EP3260669A1 - Housing for a rotor of an engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a housing for a rotor of an engine (T), wherein the housing (G) forms a housing wall (W) defined interior space (I) for receiving the rotor and the housing wall (W) in the housing ( G) circumferentially surrounds, and wherein the housing (G) in the housing wall (W) at least one provided for maintenance and / or repair service opening (O) through which the interior (I) is accessible from the outside. According to the invention, the service opening (O) is provided in the region of two opposing flange sections (FA1, FA2) of the housing (G), the service opening (O) being closed by at least one closure part (2; 2A-2C) which at least partially lies in one is received between the opposing flange portions (FA1, FA2) gap formed (3) and releasably fixed

Description

The invention relates to a housing for an engine according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic housing defines with a housing wall an interior for receiving a rotor, wherein the housing conversion circumferentially surrounds the rotor accommodated in the housing. The housing can consequently be designed, for example, as a compressor housing for a compressor of a gas turbine engine, which surrounds the peripheral side in particular the rotating blade wheels of the compressor and can be flowed through axially. In particular, for maintenance and repair purposes, it is known to provide at least one service opening in the housing wall of such a housing, through which the interior receiving the rotor is accessible from outside. Such a service opening is used, for example, the introduction of a tool, such as a borescope to determine any damage to the (rotating or fixed) paddle wheels, so for example, the blades and vanes.

Such a service opening is comparatively small in practice and, for example, has a diameter of less than 10 mm. The introduction of tools for repair of lying inside the components of the engine, in particular the rotor is hardly possible. A simple enlargement of the service opening is regularly but also not readily possible, in particular since the service opening should be closed during operation and on the housing wall for this purpose to be fixed closure parts must be fixed comparatively expensive to reliably close the service opening.

It is therefore an object of the invention to improve a housing for a rotor of an engine in this regard and in particular to allow easier access via a service opening in a housing wall of the housing.

This object is achieved with a housing of claim 1.

A housing according to the invention, for example a compressor housing for a compressor of an engine, has at least one service opening provided in the housing wall for maintenance and / or repair work in the area of two opposing flange sections of the housing, the service opening being closed by at least one closure part at least partially received in a gap formed between the opposing flange portions and releasably fixed.

By arranging the at least one closure part in a gap between two opposing flange sections, a sufficiently large service opening can readily be provided and these can be closed by a closure part which can be securely fixed in the gap. The housing hitch may in this case be formed in one piece, so that the two opposite and with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor radially on an outer side of the housing projecting flange serve exclusively or primarily the fixation of the closure member. In an alternative embodiment, however, the housing may also be designed in several parts, in which case two housing parts of the housing are then connected to one another via the two flange sections. Here, the two housing parts can also - preferably symmetrically - be connected to each other via a plurality of mutually associated flange sections. A gap between two flange sections, over which a service opening is formed or is accessible, is then provided in one embodiment only on one of a plurality of pairs of flange sections. Alternatively, it can also be provided that via the plurality of pairs of flange sections, via which the (at least) two housing parts are connected to one another, a plurality of service openings are also closed via at least one closure part and are accessible if necessary.

In one embodiment variant, at least one of the flange sections has at least one fastening opening which is aligned with an opening of the closure part, which is received in the gap as intended, and through which a fastening element engages for releasably fixing the closure part. The at least one fastening opening of the flange portion is thus provided as a passage opening for the insertion or screwing in of a fastening element, such as a screw bolt, in order to fix the closure part to the flange portion and into the gap. The opening of the closure part can be designed for this purpose as a blind hole, in particular as a blind hole or passage opening. In a design as a through hole, a portion of the fastener is thus also passed through the closure member, to then be fixed to the opposite flange portion, for example by the fastener is screwed thereto or secured with a nut.

In the case of a multi-part housing, fixing of two housing parts to one another can also be realized via the at least one fastening element, by means of which the at least one closure part is detachably fixed in the gap. The fastening element, for example a screw bolt, thus not only serves to fix the closure part, but also to the intended connection of the two housing parts to one another.

The closure part may, for example, be elongated and, in particular, designed to be strip-shaped. A strip-like configuration of the at least one closure part includes in particular that the closure part has a cuboid base body which is inserted in the gap formed between the two flange sections and fixed therein via at least one separate fastening element.

In one embodiment variant, the at least one closure part may taper in cross-section to the axis of rotation of the rotor. The closure part thus has at least one obliquely extending and thus, for example, a ramp-like running side surface. In particular, the closure part may be wedge-shaped in cross-section.

Alternatively or additionally, the closure part can taper in a direction of extension extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor. The closure part can thus with a tapering running in the axial direction be designed to optionally facilitate insertion parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

In one variant, the at least one closure part forms on an outer side at least one projection which lies outside the gap and projects transversely to the extension direction of the gap from a base body of the closure part received between the flange sections. In particular, in this variant, consequently, the closure part - at least in the region of the supernatant - in cross section L- or T-shaped.

In one embodiment, a plurality of (at least two) closure parts are at least partially accommodated in the gap formed between the opposing flange sections. Consequently, at least two closure parts for closing a service opening are arranged in the gap. If appropriate, the closure parts can also be detachable from the gap and removable from the gap in order, for example, to vary the size of the released service opening. For example, if only one access is needed for a borescope, it may be sufficient to remove only one of several closure parts from the gap. However, several repair parts can then be removed for any repair work and a larger part of the service opening can be released here.

In order to make the interior of the housing accessible from different places, it can be provided in one embodiment that in the housing wall at at least one further point two opposing flange sections are provided with a service opening closed by at least one closure part. As already explained above, the pairs of opposing flange sections, each of which defines a gap between them for the releasable fixing of at least one closure part, may be provided symmetrically or asymmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation on the housing wall of the one-piece or multi-part housing.

In principle, it is not mandatory for the gap in which the at least one closure part is received to run parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor on the housing wall and thus straightforwardly along a longitudinal direction. For example, it can also be provided that the gap extends at an angle to the axis of rotation of the rotor. In the latter case can then in a tubular housing with a circular cross-section, the closure part to be inserted into the gap must be bent.

The gap in which the at least one closure part is accommodated has, in one embodiment variant, a gap length which is only a fraction of the length with which the housing extends along a longitudinal direction extending parallel to the axis of rotation. The gap for the service opening and the at least one closure part thus do not extend over the entire length of the housing, so that the housing would be slotted completely longitudinally through the gap. Rather, the gap on the housing wall is shorter. Alternatively, however, it is of course also possible to provide a longitudinally slotted housing in which the gap extends over the entire length of the housing.

An inventive housing may be formed, for example, as a compressor housing for receiving at least one rotor of a compressor of the engine. Here, the housing can be configured at least in two parts as already explained above. Alternatively or additionally, an embodiment variant provides that the gap formed between two opposing flange sections extends over only a part of the compressor stages which are accommodated in the compressor housing.

In principle, in the case of an engine with a rotor, which is accommodated in a housing according to the invention, the accessibility, in particular of the rotor, for maintenance and / or repair work via the service opening can be considerably facilitated. The achievable advantages are not limited to a compressor of the engine and thus a compressor housing. Likewise, an inventive housing for receiving a rotor of the turbine of the engine, in particular a gas turbine engine, can be used.

The attached figures exemplify possible embodiments of the invention.

Figur 1

ausschnittsweise ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Gehäuses mit einem längs zwischen 2 Flanschabschnitten verlaufenden Spalt und mit einer hierüber zugänglichen Serviceöffnung mit einem leistenartigen Verschlussteil in Explosionsdarstellung;

Figur 2

in mit der Figur 1 übereinstimmender Darstellung eine zweite Ausführungsvariante mit mehreren separaten Verschlussteilen zum Verschließen der Serviceöffnung;

Figuren 3A-3C

jeweils in perspektivischer Darstellung unterschiedlicher Varianten eines leistenförmigen Verschlussteiles.

Figur 4

in Schnittdarstellung schematisch ein Gasturbinentriebwerk, in dem ein erfindungsgemäßer Rotor Verwendung findet.

Show it:

FIG. 1

a detail of an embodiment of a housing according to the invention with a longitudinally extending between 2 flange sections gap and with an accessible thereto Service opening with a strip-like closure part in exploded view;

FIG. 2

in with the FIG. 1 matching representation of a second embodiment variant with a plurality of separate closure parts for closing the service opening;

Figures 3A-3C

each in perspective view of different variants of a strip-shaped closure part.

FIG. 4

in a sectional view schematically a gas turbine engine, in which a rotor according to the invention is used.

The FIG. 4 illustrates schematically and in section a (gas turbine) engine T, in which the individual engine components along a central axis or axis of rotation M are arranged one behind the other. At an inlet or intake E of the engine T, air is sucked in along an entrance direction E by means of a fan F. This fan F is driven by a shaft that is rotated by a turbine TT. In this case, the turbine TT adjoins a compressor V, which has, for example, a low-pressure compressor 11 and a high-pressure compressor 12, and possibly also a medium-pressure compressor. On the one hand, the fan F supplies air to the compressor V and, on the other hand, a bypass channel B for generating the thrust. The air conveyed via the compressor V finally passes into a combustion chamber section BK in which the drive energy for driving the turbine TT is generated. For this purpose, the turbine TT has a high-pressure turbine 13, a medium-pressure turbine 14 and a low-pressure turbine 15. The turbine TT activates the fan F via the energy released during combustion, in order to then generate the required thrust via the air conveyed into the bypass duct B. The air in this case leaves the bypass passage B in the region of an outlet A at the end of the engine T, at which the exhaust gases flow out of the turbine TT to the outside. The outlet A in this case usually has a discharge nozzle.

The compressor V has a (compressor) housing G, in whose interior I the rotor of the compressor V is housed. In order to make the interior I accessible from the outside for maintenance and / or repair work, the housing G in practice regularly smaller service openings with a diameter of less than 10 mm. About such a service opening can then, for example, a Boroskop in the Interior I are introduced to determine any damage. However, the size of the service openings is usually not sized so that tools for repair could be introduced. A simple enlargement of the service opening is also not readily possible because a reliable closure must be ensured for the operation.

In this context, the solution according to the invention remedy to the basis of the FIGS. 1 . 2 and 3A to 3C possible variants are exemplified exemplified.

The FIG. 1 here shows a detail of the housing G of the compressor V, which extends circumferentially around the central axis / rotation axis M with a housing wall W. In the present case, a longitudinal service opening O in the form of a continuous slot is provided in the housing wall W. The service opening O extends parallel to the rotation axis M.

Through the longitudinal slot of the service opening O, the housing G is divided into two housing parts G1 and G2, which are connected to each other in the region of the service opening O via opposing flange sections FA1 and FA2. The two flange sections FA1 and FA2 project relative to the rotation axis M in the radial direction on an outer lateral surface of a respective housing part G1 or G2. The two flange sections FA1 and FA2 lie opposite each other in such a way that an elongate gap 3 is formed between them. This gap 3 opens directly into the service opening O, so that a tool can be introduced through the gap 3 through the service opening O into the interior I of the housing G.

In order to close the service opening O for the operation of the gas turbine engine T, a strip-shaped closure part 2 is provided here which can be inserted into the gap 3 along a mounting direction MR and completely closes the service opening O in the intended condition. The mounting direction MR extends in the present case substantially radially inwards.

For the fixation of the closure part 2 accommodated in the gap 3, the closure part 2 has a plurality of through openings 21 arranged one behind the other in a row. These passage openings 21 are formed on an elongated, cuboid base body 20 of the closure part 2 through holes. In an intended in the column 3 between the two flange sections FA1 and FA2 plugged state of the closure part 2 are the through openings 21 of the closure part 2 in alignment with mounting holes H1 and H2 of the flange FA1 and FA2. In this way, a fastening element-here in the form of a screw bolt SB-can be attached to the flange sections FA1 and FA2, so that it connects the flange sections FA1 and FA2 to each other and reaches through a passage opening 21 of the closure part 2. For final fixation, in the present case, a fastening nut BM is then screwed onto the end of a screw pin SB pushed through from a first side. In this way, the closure part 2 is fixed in the gap 3 via a plurality of fastening elements and the two housing parts G1 and G2 are connected to one another. For maintenance and / or repair work, however, the fixation of the closure part 2 is detachable, so that the closure part 2 can be removed from the gap 3 and the service opening O is released.

In the embodiment of the FIG. 2 is the service opening O over several - in the present case at least three - separate, each strip-shaped closure parts 2A, 2B and 2C closed. The individual closure parts 2A, 2B and 2C are shorter than the continuous closure part 2 of the embodiment of the FIG. 1 , The closure parts 2A, 2B and 2C thus each have a length along the axis of rotation M, which accounts for only a fraction of the total length of the housing G.

By allowing the individual closure parts 2A, 2B and 2C to be independently removed from the gap 3, the part of the service opening O to be released can be varied by the number of closure parts 2A, 2B and 2C to be removed. It should also be noted at this point that the service opening O and therefore also the gap 3 need not extend over the entire length of the housing G parallel to the axis of rotation M. Thus, the length of the service opening O and the length of the gap 3 can only make up a fraction of the total length of the housing G.

With the Figures 3A, 3B and 3C In each case, in perspective and enlarged view, individual variants for differently configured closure parts 2 are shown. Here, the design of the closure part 2 determines the FIG. 3C with the variant of FIG. 1 match. Here, a strip-shaped closure part 2 is provided with a cuboid elongate base body 20, in which a radial outer end face 201 and a radially inner end face 202 in height and length match.

In contrast, the closure part 2 of the FIG. 3A in cross section, tapered and thus wedge-shaped. A radially inner end face 202 of the closure part 2 of the FIG. 3A thus has a lower height a2 than a radially outer end face 201 with a height a1 (a2> a1).

In the variant of FIG. 3B the radially outer end face 201 of the closure part 2 is formed with two opposing projections 201a and 201b. These projections 201 a and 201 b are respectively substantially perpendicular from the cuboid, longitudinally extended base body 20 and thus in the intended installed state substantially transversely to a longitudinal direction of the column 3 outside the column 3 before. Due to the projections 201a and 201b, the closure part 2 of the FIG. 3B in cross-section T-shaped. Each supernatant 201a, 201b thus adjoins, in the state of the closure part 2 inserted in the gap 3 as intended, outside the gap 3 against a radially outer side of an associated flange section FA1 or FA2. By way of the projections 201a and 201b, it is prevented, for example, that the closure part 2 is pushed too far along the assembly direction MR into the gap 3. The projections 201 a and 201 b thus specify the intended radial position of the closure part 2 between the flange sections FA1 and FA2, so that the access openings 21 of the closure part 2 are aligned with the mounting openings H1 and H2 of the two flange sections FA1 and FA2 and the plurality of bolts SB to Fixation can be introduced easily.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

11

Low-pressure compressor

12

High-pressure compressors

13

High-pressure turbine

14

Intermediate pressure turbine

15

Low-pressure turbine

2, 2A, 2B, 2C

closing part

20

body

201, 202

front

201a, 201b

Got over

21

Through opening

3

gap

A

outlet

a1, a2

height

B

bypass channel

BK

combustor section

BM

fixing nut

e

Inlet / Intake

F

fan

FA1, FA2

flange

G

casing

G1, G2

housing part

H1, H2

fastening opening

I

inner space

M

Central axis / rotation axis

MR

mounting direction

O

service opening

R

entry direction

SB

Bolt (fastener)

T

Gas turbine engine

TT

turbine

V

compressor

W

housing

Claims (15)

Housing for a rotor of an engine (T), wherein the housing (G) formed by a housing wall (W) interior space (I) for receiving the rotor and the housing wall (W) in the housing (G) received rotor circumferentially surrounds, and wherein the housing (G) in the housing wall (W) at least one provided for maintenance and / or repair service opening (O) through which the interior (I) is accessible from the outside,
characterized in that
the service opening (O) is provided in the region of two opposing flange sections (FA1, FA2) of the housing (G) and the service opening (O) is closed by at least one closure part (2; 2A-2C) which is at least partly in one between the two received gap formed opposite flange portions (FA1, FA2) (3) and is releasably fixed. Housing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the housing (G) is designed in several parts and two housing parts (G1, G2) of the housing (G) are connected to one another via the two flange sections (FA1, FA2). Housing according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the flange sections (FA1, FA2) has at least one fastening opening (H1, H2) which is aligned with an opening (21) of the closure part (2; 2A-2C) and through which through which a fastening element (SB) engages for the releasable fixing of the closure part (2; 2A-2C). Housing according to Claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the at least one closure part (2, 2A-2C) is releasably fixed in the gap (3) via at least one fastening element (SB) via which the two housing parts (G1, G2 ) are fixed to each other. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one closure part (2; 2A-2C) is elongated and / or strip-shaped. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one closure part (2) tapers in cross-section to the axis of rotation (M) of the rotor, in particular is wedge-shaped in cross-section Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one closure part (2) on an outer side (201) at least one projection (201a, 201b) is formed, which lies outside of the gap (3) and of a between the flange portions (FA1 , FA2) received basic body (20) of the closure part (2) transversely to an extension direction of the gap (3) protrudes. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one closure part (2) is formed in cross-section L- or T-shaped. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of closure parts (2A-2C) are at least partially accommodated in the gap (3) formed between the opposing flange sections (FA1, FA2). Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that provided in the housing wall (W) at at least one further point two opposing flange (FA1, FA2) with a by at least one closure part (2; 2A - 2C) closed service opening (O) are. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gap (3), in which the at least one closure part (2; 2A - 2C) is received, on the housing wall (W) parallel or at an angle to the axis of rotation (M) the rotor runs. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gap (3), in which the at least one closure part (2; 2A - 2C) is accommodated, has a gap length which is only a fraction of the length with which the housing (G) extends along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (M) extending longitudinal direction. Housing according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the gap (3), in which the at least one closure part (2; 2A - 2C) is accommodated, extends over the entire length of the housing (G), with which the Housing (G) extends along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (M) extending longitudinal direction. Housing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (G) as a compressor housing for receiving at least one rotor of a compressor (V) of the engine (T) is formed. Engine with a rotor, which is accommodated in a housing according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 14.

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