US20140271154A1 - Casing for turbine engine having a cooling unit - Google Patents
Casing for turbine engine having a cooling unit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20140271154A1 US20140271154A1 US13/828,081 US201313828081A US2014271154A1 US 20140271154 A1 US20140271154 A1 US 20140271154A1 US 201313828081 A US201313828081 A US 201313828081A US 2014271154 A1 US2014271154 A1 US 2014271154A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- conduit
- inner shell
- turbine
- temperature controlling
- arcuate
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
- F01D25/00—Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups
- F01D25/08—Cooling; Heating; Heat-insulation
- F01D25/14—Casings modified therefor
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
- F01D—NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES
- F01D11/00—Preventing or minimising internal leakage of working-fluid, e.g. between stages
- F01D11/08—Preventing or minimising internal leakage of working-fluid, e.g. between stages for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator
- F01D11/14—Adjusting or regulating tip-clearance, i.e. distance between rotor-blade tips and stator casing
- F01D11/20—Actively adjusting tip-clearance
Definitions
- Industrial turbine engines include a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section.
- turbine section multiple rows of turbine blades (or buckets) mounted on a rotor rotate between corresponding rows of stationary nozzles.
- a circumferential shroud is mounted on the turbine casing, the shroud being positioned just outside the tips of the turbine blades in the radial direction.
- various elements within the turbine section can increase or decrease in temperature.
- the various elements do not tend to increase and decrease in temperature at the same rate.
- the turbine blades tend to increase in temperature more rapidly than the turbine casing, which holds the shroud surrounding the tips of the turbine blades.
- the turbine blades are mounted on disks, and the disks also heat up and expand outward in the radial direction.
- the portions that are heated more rapidly can experience more rapid thermal expansion/growth than the portions that are increasing in temperature more slowly.
- the turbine blades increase in temperature more rapidly than the turbine casing holding the shrouds, the turbine blades can experience more rapid thermal growth in the radial direction than the turbine casing.
- the different parts of the turbine mare made of different materials which have different coefficients of thermal expansion. Even if all the elements increased in temperature at the same rate, the differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the various materials would still cause the various elements to grow different amounts relative to each other.
- selected portions of the turbine casing can be heated and/or cooled during transient periods, or during steady state operations, to control the position of the shroud in the radial direction. This, in turn, controls the clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and shroud.
- Selective heating or cooling of portions of the turbine casing during a transient period can ensure that a clearance is maintained between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud during the transient period.
- Selective heating and/or cooling of the turbine casing during steady state operations can decrease the clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud to a desired minimum dimension, to thereby maximize the efficiency of the turbine engine.
- the invention may be embodied in an inner shell for the turbine section of a turbine engine that includes a plurality of arcuate casing portions that are configured to be attached to one another to form a generally cylindrical inner shell.
- Each arcuate casing portion includes at least one shroud hook portion that extends along an interior side of the arcuate casing portion in a circumferential direction, and at least one mounting groove that extends along the arcuate casing portion in the circumferential direction.
- Each at least one mounting groove is located adjacent to one of the at least one shroud hook portions.
- At least one conduit having at least one internal passageway for a temperature controlling fluid is mounted within one of the at least one mounting grooves. The at least one conduit is configured to be slid into a mounting groove in the circumferential direction.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the interface between rotating turbine blades in the turbine section of a turbine engine and surrounding portions of the turbine shell;
- FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a fluid conduit that is partially slid into a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell
- FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fluid conduit fully installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a fluid conduit installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell;
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a fluid conduit installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell;
- FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a portion of a first embodiment of a temperature controlling fluid conduit having protrusions on exterior surfaces;
- FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a portion of a second embodiment of a temperature controlling fluid conduit having protrusions on exterior surfaces.
- FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a fluid conduit installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a turbine section of a turbine engine.
- FIG. 1 shows the turbine outer shell 100 and the turbine inner shell 110 .
- the tips of two rows of turbine blades 122 and 124 are shown.
- the rows of turbine blades 122 , 124 are mounted on a rotor of the turbine and the turbine blades rotate relative of the inner surface of the turbine inner shell 110 .
- a row of stationary nozzles 130 is mounted on the turbine inner shell 110 between the two rows of turbine blades 122 , 124 .
- Circumferentially extending shrouds 142 , 144 are mounted on the turbine inner shell 110 at positions opposite the tips of the rotating turbine blades 122 , 124 .
- the shrouds 142 , 144 are mounted on shroud hooks in the turbine inner shell 110 .
- FIG. 1 illustrates that temperature controlling fluid passageways 150 , 152 are formed in the turbine inner shell 110 .
- Heated fluid can be circulated in the temperature controlling fluid passageways 150 , 152 to raise the temperature of the turbine inner shell, which will cause the inner shell 110 to expand outward radially, increasing the clearance between the shrouds 142 , 144 and the tips of the turbine blades 122 , 124 .
- increasing the temperature of the shrouds tends to cause thermal growth of the shrouds, which tends to decrease the clearance.
- a cooling fluid can be circulated through the temperature controlling fluid passageways 150 , 152 to lower the temperature of the turbine inner shell 110 , which will cause the turbine inner shell 110 to contract inward radially, decreasing the clearance between the shrouds 142 , 144 and the tips of the turbine blades 122 , 124 .
- cooling the shrouds causes the shrouds to contract, which tends to increase the clearance.
- the temperature of the fluid must be carefully controlled to ensure the proper clearance is maintained.
- FIG. 1 a design as illustrated in FIG. 1 requires that fluid passageways be formed in the turbine inner shell, which can be expensive.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a design embodying the invention for a turbine inner shell 110 of a turbine engine that includes a fluid conduit 200 that can carry a flow of temperature controlling fluid.
- the turbine inner shell of a turbine engine is typically comprised of two or more arcuate-shaped sections that are bolted together to form a generally cylindrical turbine inner shell.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of one arcuate-shaped section of the turbine inner shell 110 .
- FIG. 2 also illustrates that several shroud hooks 114 are formed on the radially inner surface of the turbine inner shell 110 . Shrouds that would confront the tips of rotating turbine blades are mounted on the shroud hooks 114 .
- a mounting groove 120 is formed in the turbine inner shell 110 at a location that is radially outside and immediately adjacent to one of the sets of shroud mounting hooks 114 .
- An elongated, arcuate-shaped conduit 200 is mounted in the mounting groove 120 .
- FIG. 2 shows the fluid conduit 200 partially inserted into the mounting groove 120 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates the fluid conduit 200 fully inserted into the mounting groove 120 .
- FIGS. 2 and 3 also illustrate that a mounting block portion 240 on the fluid conduit is aligned with a mounting block portion 112 of the turbine inner shell 110 when the fluid conduit 200 is fully inserted into the turbine inner shell 110 .
- FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a fluid conduit 200 mounted in a mounting groove 120 of a turbine inner shell 110 .
- the fluid conduit 200 has a lower surface portion 210 that abuts a wall 116 separating the mounting groove 120 from the location where a shroud is mounted on shroud mounting hooks 114 .
- the fluid conduit 200 has a stepped shape that includes an upper portion 230 having a smaller cross-sectional area which encloses a first interior passageway 232 and a lower portion having a larger cross-section that encloses a second interior passageway 220 .
- a separation wall 222 with a plurality of apertures 234 separates the first interior passageway 232 from the second interior passageway 220 .
- the upper portion 230 also provides stiffness and rigidity to the structure, which helps the lower portion to retain its shape. This, in turn, helps to prevent any deformation of the lower portion from affecting the shape and position of the underlying shroud.
- a supply pipe 250 is attached to the upper, portion 230 of the fluid conduit 200 .
- the supply pipe 250 delivers a flow of temperature controlling fluid into the first interior passageway 232 .
- the temperature controlling fluid can flow in a circumferential direction along the first interior passageway 232 .
- the temperature controlling fluid can also pass through the apertures 234 in the separation wall 222 to enter the second interior passageway 220 .
- the separation wall 222 with apertures 234 helps to cause a flow of temperature controlling fluid that is delivered into the first interior passageway 232 to be evenly distributed circumferentially around the turbine inner shell 110 before the temperature controlling fluid enters the second interior passageway 220 via the apertures 234 .
- the flow of temperature controlling fluid that enters the second interior passageway 220 escapes from the fluid conduit 200 via a plurality of apertures 212 that pass through the lower wall 210 of the fluid conduit 200 .
- the exterior walls of the fluid conduit 200 are spaced from the interior walls of the mounting groove 120 .
- the temperature controlling fluid can pass along the gap between the exterior walls of the fluid conduit 200 and the interior walls of the mounting groove 120 , and ultimately escape to a location radially outside the turbine inner shell 110 .
- FIG. 4 illustrate the flow of the temperature controlling fluid as it passes from the supply pipe 250 into the first interior passageway 232 , from the first interior passageway 232 to the second interior passageway 220 , out the apertures 212 , around the exterior sides of the fluid conduit 200 and out to the location radially outside the turbine inner shell 110 .
- the fluid that is circulated through the first and second interior passageways need not be routed to a location radially outside the inner shell 110 . Instead, the fluid could be collected and used for other purposes inside the turbine inner shell 110 .
- the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 results in the temperature controlling fluid impinging on the wall 116 that is adjacent the shroud mounting hooks 114 .
- the temperature controlling fluid can heat or cool the portions of the turbine inner shell and the shrouds that are directly opposite the tips of the rotating turbine blades. This provides rapid and effective control over the thermal growth of these portions of the turbine, and thus the clearance between the turbine blades and the shroud.
- the stepped shape of the mounting groove 120 and the corresponding stepped shape of the fluid conduit 200 allow the fluid conduit 200 to be easily mounted on the turbine inner shell 110 .
- the stepped shape where the radially outer portion has a smaller cross-sectional shape than the radially inner portion, ensures that the fluid conduit is trapped on the turbine inner shell 110 without the use of mounting hardware.
- Other shapes for the mounting groove 120 and fluid conduit 200 could achieve similar functions.
- the mounting groove 120 and fluid conduit 200 could have a trapezoidal or triangular shape, where the radially outer portions have a smaller dimension than the radially inner portions.
- the shape of the mounting groove need not match the shape of the fluid conduit.
- FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate configuration for the fluid conduit 200 .
- no separation wall is provided between the first fluid passageway 232 and the second fluid passageway 220 .
- This embodiment may be advantageous in embodiments where ensuring that the temperature controlling fluid is circumferentially distributed is not as important. The lack of the separation wall would decrease the flow restrictions.
- FIG. 6 illustrates that a plurality of protrusions 242 , 244 , 246 could be formed on exterior walls of a fluid conduit 200 embodying the invention.
- the protrusions 242 , 244 , 246 serve to space the exterior walls of the fluid conduit 200 from the interior walls of a mounting groove 120 in the turbine inner shell 110 . Maintaining a spacing allows the temperature controlling fluid to pass along the space between the exterior walls of the fluid conduit 200 and the interior walls of the mounting groove 120 , as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 .
- similar protrusions would be formed on the bottom wall of the fluid conduit 200 .
- the protrusions 242 , 244 , 246 are elongated in the length direction of the fluid conduit 200 . Also, the leading and trailing edges of the protrusions are tapered. The tapered, elongated shape of the protrusions 242 , 244 , 246 is designed to facilitate sliding of the fluid conduit 200 into a mounting groove 120 of the turbine inner shell 110 .
- FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a fluid conduit 200 .
- the protrusions are formed as ridges 248 that extend around the exterior walls of the fluid conduit 200 .
- ridges 248 extend in essentially the same direction that the temperature controlling fluid flows along the exterior sides of the fluid conduit 200 .
- the ridges 248 would not impede the flow, and may serve to guide the flow of the temperature controlling fluid.
- FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of a fluid conduit 300 mounted in a mounting groove 320 of a turbine inner shell 110 .
- no protrusions are formed on the exterior walls of the fluid conduit 300 .
- the bottom wall 310 and the side exterior walls of the fluid conduit 300 may be in direct contact with the inner walls of the mounting groove 320 .
- one or more of the pipes coupled to the interior passageway 320 of the fluid conduit 300 would be used to deliver an incoming flow of temperature controlled fluid into the interior passageway 320 , and one or more of the pipes coupled to the interior passageway 320 would remove a flow of the temperature controlling fluid.
- the pipes used to deliver an incoming flow and the pipes used to withdraw an outgoing flow would be positioned around the fluid conduit to cause a predetermined flow pattern through the interior passageway 320 of the fluid conduit 300 .
- a fluid conduit as described above can be easily mounted to a turbine inner shell to help control a clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and the surrounding shrouds.
- the fluid conduits can be easily inserted into and removed from the corresponding mounting grooves when the sections of the turbine inner shell are separated for maintenance and repair.
- mounting grooves for the fluid conduits described above can be machined into existing turbine inner shells, making it possible to retrofit such fluid conduits into existing turbines which lack any way to actively control the clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and the surrounding shrouds.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Turbine Rotor Nozzle Sealing (AREA)
Abstract
A turbine inner shell for a turbine engine includes one or more mounting grooves, each of which receives a fluid conduit. A temperature controlling fluid is circulated through fluid conduit to selectively heat or cool surrounding portions of the turbine inner shell, to thereby control the thermal growth of those portions of the turbine inner shell. This makes it possible to selectively control a clearance between the tips of rotating turbine blades and the surrounding shrouds of the turbine.
Description
- Industrial turbine engines include a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. In the turbine section, multiple rows of turbine blades (or buckets) mounted on a rotor rotate between corresponding rows of stationary nozzles. For each row of turbine blades, a circumferential shroud is mounted on the turbine casing, the shroud being positioned just outside the tips of the turbine blades in the radial direction.
- A clearance must be maintained between the tips of the turbine blades and shroud to prevent the tips of the turbine blades from rubbing the shroud as the turbine blades rotate. However, it is desirable to keep the clearance as small as possible to prevent the motive gas from escaping around the tips of the blades. Generally speaking, the smaller the clearance, the more efficient the turbine.
- During transient periods, such as when the turbine is starting, or when the turbine increases or decreases load or rotational speed, various elements within the turbine section can increase or decrease in temperature. Unfortunately, the various elements do not tend to increase and decrease in temperature at the same rate. For example, during startup operations, the turbine blades tend to increase in temperature more rapidly than the turbine casing, which holds the shroud surrounding the tips of the turbine blades. The turbine blades are mounted on disks, and the disks also heat up and expand outward in the radial direction.
- When one portion of the turbine increases in temperature more rapidly than other portions, the portions that are heated more rapidly can experience more rapid thermal expansion/growth than the portions that are increasing in temperature more slowly. During startup operations, if the turbine blades increase in temperature more rapidly than the turbine casing holding the shrouds, the turbine blades can experience more rapid thermal growth in the radial direction than the turbine casing.
- Moreover, the different parts of the turbine mare made of different materials which have different coefficients of thermal expansion. Even if all the elements increased in temperature at the same rate, the differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the various materials would still cause the various elements to grow different amounts relative to each other.
- Another factor is the loading applied to the various elements. The turbine blades, and the disks upon which they are mounted, experience mechanical centripetal forces due to the fact that the blades and disks are rotating. This also can cause the disks and turbine blades to grow in the radial direction. At relatively low rotational speeds, there is relatively little growth due to this mechanical loading. However, as the rotational speed increases, the blades and disks tend to grow longer. In contrast, the shroud surrounding the turbine blades is not rotated and does not experience any growth due to centripetal forces.
- Designers must take all of these factors into account when specifying the dimensions of the elements of the turbine to ensure that at any given point in time, the turbine blades do not grow so long in the radial direction that they begin to rub against the shroud. However, when the elements of the turbine are designed to ensure that a clearance is maintained between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud at all times, this can result in the clearance being larger than desirable during steady state operations, which can negatively impact the efficiency of the turbine engine.
- To address this issue, selected portions of the turbine casing can be heated and/or cooled during transient periods, or during steady state operations, to control the position of the shroud in the radial direction. This, in turn, controls the clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and shroud. Selective heating or cooling of portions of the turbine casing during a transient period can ensure that a clearance is maintained between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud during the transient period. Selective heating and/or cooling of the turbine casing during steady state operations can decrease the clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and the shroud to a desired minimum dimension, to thereby maximize the efficiency of the turbine engine.
- Prior art attempts to selectively heat and/or cool the turbine casing have required that coolant passages be formed in the turbine casing at selected locations, such as just outside the shrouds in the radial direction. Manufacturing the turbine casing in this fashion can be expensive and difficult. Also, it is impossible to retrofit such designs into existing turbine engines. The turbine casing must be manufactured from the start to include the coolant passages.
- In a first aspect, the invention may be embodied in an inner shell for the turbine section of a turbine engine that includes a plurality of arcuate casing portions that are configured to be attached to one another to form a generally cylindrical inner shell. Each arcuate casing portion includes at least one shroud hook portion that extends along an interior side of the arcuate casing portion in a circumferential direction, and at least one mounting groove that extends along the arcuate casing portion in the circumferential direction. Each at least one mounting groove is located adjacent to one of the at least one shroud hook portions. At least one conduit having at least one internal passageway for a temperature controlling fluid is mounted within one of the at least one mounting grooves. The at least one conduit is configured to be slid into a mounting groove in the circumferential direction.
- In another aspect, the invention may be embodied in a temperature controlling fluid conduit that is configured to be mounted on an arcuate-shaped portion of an inner shell of a turbine section of a turbine engine. The fluid conduit includes an elongated, arcuate-shaped body having an interior passageway for a temperature controlling fluid, and at least one inlet aperture that is configured to admit a flow of a temperature controlling fluid into the interior passageway
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FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the interface between rotating turbine blades in the turbine section of a turbine engine and surrounding portions of the turbine shell; -
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a fluid conduit that is partially slid into a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell; -
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fluid conduit fully installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell; -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a fluid conduit installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell; -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a fluid conduit installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell; -
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a portion of a first embodiment of a temperature controlling fluid conduit having protrusions on exterior surfaces; -
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a portion of a second embodiment of a temperature controlling fluid conduit having protrusions on exterior surfaces; and -
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a fluid conduit installed in a mounting groove of a turbine inner shell. -
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a turbine section of a turbine engine.FIG. 1 shows the turbineouter shell 100 and the turbineinner shell 110. The tips of two rows ofturbine blades turbine blades inner shell 110. A row ofstationary nozzles 130 is mounted on the turbineinner shell 110 between the two rows ofturbine blades - Circumferentially extending
shrouds inner shell 110 at positions opposite the tips of therotating turbine blades shrouds inner shell 110. As explained in the Background section above, it is necessary to maintain a clearance between the tips of the rotatingturbine blades stationary shrouds -
FIG. 1 illustrates that temperature controllingfluid passageways inner shell 110. Heated fluid can be circulated in the temperature controllingfluid passageways inner shell 110 to expand outward radially, increasing the clearance between theshrouds turbine blades - Conversely, a cooling fluid can be circulated through the temperature controlling
fluid passageways inner shell 110, which will cause the turbineinner shell 110 to contract inward radially, decreasing the clearance between theshrouds turbine blades - At different times it may be advantageous to increase or decrease the clearance using an appropriate temperature fluid. However, a design as illustrated in
FIG. 1 requires that fluid passageways be formed in the turbine inner shell, which can be expensive. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a design embodying the invention for a turbineinner shell 110 of a turbine engine that includes afluid conduit 200 that can carry a flow of temperature controlling fluid. The turbine inner shell of a turbine engine is typically comprised of two or more arcuate-shaped sections that are bolted together to form a generally cylindrical turbine inner shell.FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of one arcuate-shaped section of the turbineinner shell 110.FIG. 2 also illustrates that several shroud hooks 114 are formed on the radially inner surface of the turbineinner shell 110. Shrouds that would confront the tips of rotating turbine blades are mounted on the shroud hooks 114. - A mounting
groove 120 is formed in the turbineinner shell 110 at a location that is radially outside and immediately adjacent to one of the sets of shroud mounting hooks 114. An elongated, arcuate-shapedconduit 200 is mounted in the mountinggroove 120.FIG. 2 shows thefluid conduit 200 partially inserted into the mountinggroove 120.FIG. 3 illustrates thefluid conduit 200 fully inserted into the mountinggroove 120.FIGS. 2 and 3 also illustrate that a mountingblock portion 240 on the fluid conduit is aligned with a mountingblock portion 112 of the turbineinner shell 110 when thefluid conduit 200 is fully inserted into the turbineinner shell 110. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of afluid conduit 200 mounted in a mountinggroove 120 of a turbineinner shell 110. Thefluid conduit 200 has alower surface portion 210 that abuts awall 116 separating the mountinggroove 120 from the location where a shroud is mounted on shroud mounting hooks 114. - The
fluid conduit 200 has a stepped shape that includes anupper portion 230 having a smaller cross-sectional area which encloses a firstinterior passageway 232 and a lower portion having a larger cross-section that encloses a secondinterior passageway 220. Aseparation wall 222 with a plurality ofapertures 234 separates the firstinterior passageway 232 from the secondinterior passageway 220. - The
upper portion 230 also provides stiffness and rigidity to the structure, which helps the lower portion to retain its shape. This, in turn, helps to prevent any deformation of the lower portion from affecting the shape and position of the underlying shroud. - A
supply pipe 250 is attached to the upper,portion 230 of thefluid conduit 200. Thesupply pipe 250 delivers a flow of temperature controlling fluid into the firstinterior passageway 232. The temperature controlling fluid can flow in a circumferential direction along the firstinterior passageway 232. The temperature controlling fluid can also pass through theapertures 234 in theseparation wall 222 to enter the secondinterior passageway 220. Theseparation wall 222 withapertures 234 helps to cause a flow of temperature controlling fluid that is delivered into the firstinterior passageway 232 to be evenly distributed circumferentially around the turbineinner shell 110 before the temperature controlling fluid enters the secondinterior passageway 220 via theapertures 234. - The flow of temperature controlling fluid that enters the second
interior passageway 220 escapes from thefluid conduit 200 via a plurality ofapertures 212 that pass through thelower wall 210 of thefluid conduit 200. As will be explained in greater detail below, the exterior walls of thefluid conduit 200 are spaced from the interior walls of the mountinggroove 120. As a result, the temperature controlling fluid can pass along the gap between the exterior walls of thefluid conduit 200 and the interior walls of the mountinggroove 120, and ultimately escape to a location radially outside the turbineinner shell 110. The arrows inFIG. 4 illustrate the flow of the temperature controlling fluid as it passes from thesupply pipe 250 into the firstinterior passageway 232, from the firstinterior passageway 232 to the secondinterior passageway 220, out theapertures 212, around the exterior sides of thefluid conduit 200 and out to the location radially outside the turbineinner shell 110. - In alternate embodiments, the fluid that is circulated through the first and second interior passageways need not be routed to a location radially outside the
inner shell 110. Instead, the fluid could be collected and used for other purposes inside the turbineinner shell 110. - The configuration illustrated in
FIG. 4 results in the temperature controlling fluid impinging on thewall 116 that is adjacent the shroud mounting hooks 114. As a result, the temperature controlling fluid can heat or cool the portions of the turbine inner shell and the shrouds that are directly opposite the tips of the rotating turbine blades. This provides rapid and effective control over the thermal growth of these portions of the turbine, and thus the clearance between the turbine blades and the shroud. - The stepped shape of the mounting
groove 120 and the corresponding stepped shape of thefluid conduit 200 allow thefluid conduit 200 to be easily mounted on the turbineinner shell 110. The stepped shape, where the radially outer portion has a smaller cross-sectional shape than the radially inner portion, ensures that the fluid conduit is trapped on the turbineinner shell 110 without the use of mounting hardware. Other shapes for the mountinggroove 120 andfluid conduit 200 could achieve similar functions. For example, the mountinggroove 120 andfluid conduit 200 could have a trapezoidal or triangular shape, where the radially outer portions have a smaller dimension than the radially inner portions. Also, in some embodiments, the shape of the mounting groove need not match the shape of the fluid conduit. -
FIG. 5 illustrates an alternate configuration for thefluid conduit 200. In this embodiment, no separation wall is provided between thefirst fluid passageway 232 and thesecond fluid passageway 220. This embodiment may be advantageous in embodiments where ensuring that the temperature controlling fluid is circumferentially distributed is not as important. The lack of the separation wall would decrease the flow restrictions. -
FIG. 6 illustrates that a plurality ofprotrusions fluid conduit 200 embodying the invention. Theprotrusions fluid conduit 200 from the interior walls of a mountinggroove 120 in the turbineinner shell 110. Maintaining a spacing allows the temperature controlling fluid to pass along the space between the exterior walls of thefluid conduit 200 and the interior walls of the mountinggroove 120, as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5 . Although not shown inFIG. 6 , similar protrusions would be formed on the bottom wall of thefluid conduit 200. - In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 6 , theprotrusions fluid conduit 200. Also, the leading and trailing edges of the protrusions are tapered. The tapered, elongated shape of theprotrusions fluid conduit 200 into a mountinggroove 120 of the turbineinner shell 110. -
FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of afluid conduit 200. In this embodiment, the protrusions are formed asridges 248 that extend around the exterior walls of thefluid conduit 200. Although only asingle ridge 248 is illustrated inFIG. 7 ,multiple ridges 248 would be located along the length of thefluid conduit 200. Theridges 248 extend in essentially the same direction that the temperature controlling fluid flows along the exterior sides of thefluid conduit 200. Thus, theridges 248 would not impede the flow, and may serve to guide the flow of the temperature controlling fluid. -
FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of afluid conduit 300 mounted in a mountinggroove 320 of a turbineinner shell 110. In this embodiment, no protrusions are formed on the exterior walls of thefluid conduit 300. As a result, thebottom wall 310 and the side exterior walls of thefluid conduit 300 may be in direct contact with the inner walls of the mountinggroove 320. - When an embodiment of a fluid conduit as illustrated in
FIG. 8 is used in a turbineinner shell 110, one or more of the pipes coupled to theinterior passageway 320 of thefluid conduit 300 would be used to deliver an incoming flow of temperature controlled fluid into theinterior passageway 320, and one or more of the pipes coupled to theinterior passageway 320 would remove a flow of the temperature controlling fluid. The pipes used to deliver an incoming flow and the pipes used to withdraw an outgoing flow would be positioned around the fluid conduit to cause a predetermined flow pattern through theinterior passageway 320 of thefluid conduit 300. - A fluid conduit as described above can be easily mounted to a turbine inner shell to help control a clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and the surrounding shrouds. The fluid conduits can be easily inserted into and removed from the corresponding mounting grooves when the sections of the turbine inner shell are separated for maintenance and repair. Also, mounting grooves for the fluid conduits described above can be machined into existing turbine inner shells, making it possible to retrofit such fluid conduits into existing turbines which lack any way to actively control the clearance between the tips of the turbine blades and the surrounding shrouds.
- While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims (19)
1. An inner shell for the turbine section of a turbine engine, comprising:
a plurality of arcuate casing portions that are configured to be attached to one another to form a generally cylindrical inner shell, wherein each arcuate casing portion includes:
at least one shroud hook portion that extends along an interior side of the arcuate casing portion in a circumferential direction, and
at least one mounting groove that extends along the arcuate casing portion in the circumferential direction, wherein each at least one mounting groove is located adjacent to one of the at least one shroud hook portions; and
at least one conduit having at least one internal passageway for a temperature controlling fluid, each conduit being mounted within one of the at least one mounting grooves, wherein the at least one conduit is configured to be inserted into a mounting groove.
2. The inner shell of claim 1 , wherein a radial inner side of the at least one mounting groove has a larger width than a radial outer side of the at least one mounting groove.
3. The inner shell of claim 1 , wherein each at least one mounting groove is located on a radially outer side of one of the at least one shroud hook portions.
4. The inner shell of claim 1 , wherein the internal passageway of each at least one conduit extends in a length direction of the conduit.
5. The inner shell of claim 4 , wherein each at least one conduit includes a plurality of apertures that extend from the interior passageway to an exterior of the conduit.
6. The inner shell of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of apertures are formed on a side of the conduit that faces the at least one shroud hook portion.
7. The inner shell of claim 5 , wherein each at least one conduit includes a plurality of protrusions that are formed on an exterior surface of the conduit.
8. The inner shell of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are configured to space exterior surfaces of the conduit from interior surfaces of the at least one mounting groove.
9. The inner shell of claim 1 , wherein each at least one conduit includes:
a first interior passageway that extends in a length direction of the conduit;
a second interior passageway that extends in a length direction of the conduit, wherein the first interior passageway is located on a radial outer side of the second interior passageway; and
a plurality of radially extending apertures that extend between the first and second interior passageways.
10. The inner shell of claim 1 , wherein each at least one conduit further includes at least one inlet aperture that is configured to admit a flow of a temperature controlling fluid into the interior passageway.
11. The inner shell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is configured to be slid into a mounting groove in a circumferential direction.
12. A temperature controlling fluid conduit that is configured to be mounted on an arcuate-shaped portion of an inner shell of a turbine section of a turbine engine, comprising:
an elongated, arcuate-shaped body having an interior passageway for a temperature controlling fluid; and
at least one inlet aperture that is configured to admit a flow of a temperature controlling fluid into the interior passageway.
13. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 12 , wherein a radial inner side of the elongated body has a larger width than a radial outer side of the elongated body.
14. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 12 , wherein the at least one inlet aperture is located on a radial outer side of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body.
15. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 12 , wherein the interior passageway extends in a length direction of the elongated arcuate-shaped body.
16. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 15 , wherein a plurality of apertures extend through the elongated, arcuate-shaped body from the interior passageway to an exterior of the body.
17. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of apertures are formed on a radial inner side of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body.
18. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 16 , wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed on at least one exterior surface of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body.
19. The temperature controlling fluid conduit of claim 12 , wherein the interior passageway comprises:
a first interior passageway that extends in a length direction of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body;
a second interior passageway that extends in the length direction of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body, wherein the first interior passageway is located on a radial outer side of the second interior passageway; and
a plurality of radially extending apertures that extend between the first and second interior passageways.
Priority Applications (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/828,081 US20140271154A1 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2013-03-14 | Casing for turbine engine having a cooling unit |
DE102014103009.5A DE102014103009A1 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2014-03-06 | Housing with cooling unit for a gas turbine |
CH00354/14A CH707767A8 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2014-03-10 | Housing with cooling unit for a gas turbine. |
JP2014045805A JP2014177937A (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2014-03-10 | Casing for turbine engine having cooling unit |
CN201420119083.1U CN204283516U (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2014-03-14 | For housing and the temperature control fluid conduit thereof of turbogenerator |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/828,081 US20140271154A1 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2013-03-14 | Casing for turbine engine having a cooling unit |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20140271154A1 true US20140271154A1 (en) | 2014-09-18 |
Family
ID=51419070
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/828,081 Abandoned US20140271154A1 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2013-03-14 | Casing for turbine engine having a cooling unit |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20140271154A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2014177937A (en) |
CN (1) | CN204283516U (en) |
CH (1) | CH707767A8 (en) |
DE (1) | DE102014103009A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20170167273A1 (en) * | 2015-12-14 | 2017-06-15 | Rolls-Royce Plc | Gas turbine engine turbine cooling system |
US11466700B2 (en) | 2017-02-28 | 2022-10-11 | Unison Industries, Llc | Fan casing and mount bracket for oil cooler |
Families Citing this family (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP3023600B1 (en) * | 2014-11-24 | 2018-01-03 | Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited | Engine casing element |
US9915153B2 (en) * | 2015-05-11 | 2018-03-13 | General Electric Company | Turbine shroud segment assembly with expansion joints |
EP3342991B1 (en) * | 2016-12-30 | 2020-10-14 | Ansaldo Energia IP UK Limited | Baffles for cooling in a gas turbine |
US10533747B2 (en) * | 2017-03-30 | 2020-01-14 | General Electric Company | Additively manufactured mechanical fastener with cooling fluid passageways |
FR3098238B1 (en) * | 2019-07-04 | 2021-06-18 | Safran Aircraft Engines | improved aircraft turbine ring cooling system |
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- 2014-03-10 CH CH00354/14A patent/CH707767A8/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2014-03-10 JP JP2014045805A patent/JP2014177937A/en active Pending
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US11466700B2 (en) | 2017-02-28 | 2022-10-11 | Unison Industries, Llc | Fan casing and mount bracket for oil cooler |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CH707767A8 (en) | 2015-01-15 |
CN204283516U (en) | 2015-04-22 |
JP2014177937A (en) | 2014-09-25 |
DE102014103009A1 (en) | 2014-09-18 |
CH707767A2 (en) | 2014-09-15 |
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Owner name: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, NEW YORK Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FLOYD, DONALD EARL;BLACK, KENNETH;SIGNING DATES FROM 20130205 TO 20130214;REEL/FRAME:030002/0172 |
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STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |