Modulated turbine cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202867-B2
Application number	US-201414777331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A flow transfer apparatus for transferring cooling flow from a primary gas flowpath to a turbine rotor. The apparatus includes a first supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and first inducers, the first inducers configured to accelerate a first fluid flow from the first supply plenum and discharge it toward the rotor with a tangential velocity; a second supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and second inducers, the second inducers configured to accelerate a second fluid flow from the second supply plenum towards the rotor with a tangential velocity; and a cooling modulation valve operable to selectively permit or block the second fluid flow from the primary gas flowpath to the second supply plenum. The valve includes a flow control structure disposed in the primary gas flowpath and an actuation structure extending to a location radially outside of a casing defining the primary gas flowpath.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modulated flow transfer apparatus for transferring a cooling flow from a primary gas flowpath to a turbine rotor of a gas turbine engine, the apparatus comprising: a first supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and a plurality of first inducers, each of the first inducers configured to accelerate a first fluid flow received from the first supply plenum and discharge the first fluid flow toward the rotor with a tangential velocity component; a second supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and a plurality of second inducers, each of the second inducers configured to accelerate a second fluid flow received from the second supply plenum towards the rotor with a tangential velocity component; and a cooling modulation valve operable to selectively permit or block the second fluid flow from the primary gas flowpath to the second supply plenum, wherein the cooling modulation valve comprises a flow control structure disposed in the primary gas flowpath and a valve actuation structure extending from the flow control structure to a location radially outside of a casing defining the primary gas flowpath; the cooling modulation valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve body that extends in a radial direction from a collar housing of the second supply plenum to the casing, an annular combustor support attached to and disposed upstream of a combustor liner, the cooling modulation valve mounted radially outside to the annular combustor support.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first supply plenum is defined in part by an annular space between an inner combustor liner and an annular inner nozzle support.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second supply plenum is disposed immediately axially upstream of the first supply plenum.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the second inducers is connected to the second supply plenum by an axially-extending transfer tube disposed within the first supply plenum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow control structure comprises: the valve body with a cylindrical bore and a window formed through the body, communicating with the bore; and a piston received in the bore and translatable between a closed position in which it blocks flow between the window and the bore, and an open position in which it permits flow from the window to the bore.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein an operating rod is disposed in the valve body and has a lower end connected to the piston and an upper end extending outside of the casing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising an actuator disposed outside the casing and coupled to the upper end of the operating rod.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow control structure comprises: the valve body with a cylindrical bore and a window formed through the body, communicating with the bore; and a plug received in the bore and rotatable between a closed position in which it blocks flow between the window and the bore, and an open position in which it permits flow from the window to the bore.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein; and the valve body is moveable in a radial direction relative to the collar housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a ring-like collar is disposed within the collar housing surrounding an inner end of the valve body.

11. A modulated flow transfer apparatus for transferring a cooling flow from a primary gas flowpath to a turbine rotor of a gas turbine engine, the apparatus comprising: a first supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and a plurality of first inducers, each of the first inducers configured to accelerate a first fluid flow received from the first supply plenum and discharge the first fluid flow toward the rotor with a tangential velocity component; a second supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and a plurality of second inducers, each of the second inducers configured to accelerate a second fluid flow received from the second supply plenum towards the rotor with a tangential velocity component; and a cooling modulation valve operable to selectively permit or block the second fluid flow from the primary gas flowpath to the second supply plenum, wherein the cooling modulation valve comprises a flow control structure disposed in the primary gas flowpath and a valve actuation structure extending from the flow control structure to a location radially outside of a casing defining the primary gas flowpath; wherein the flow control structure comprises: a valve body with a cylindrical bore having an exit opening at an end of the bore and a window formed through an outer portion of the body, the window communicating with the bore; and an elongated hollow piston received in the bore and translatable between a closed position in which it blocks flow between the window and the bore, and an open position in which it permits flow from the window to the bore and then exiting the exit opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first supply plenum is defined in part by an annular space between an inner combustor liner and an annular inner nozzle support.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second supply plenum is disposed immediately axially upstream of the first supply plenum.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of the second inducers is connected to the second supply plenum by an axially-extending transfer tube disposed within the first supply plenum.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein an operating rod is disposed in the valve body and has a lower end connected to the piston and an upper end extending outside of the casing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising an actuator disposed outside the casing and coupled to the upper end of the operating rod.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: the cooling modulation valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve body that extends in a radial direction from a collar housing of the second supply plenum to the casing; and the valve body is moveable in a radial direction relative to the collar housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein a ring-like collar is disposed within the collar housing surrounding an inner end of the valve body.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Rahaim John Joseph
• Fusinato Daniel John
• Hunter Scott David
• Kirk Joel Francis
• Melzak Michael Robert
• Stover Curtis Walton

Classifications

• F05D2270/3062

  of the auxiliary fluid for heating or cooling purposes · CPC title

• F05D2240/24

  for turbines · CPC title

• F01D25/12 Primary

  Cooling · CPC title

• Y02T50/676

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02C7/125

  by partial arc admission of the working fluid or by intermittent admission of working and cooling fluid · CPC title