Intercooled combustor nozzle guide vane and secondary air configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553609-B2
Application number	US-202418639450-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2024
Priority date	Apr 18, 2023
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A gas turbine engine is provided that includes compressor and combustor sections, inner and outer casings, an annular diffuser, an inner diffuser casing, a heat exchanger, and an HPT stator vane stage. An annular combustor is disposed radially inward of the outer casing and has inner and outer radial wall structures. The outer casing and the combustor outer radial wall structure define a diffuser OD flow path. The annular diffuser directs diffuser gas towards the combustor section. The inner diffuser casing is disposed radially inward of the annular combustor and spaced apart from the combustor inner radial wall structure. The inner casing is disposed radially inward of and spaced apart from the inner diffuser casing. The inner diffuser casing and the inner casing define an ICF passage. The heat exchanger is configured to produce intercooler gas. Intercooler gas is directed through the ICF passage and into the HPT stator vanes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A gas turbine engine having an axial centerline, comprising:
a compressor section; an outer casing; a combustor section having an annular combustor disposed radially inward of the outer casing, the annular combustor having a combustion chamber disposed radially between a combustor outer radial wall structure and a combustor inner radial wall structure; wherein the outer casing and the combustor outer radial wall structure define a diffuser outer diameter flow path; an annular diffuser disposed between the compressor section and the annular combustor, wherein the annular diffuser is configured to direct diffuser gas towards the combustor section; an inner diffuser casing disposed radially inward of the annular combustor and spaced apart from the combustor inner radial wall structure; an inner casing disposed radially inward of and spaced apart from the inner diffuser casing, wherein the inner diffuser casing and the inner casing define an intercooler fluid passage (ICF passage); a heat exchanger configured to selectively cool a portion of the diffuser gas to provide intercooler gas; a first high-pressure turbine (HPT) stator vane stage, having a plurality of first HPT stator vanes; wherein a first portion of the intercooler gas is directed through the ICF passage and into the HPT stator vanes; wherein the annular combustor is configured such that a first portion of the diffuser gas is directed into the diffuser outer diameter flow path to provide a diffuser OD flow; and wherein a first portion of the diffuser OD flow is directed to the heat exchanger, and a second portion of the diffuser OD flow is directed into the first HPT stator vanes.

2 . The engine of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the diffuser OD flow is directed into a first internal zone of each respective said first HPT stator vane and the intercooler gas is directed into a second internal zone of each respective said first HPT stator vane.

3 . The engine of claim 2 , wherein the first internal zone of each respective said first HPT stator vane is independent of the second internal zone of each respective said first HPT stator vane.

4 . The engine of claim 3 , wherein the first internal zone of each respective said first HPT stator vane is contiguous with a leading edge of the respective said first HPT stator vane.

5 . The engine of claim 3 , wherein the second internal zone of each respective said first HPT stator vane is contiguous with a trailing edge of the respective said first HPT stator vane.

6 . The engine of claim 1 , further comprising a tangential onboard injector (TOBI) that extends circumferentially around the engine axial centerline, the TOBI having a plurality of nozzles, an inner radial side, and an outer radial side; and
wherein a second portion of the intercooler air gas is directed through the TOBI nozzles.

7 . The engine of claim 6 , wherein the TOBI includes a plurality of first TOBI outer radial cavities disposed radially outside of the TOBI nozzles, and a plurality of first TOBI entry passages, each respective first TOBI entry passage configured to provide fluid communication between the ICF passage and a respective first TOBI outer radial cavity.

8 . The engine of claim 7 , wherein the TOBI includes a plurality of first TOBI exit passages, each respective first TOBI exit passage configured to provide fluid communication between a respective first TOBI outer radial cavity and a first turbine stator vane cavity disposed radially inward of the first HPT stator vane stage.

9 . The engine of claim 6 , wherein each said first HPT stator vane includes an inner platform having a pressure wall component extending out from at a forward end of the inner platform and an aft member extending out from an aft end of the inner platform.

10 . The engine of claim 1 , wherein the inner diffuser casing and the combustor inner radial wall structure define a diffuser inner diameter flow path (diffuser ID flow path), and the inner diffuser casing is configured such that a second portion of the diffuser gas (diffuser ID flow) is directed into a core gas path forward of the first HPT stator vane stage.

11 . The engine of claim 1 , wherein the engine is configured to pass a fan air through the heat exchanger.

12 . A gas turbine engine having an axial centerline, comprising:
a compressor section; an outer casing; a combustor section having an annular combustor disposed radially inward of the outer casing, the annular combustor having a combustion chamber disposed radially between a combustor outer radial wall structure and a combustor inner radial wall structure; wherein the outer casing and the combustor outer radial wall structure define a diffuser outer diameter flow path; an annular diffuser disposed between the compressor section and the annular combustor, wherein the annular diffuser is configured to direct diffuser gas towards the combustor section; an inner diffuser casing disposed radially inward of the annular combustor and spaced apart from the combustor inner radial wall structure; an inner casing disposed radially inward of and spaced apart from the inner diffuser casing, wherein the inner diffuser casing and the inner casing define an intercooler fluid passage (ICF passage); a heat exchanger configured to selectively cool a portion of the diffuser gas to provide intercooler gas; a first high-pressure turbine (HPT) stator vane stage, having a plurality of first HPT stator vanes; and
a tangential onboard injector (TOBI) extending circumferentially around the engine axial centerline, the TOBI including a plurality of nozzles, an inner radial side, and an outer radial side;
wherein a first portion of the intercooler gas is directed through the ICF passage and into the HPT stator vanes; wherein a second portion of the intercooler gas is directed through the TOBI nozzles; and wherein the TOBI includes a plurality of second TOBI outer radial cavities disposed radially outside of the TOBI nozzles, and a plurality of second TOBI entry passages, each respective second TOBI entry passage configured to provide fluid communication from the inner radial side of the TOBI to a respective second TOBI outer radial cavity.

13 . The engine of claim 12 , wherein the TOBI includes a plurality of second TOBI exit passages, each respective second TOBI exit passage configured to provide fluid communication between a respective second TOBI outer radial cavity and an aft TOBI annular compartment.

14 . The engine of claim 13 , wherein the second TOBI entry passages are configured to receive compressor leakage air passing from the compressor section.

15 . The engine of claim 14 , wherein the aft TOBI annular compartment is configured to permit a portion of the compressor leakage air to pass into a cavity disposed forward of a first HPT rotor stage.

16 . The engine of claim 9 , wherein the pressure wall component of each first HPT stator vane is engaged with the TOBI and a seal is disposed therebetween.

17 . The engine of claim 16 , wherein the TOBI includes a forward wall and the pressure wall component of each first HPT stator vane is disposed adjacent a portion of the TOBI forward wall and the seal is disposed therebetween.

18 . The engine of claim 16 , wherein the TOBI includes a plurality of first TOBI exit passages, each respective first TOBI exit passage configured to provide fluid communication between a respective first TOBI outer radial cavity and a first turbine stator vane cavity disposed radially inward

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Ackermann William K
• Clark Thomas E
• Breault Andrew E

Classifications

• F23R3/002

  Wall structures (F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2260/213

  by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit · CPC title

• F05D2260/211

  by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle · CPC title

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title

• F02C7/14

  of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} · CPC title