extends between the at least one trench and at least one of the plurality of side surfaces.
According to yet another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a turbomachine airfoil component includes an airfoil portion having at least one mounting member including an internal cavity and a plurality of side surface portions. At least one trench element is formed in the internal cavity, and at least one cooling passage element extends between the at least one trench element and one of the plurality of side surface portions.
According to still yet another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a turbomachine component includes a plurality of surfaces that define an internal cavity, at least one trench formed in the internal cavity, and at least one cooling passage extending between the at least one trench and at least one of the plurality of surfaces.
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.
A turbomachine, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, is illustrated generally at 2, in
Turbine portion 6 includes an outer casing 30 that supports a plurality of inner casing members, one of which is shown at 32 in
Air passes into compressor portion 4 and is compressed through the compressor stages (not separately labeled) forming compressed air. A portion of the compressed air passes to turbine portion 6 for cooling. For example, cooling air is passed to each inner casing member 32 and directed onto each turbine shroud 38. Cooling air is also passed into each turbine nozzle 36. Another portion of the compressed air is passed to combustor assembly 8 and mixed with a fuel to form a combustible mixture. The combustible mixture is combusted in each combustor 10 forming hot gases. The hot gases flow into turbine portion 6 through a transition piece (not separately labeled). The hot gases expand through turbine portion 6 creating work that may be used to drive a generator, a pump, or provide power to a motor vehicle such as an airplane or locomotive.
As shown in
Reference will now follow to
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, turbine shroud 38 includes a plurality of trenches formed in recessed portion 74. More specifically, turbine shroud 38 includes a first trench 108, a second trench 109, a third trench 110, and a fourth trench 111. First trench 108 extends along first circumferential side surface 84 in upstream portion 96. Second trench 109 extends along first circumferential side surface 84 in downstream portion 98. Conversely, third trench 110 extends along second circumferential side surface 86 in upstream portion 96, and fourth trench 111 extends along second circumferential side surface 86 in downstream portion 98.
A first plurality of cooling passages 115 extends from first trench 108 to first circumferential side surface 84 and a second plurality of cooling passages 116 extend from second trench 109 to first circumferential side surface 84. A third plurality of cooling passages 117 extends from third trench 110 to second circumferential side surface 86 and a fourth plurality of cooling passages 118 extends from fourth trench 110 to second circumferential side surface 86. Cooling passages 115, 116, 117, and 118 provide an outlet for cooling air passing from inner casing member 32 into recessed portion 74 to cool radial inner surface 70. At this point it should be understood that turbine shroud 38 may include a first trench 108 that extends continuously along first circumferential side surface 84 and a second trench 109 that extends continuously along second circumferential side surface 86. It should also be understood that turbine shroud 38 may include a single trench that extends along one or the other of first or second circumferential side surfaces 84 or 86, or a single trench in one or more of upstream portion 96 or downstream portion 98. The particular number and location of trenches may vary.
Reference will now follow to
Reference will now follow to
In accordance with an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a trench 194 extends across downstream end portion 180 of internal cavity 184 of first mounting member 170. Trench 194 fluidically connects with a first plurality of cooling passages 196. Cooling passages 196 guide cooling air from first internal cavity 184 through downstream end 180 into hot gases flowing along a hot gas path (not separately labeled) of turbine portion 6 via downstream end 180. Of course, it should be understood that cooling passages may pass through others of the side surface portions of internal cavity 184 of first mounting member 170. It should also be understood that trenches may extend along another of the side surface portion and need not be located at the downstream end.
Similarly, internal cavity 192 of second mounting member 174 includes a trench 197 that extends across downstream end portion 188 and fluidically connects with a second plurality of cooling passages 198. Cooling passages 198 guide cooling air from second internal cavity 192 into hot gases flowing along the hot gas path via downstream end portion 188. Of course, in a manner also similar to that discussed above, it should be understood that cooling passages may pass through others of the side surface portions of internal cavity 192 of second mounting member 174. It should also be understood that trenches may extend along another of the side surface portion and need not be located at the downstream end. Further, it should be understood, that in lieu of a continuous trench, a plurality of trenches or depressions 200 may be formed in first internal cavity 184 such as shown in
At this point it should be understood that the trenches formed in the turbine nozzle provide machining access for forming the cooling passages that pass through portions of first and/or second mounting members to facilitate more uniform cooling thereby increasing component life and reducing maintenance costs. It should also be understood that while the exemplary embodiments are described in terms of a turbine shroud and a turbine nozzle, the trenches may be formed in other turbine components. Further, it should be understood that trenches may be formed in other airfoil components such as platform portions of compressor and/or turbine blades. Further, trenches may be formed in components provided in the compressor portion to enhance cooling or direct fluid through portions of a component that might otherwise be too thin to include passages.
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.