Turbine center frame and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11242770-B2
Application number	US-202016838345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Apr 2, 2020
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure generally relate to a turbine center frame for a turbine engine through which a flow path extends. The turbine center frame can include an inner wall radially spaced from an outer wall, with the inner and outer walls extending between an inlet and an outlet, and with the outlet downstream of the inlet with respect to the flow path. A set of circumferentially-spaced airfoils can extend between the inner wall and the outer wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbine center frame for a turbine engine through which a flow path extends, the turbine center frame comprising:
an inner wall radially spaced from an outer wall, with each of the inner wall and the outer wall extending between an inlet and an outlet, with the outlet downstream of the inlet with respect to the flow path;
a set of circumferentially-spaced airfoils extending between the inner wall and the outer wall;
a splitter extending from one of the outer wall or the inner wall and positioned circumferentially between adjacent airfoils in the set of airfoils;
a first cross-sectional area defined along the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall;
a second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area and defined along the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall at a leading edge of the splitter;
a third cross-sectional area defined along the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall downstream of the second cross-sectional area; and
a fourth cross-sectional area defined along the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall downstream of the third cross-sectional area, wherein the fourth cross-sectional area is between 1 and 3 times the first cross-sectional area.

2. The turbine center frame of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first height defined radially between the inner wall and the outer wall at least partially forming the first cross-sectional area;
a second height, larger than the first height, defined radially between the inner wall and the outer wall at least partially forming the second cross-sectional area; and
a third height, greater than or equal to the first height, defined radially between the inner wall and the outer wall at least partially forming the third cross-sectional area.

3. The turbine center frame of claim 2 wherein the second height is defined at a leading edge of the splitter.

4. The turbine center frame of claim 3 wherein the second cross-sectional area is at least partially defined at the leading edge of the splitter.

5. The turbine center frame of claim 2 wherein the splitter comprises a splitter trailing edge located upstream of a trailing edge of an airfoil in the set of airfoils.

6. The turbine center frame of claim 2 wherein the first height is defined at a leading edge of an airfoil in the set of airfoils.

7. The turbine center frame of claim 6 wherein the leading edge of the airfoil is located at the inlet to the turbine center frame.

8. The turbine center frame of claim 2 wherein the third height is located at the outlet to the turbine center frame.

9. The turbine center frame of claim 1 wherein an airfoil in the set of airfoils comprises a leading edge located downstream of the inlet to the turbine center frame.

10. The turbine center frame of claim 9 wherein the airfoil in the set of airfoils further comprises a trailing edge located upstream of the outlet to the turbine center frame.

11. The turbine center frame of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall further comprises at least one local contour forming at least one of the first, second, or third cross-sectional areas.

12. The turbine center frame of claim 1 wherein the second cross-sectional area defines a maximum cross-sectional area within the turbine center frame.

13. A turbine engine, comprising:
an engine core including a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in axial flow arrangement defining a flow path, with the turbine section including a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine; and
a turbine center frame extending from the high pressure turbine to the low pressure turbine, the turbine center frame comprising:
an inner wall radially spaced from an outer wall, with the inner wall and the outer wall extending between an inlet and an outlet, with the outlet downstream of the inlet with respect to the flow path;
a set of circumferentially-spaced airfoils extending between the inner wall and the outer wall;
a splitter extending from one of the outer wall or the inner wall and positioned circumferentially between adjacent airfoils in the set of airfoils;
a first cross-sectional area defined radially between the inner wall and the outer wall;
a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area and defined radially between the inner wall and the outer wall at a leading edge of the splitter;
a third cross-sectional area defined radially between the inner wall and the outer wall downstream of the second cross-sectional area; and
a fourth cross-sectional area defined along the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall downstream of the third cross-sectional area, wherein the fourth cross-sectional area is between 1 and 3 times the first cross-sectional area.

14. The turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first height defined perpendicularly to the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall at least partially forming the first cross-sectional area;
a second height, larger than the first height, defined perpendicularly to the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall at least partially forming the second cross-sectional area; and
a third height, larger than the second height, defined perpendicularly to the flow path between the inner wall and the outer wall at least partially forming the third cross-sectional area.

15. The turbine engine of claim 14 wherein the second height is defined at a leading edge of the splitter, and wherein the first height is located at the inlet to the turbine center frame.

16. The turbine engine of claim 13 wherein at least one of the inner wall or the outer wall further comprises at least one local contour forming at least one of the first, second, or third cross-sectional areas.

17. A method of modifying an airflow along a flow path extending through a turbine center frame for a turbine engine, the method comprising:
directing the airflow along the flow path at a first velocity through a first cross-sectional area of the turbine center frame;
slowing the airflow to a second velocity, less than the first velocity, by flowing the airflow through a second cross-sectional area of the turbine center frame greater than the first cross-sectional area; and
speeding up the airflow to a third velocity, greater than the second velocity, by flowing the airflow through a third cross-sectional area of the turbine center frame;
wherein the third velocity is between 80% and 125% of the first velocity.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the slowing the airflow further comprises flowing the airflow along the flow path at the second velocity past a leading edge of an airfoil within the turbine center frame.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Ong Jonathan
• Wakelam Christian Thomas
• Peters Andreas

Classifications

• F02C7/00 Primary

  Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) · CPC title

• F01D5/141

  Shape, i.e. outer, aerodynamic form (F01D5/148 - F01D5/20 take precedence; blade construction F01D5/147) · CPC title

• F01D5/147

  Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18) · CPC title

• F01D9/041 Primary

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

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title