Turbomachine diffuser including flow mixing lobes and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344604-B2
Application number	US-201615159850-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A turbomachine diffuser includes a body having an inner surface defining a diffuser flow path, a plurality of stationary struts extending from the inner surface, and a plurality of flow mixing lobes arranged in an annular array on the inner surface. The plurality of flow mixing lobes is configured and disposed to guide a substantially high momentum flow toward the inner surface of the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbomachine diffuser comprising:
a body having an inner surface defining a diffuser flow path;
a plurality of stationary struts extending from the inner surface; and
a plurality of flow mixing lobes arranged in an annular array on the inner surface, wherein the plurality of flow mixing lobes is configured and disposed to guide a substantially high momentum flow toward the inner surface of the body, each of the plurality of flow mixing lobes including:
a first lobe member and a second lobe member, each of the first and second lobe members spaced and extending from the inner surface into the diffuser flow path; and
an airfoil portion extending between the first and second lobe members;
wherein the airfoil portion, the first lobe member and second lobe member form a flow channel through the respective flow mixing lobe.

2. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second lobe members of at least one of the flow mixing lobes extends substantially perpendicularly from the inner surface.

3. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second lobe members of at least one of the flow mixing lobes extend in a converging or diverging orientation from the inner surface.

4. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil portion includes a substantially rectangular cross-section.

5. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil portion includes first and second airfoil members extending from corresponding ones of the first and second lobe members, the first and second airfoil members joined at a non-planar angle.

6. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second lobe members includes a base section extending circumferentially outwardly of the one of the first and second lobe members, the base section being joined to the inner surface of the body.

7. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the base section extends substantially perpendicularly outwardly of the one of the first and second lobe members away from the other of the first and second lobe members.

8. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second lobe members of at least one of the flow mixing lobes extend in parallel orientation from the inner surface.

9. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second lobe members of at least one of the flow mixing lobes extend in parallel orientation from the inner surface.

10. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil portion includes a curvilinear cross-section.

11. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil portion includes an inner airfoil surface defining a wall of the channel, wherein the inner airfoil surface is planar.

12. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil portion is arranged to direct the substantially high momentum flow radially outward toward the inner surface of the body.

13. The turbomachine diffuser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second lobe members include a first end adjacent the inner wall of the body and an opposing second end adjacent the airfoil portion, and wherein a length of the first end is less than a length of the opposing second end.

14. A turbomachine comprising:
a compressor portion;
a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion, the turbine portion including an outlet;
a combustor assembly including at least one combustor fluidically connected to the compressor portion and the turbine portion; and
a diffuser fluidically connected to the outlet of the turbine portion, the diffuser comprising:
a body having an inner surface defining a diffuser flow path;
a plurality of stationary struts extending from the inner surface; and
a plurality of flow mixing lobes arranged in an annular array on the inner surface, wherein the plurality of flow mixing lobes is configured and disposed to guide a substantially high momentum flow toward the inner surface of the body, each of the plurality of flow mixing lobes including:
a first lobe member and a second lobe member, each of the first and second lobe members spaced and extending from the inner surface into the diffuser flow path; and
an airfoil portion extending between the first and second lobe members;
wherein the airfoil portion, the first lobe member and second lobe member form a flow channel through the respective flow mixing lobe.

15. The turbomachine as claimed in claim 14 , the first and second lobe members of at least one of the flow mixing lobes extends substantially perpendicularly from the inner surface.

16. The turbomachine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first and second lobe members of at least one of the flow mixing lobes extend in a converging or diverging orientation from the inner surface.

17. The turbomachine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the airfoil portion includes first and second airfoil members extending from corresponding ones of the first and second lobe members, the first and second airfoil members joined at a non-planar angle.

18. The turbomachine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first and second lobe members includes a base section extending circumferentially outwardly of the one of the first and second lobe members, the base section being joined to the inner surface of the body.

19. A method of passing exhaust gases from a turbomachine into a diffuser, the method comprising:
passing hot gases toward an outlet of a turbine portion of the turbomachine;
delivering the hot gases into an inlet of the diffuser;
directing a portion of the hot gases across a respective airfoil portion of a plurality of flow mixing lobes arranged circumferentially about an inner surface of the diffuser and through respective flow channels formed by each of the plurality of flow mixing lobes, wherein each of the respective flow channels is formed by the respective airfoil portion extending between a first lobe member and a second lobe member, each of the first and second lobe members spaced and extending from the inner surface into the diffuser flow path;
forming the portion of the hot gases into a substantially high momentum flow;
guiding the substantially high momentum flow toward the inner surface of the diffuser; and
mixing the substantially high momentum flow with a boundary layer flow passing along the inner surface.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein guiding the substantially high momentum flow toward the inner surface of the diffuser includes directing a flow passing from an outlet of a turbine portion of a turbomachine across an airfoil portion of a plurality of flow mixing lobes.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Subramaniyan Moorthi
• Patel Pradeep

Classifications

• F05D2270/17

  to control boundary layer · CPC title

• F05D2240/127

  Vortex generators, turbulators, or the like, for mixing · CPC title

• F01D25/30 Primary

  Exhaust heads, chambers, or the like · CPC title

• F01D9/02

  Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits {, e.g. individual nozzles (nozzle boxes F01D9/047)} · CPC title

• F01D5/021

  for flow machines or engines with only one axial stage (for more than one stage F01D5/06) · CPC title