U.S. patent application number 12/465688 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-18 for component cooling through seals.
This patent application is currently assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY. Invention is credited to Srinivas PAKKALA.
Application Number | 20100290891 12/465688 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42979301 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100290891 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PAKKALA; Srinivas |
November 18, 2010 |
Component Cooling Through Seals
Abstract
The present application thus provides for a turbine component
cooling system. The component cooling system may include a turbine
component, an airflow passing adjacent to the turbine component,
and a seal positioned adjacent to the turbine component. The seal
may include a number of apertures so as to allow the airflow to
pass therethrough.
Inventors: |
PAKKALA; Srinivas;
(Chintalapudi Andhra pradesh, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP
999 PEACHTREE STREET, N.E.
ATLANTA
GA
30309
US
|
Assignee: |
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Schnectady
NY
|
Family ID: |
42979301 |
Appl. No.: |
12/465688 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/110 ;
415/180 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01D 11/005 20130101;
F05D 2260/201 20130101; F05D 2260/20 20130101; F01D 11/003
20130101; F05D 2240/57 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/110 ;
415/180 |
International
Class: |
F01D 11/00 20060101
F01D011/00; F01D 5/08 20060101 F01D005/08 |
Claims
1. A turbine component cooling system, comprising: a turbine
component; an airflow passing adjacent to the turbine component; a
seal positioned adjacent to the turbine component; and the seal
comprising a plurality of apertures so as to allow the airflow to
pass therethrough.
2. The turbine component cooling system of claim 1, wherein the
turbine component comprises a retaining ring.
3. The turbine component cooling system of claim 2, further
comprising an air sealing plate positioned adjacent to the
retaining ring.
4. The turbine component cooling system of claim 3, wherein the
seal is positioned about the air sealing plate and a stage one
shroud.
5. The turbine component cooling system of claim 1, wherein the
seal comprises a W-seal.
6. The turbine component cooling system of claim 1, wherein the
plurality of apertures comprises about 300 apertures.
7. The turbine component cooling system of claim 1, wherein the
seal comprises a nickel chromium alloy.
8. The turbine component cooling system of claim 1, wherein the
airflow comprises about 0.215% W25.
9. A turbine component cooling system, comprising: a turbine
component; an airflow passing adjacent to the turbine component; a
W-seal positioned adjacent to the turbine component; and the W-seal
comprising a plurality of apertures so as to allow the airflow to
pass therethrough.
10. The turbine component cooling system of claim 9, wherein the
turbine component comprises a retaining ring with an air sealing
plate.
11. The turbine component cooling system of claim 9, wherein the
seal comprises a nickel chromium alloy.
12. The turbine component cooling system of claim 9, wherein the
airflow comprises about 0.215% W25.
13. A turbine component cooling system, comprising: a stage one
nozzle outer base; a retaining ring positioned adjacent to the
stage one nozzle outer base; a stage one shroud positioned adjacent
to the retaining ring; an airflow passing adjacent to the retaining
ring along an air sealing plate; a seal positioned between the air
sealing plate and the stage one shroud, and the seal comprising a
plurality of apertures so as to allow the airflow to pass
therethrough.
14. The turbine component cooling system of claim 13, wherein the
seal comprises a W-seal.
15. The turbine component cooling system of claim 13, wherein the
plurality of apertures comprises about 300 apertures.
16. The turbine component cooling system of claim 13, wherein the
seal comprises a nickel chromium alloy.
17. The turbine component cooling system of claim 13, wherein the
airflow comprises about 0.215% W25.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates generally to gas turbine
engines and more particularly relates through cooling hot engine
components via airflow through seal components.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A portion of the airflow through a turbine engine may be
diverted and used for cooling purposes. The overall efficiency of
the turbine engine, however, is decreased by the amount of air that
is diverted for cooling purposes as opposed to being used for
combustion. The less airflow diverted for cooling purposes or other
types of parasitic airflows, the better the efficiency and
operation of the gas turbine engine as a whole.
[0003] By way of example, a retainer ring positioned about a stage
one nozzle outer base and a stage one shroud may be cooled by a
compressor discharge airflow. The retainer ring may include a
number of circumferential grooves and radial slots therein. The
retainer ring may be cooled with a cooling flow from the core
airflow. Circumferential cooling of the retaining ring, however,
may cause a circumferential temperature gradient therein. Moreover,
machining the grooves in the retaining ring requires machining time
and labor costs.
[0004] There is thus a desire for improved systems and methods for
component cooling that involves less airflow while increasing
overall system efficiency. The systems and methods preferably also
allow the use of less complicated and costly components
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present application thus provides for a turbine
component cooling system. The component cooling system may include
a turbine component, an airflow passing adjacent to the turbine
component, and a seal positioned adjacent to the turbine component.
The seal may include a number of apertures so as to allow the
airflow to pass therethrough.
[0006] The present application further provides for a turbine
component cooling system. The component cooling system may include
a turbine component, an airflow passing adjacent to the turbine
component, and a W-seal positioned adjacent to the turbine
component. The W-seal may include a number of apertures so as to
allow the airflow to pass therethrough.
[0007] The present application further provides for a turbine
component cooling system. The component cooling system may include
a stage one nozzle outer base, a retaining ring positioned adjacent
to the a stage one nozzle outer base, a stage one shroud positioned
adjacent to the retaining ring, an airflow passing adjacent to the
retaining ring along an air sealing plate, and a seal positioned
between the air sealing plate and the stage one shroud. The seal
may include a number of apertures so as to allow the airflow to
pass therethrough.
[0008] These and other features of the present application will
become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of
the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with
the several drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a gas turbine
engine.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the inner section
of a stage one nozzle outer base and a stage one shroud showing a
retaining ring.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the inner section
of a stage one nozzle outer base and a stage one shroud showing a
retaining ring and a W-seal as is described herein.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the W-seal as may be used
herein.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the W-seal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numbers refer
to like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a
cross-sectional view of a gas turbine engine 100. As is known, the
gas turbine engine 100 may include a compressor 110 to compress an
incoming flow of air. The compressor 110 delivers the compressed
flow of air to a combustor 120. The combustor 120 mixes the
compressed flow of air with a compressed flow of fuel and ignites
the mixture. The hot combustion gases are in turn delivered to a
turbine 130. The hot combustion gases drive a number of turbine
buckets 140 so as to produce mechanical work. The mechanical work
produced in the turbine 130 drives the compressor 110 and also an
external load such as an electrical generator and the like. The gas
turbine engine 100 may use natural gas, various types of syngas,
and other types of fuels. Other types of gas turbine engines also
may be used herein. The gas turbine engine 10 may have other
configurations and may use other types of components. Multiple gas
turbine engines 100, other types of turbines, and other types of
power generation equipment may be used herein together.
[0015] FIG. 2 is an expanded view of a portion of the turbine 130.
Specifically, the intersection of a retaining ring 145 as
positioned about a stage one nozzle outer base 150 and a stage one
shroud 160 as positioned within a turbine shell 170. An air sealing
plate 180 may be positioned between the retaining ring 145 and the
stage one shroud 160. The air sealing plate 180 faces a number of
circumferential grooves 190 positioned within the retaining ring
145 on one side and one or more W-seals 200 on the other side. The
retaining ring 145 with the air sealing plate 180 may be cooled by
an airflow 195, in this case a compressor discharge airflow 195
passing through the circumferential groves 190. Such
circumferential air cooling, however, may cause a temperature
gradient along the retaining ring 145 of up to about 20 degrees
Fahrenheit (about 6.7 degrees Celsius) or so.
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a component cooling system 210 as is described
herein. The component cooling system 210 may include a turbine
component 220. The turbine component 220 may be a retaining ring
225. In this example, the retaining ring 225 includes an air
sealing plate 230 but not the circumferential grooves 190. The
component cooling system 210 also may include one or more W-seals
240 positioned against the air sealing plate 210. As is shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5, the W-seal 240 may include a number of apertures 250
therein so as to permit a cooling airflow 255 therethrough. The
apertures 250 may be about 0.07 inches (about 1.78 millimeters) in
diameter and about 300 in number. The size and number of the
apertures 250 may be varied with the desired cooling flow rate.
[0017] The W-seal 240 may be made out of Inconel 718 or similar
types of materials. (Inconel 718 is a nickel chromium alloy made
precipitation hardenable by additions of aluminum and titanium and
having creep rupture strength at high temperatures to about 1290
degrees Fahrenheit (about 700 degrees Celsius)). Inconel is a
trademark of Huntington Alloys Corporation of Huntington, W.V.
Other types or combinations of materials may be used herein. The
Inconel material may have a thickness of about 0.01 inches (about
0.254 millimeters).
[0018] The airflow 255 through the W-seal 240 may be about 0.215%
W25. The use of the W-seals 240 may provide more uniform cooling of
the retaining ring 225. Material and labor costs in producing
circumferential grooves 190 also are eliminated. Likewise,
eliminating the circumferential grooves 190 makes the retaining
ring 225 structurally stronger. The W-seal 240 thus both meters the
cooling airflow 255 therethrough while acting as the seal between
the retaining ring 145 and the stage one shroud 160. The W-seals
240 described herein further may be used anywhere a cooling flow
may be required. Other types of seals and other types of turbine
components 220 may be used with the component cooling system 210
described herein.
[0019] It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to
certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous
changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary
skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and
scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the
equivalents thereof.
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