Method for improving turbine compressor performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10502220-B2
Application number	US-201615217822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A method and device for retrofitting a gas turbine engine for improved hot day performance are disclosed. The method can include removing a first selected stator bladerow from the plurality of compressor stages, the first selected stator bladerow having a first inlet swirl angle and including a first plurality of fixed stator vanes. Each stator vane of the first plurality of fixed stator vanes can have a first stator vane angle. The method can also include providing a first improved stator bladerow to replace the first selected stator bladerow. The first improved stator bladerow can have a second plurality of fixed stator vanes, each having a second stator vane angle smaller than the first stator vane angle. The method can also include replacing the first selected stator bladerow with the first improved stator bladerow to produce an increased pressure ratio and flow rate compared to the first selected stator bladerow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An improved stator vane assembly for increasing an efficiency of a compressor of a gas turbine engine, the compressor having a first stator vane assembly selected for replacement, the first stator vane assembly having a first plurality of fixed stator vanes, each fixed stator vane of the first plurality of fixed stator vanes having a first vane angle relative to a center axis of the gas turbine engine, the improved stator vane assembly comprising:
an improved stator assembly ring having a central axis surrounded by an interior surface forming a cylindrical surface of revolution and having a plurality of perforations formed around an inner perimeter of the improved stator assembly ring;
a second plurality of stator vanes inserted into the plurality of perforations and brazed to the improved stator ring assembly, wherein each stator vane of the second plurality of stator vanes has a second vane angle less than the first vane angle when inserted into the plurality of perforations, and
wherein the compressor produces an increased power ratio and increased flow rate when the improved stator vane assembly is used in place of the first stator vane assembly.

2. The improved stator vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the improved stator assembly ring has an assembly ring upper portion and an assembly ring lower portion identical to the assembly ring upper portion.

3. The improved stator vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the improved stator vane assembly improves compressor efficiency, power ratio, and flow rate in ambient conditions that are hotter than the design considerations for the compressor with the first stator vane assembly installed.

4. The improved stator vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein second stator vane angle is three degrees less than the first stator vane angle.

5. An improved stator vane assembly for increasing an efficiency of a compressor of a gas turbine engine, the compressor having a first stator vane assembly selected for replacement, the first stator vane assembly having a first plurality of fixed stator vanes, each fixed stator vane of the first plurality of fixed stator vanes having a first vane angle relative to a center axis of the gas turbine engine, the improved stator vane assembly comprising:
an improved stator assembly ring having a central axis surrounded by an interior surface forming a cylindrical surface of revolution and having a plurality of perforations formed around an inner perimeter of the improved stator assembly ring;
a second plurality of stator vanes are inserted into the plurality of perforations and brazed into the plurality of perforations, wherein each stator vane of the second plurality of stator vanes has a second vane angle less than the first vane angle when inserted into the plurality of perforations, and
wherein the compressor produces an increased power ratio and increased flow rate when the improved stator vane assembly is used in place of the first stator vane assembly.

6. The improved stator vane assembly of claim 5 , wherein second stator vane angle is three degrees less than the first stator vane angle.

7. An improved stator vane assembly for increasing an efficiency of a compressor of a gas turbine engine, the compressor having a first stator vane assembly selected for replacement, the first stator vane assembly having a first plurality of fixed stator vanes, each fixed stator vane of the first plurality of fixed stator vanes having a first vane angle relative to a center axis of the gas turbine engine, the improved stator vane assembly comprising:
an improved stator assembly ring having a central axis surrounded by an interior surface forming a cylindrical surface of revolution and having a plurality of perforations formed around an inner perimeter of the improved stator assembly ring;
a second plurality of stator vanes for insertion into the plurality of perforations, wherein each stator vane of the second plurality of stator vanes has a second vane angle three degrees less than the first vane angle when inserted into the plurality of perforations, and
wherein the compressor produces an increased power ratio and increased flow rate when the improved stator vane assembly is used in place of the first stator vane assembly.

8. The improved stator vane assembly of claim 7 , wherein the second plurality of stator vanes are brazed into the plurality of perforations.

Assignees

• Solar Turbines Inc

Inventors

• Adjan Bachar

Classifications

• F02C7/042

  having variable geometry · CPC title

• F01D9/041

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05B2280/1071

  Steel alloys · CPC title

• F04D27/0246 Primary

  by varying geometry within the pumps, e.g. by adjusting vanes · CPC title

• F05B2240/12

  Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes · CPC title