Cantilever stator with vortex initiation feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010475-A1
Application number	US-201314767728-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 8, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An axial flow compressor is disclosed with a plurality of rotors. Each rotor includes a disk having an outer rim. Each outer rim is coupled to a radially outwardly extending rotor blade. The case is coupled to a plurality of radially inwardly extending stator vanes, i.e. cantilever-type stator vanes. Each stator vane is disposed between two rotor blades and extends towards one of the outer rims and terminates at a tip disposed in close proximity to one of the outer rims. At least one of the outer rims includes a serrated outer surface that faces the tip of a stator vane which results in a vortex flow causing air that would normally leak through the clearance between the stator vane and the outer rim to engage the stator vane to a greater degree thereby increasing the efficiency of the compressor.

First claim

1 . An axial flow compressor, comprising:
a plurality of rotors coaxially disposed within a case and coupled together, each rotor including a disk having a radially outward end that includes an outer rim, each outer rim is coupled to a radially outwardly extending rotor blade, each radially outwardly extending rotor blade terminating at a tip; the case being coupled to a plurality of radially inwardly extending stator vanes, each stator vane extending towards one of the outer rims and terminating at a tip disposed in close proximity to one of the outer rims; at least one outer rim including a serrated outer surface that faces the tip of one of the stator vanes.

2 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein the serrated outer surface includes a plurality of adjacent grooves.

3 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein the serrated outer surface includes a plurality of coaxial grooves separated by lands with each land disposed between two grooves, the grooves being defined by a bottom surface disposed between two side walls, the sidewalls being slanted in a fore direction.

4 . The compressor of claim 3 wherein the lands are flat.

5 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein that stator vane that faces the serrated outer surface has a width and the serrated outer surface has a width that is smaller than the width of the stator vane that faces the serrated outer surface.

6 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein the tip of the stator vane that faces the serrated outer surface is free of an abradable coating.

7 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein at least one outer rim includes two serrated outer surfaces disposed on either side of a rotor blade, the rotor blade being disposed axially between two stator blades, each of the two stator blades being in alignment with one of the two serrated outer surfaces.

8 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein at least one outer rim does not include a serrated outer surface and is disposed between and coupled to two outer rims that each include at least one serrated outer surface.

9 . The compressor of claim 1 wherein the compressor is a high-pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine that also includes a low-pressure compressor.

10 . A compressor for a gas turbine engine, the compressor comprising:
a plurality of rotors coaxially disposed within a case, each rotor including a disk having a radially inward end that includes a hub and a radially outward end that includes an outer rim, each outer rim is coupled to at least one radially outwardly extending rotor blade and each outer rim is also coupled to at least one other outer rim of at least one adjacent disk, each radially outwardly extending rotor blade terminating at a tip disposed in close proximity with an interior surface of the case; the case being coupled to a plurality of radially inwardly extending stator vanes, each stator vane extending towards one of the outer rims and terminating at a tip disposed in close proximity to one of the outer rims; a plurality of the outer rims including a serrated outer surface, each serrated outer surface facing the tip of one of the stator vanes; and the serrated outer surfaces each including a plurality of coaxial and adjacent grooves spaced apart by coaxial lands.

11 . The compressor of claim 9 wherein the grooves are defined by a bottom surface disposed between two side walls, the sidewalls being slanted in a fore direction.

12 . The compressor of claim 9 wherein the lands are flat.

13 . The compressor of claim 10 wherein the stator vanes that face the serrated outer surfaces have widths and the serrated outer surfaces have a widths that are smaller than the widths of the stator vanes that face the serrated outer surfaces.

14 . The compressor of claim 10 wherein the tips of the stator vanes that face the serrated outer surfaces are free of an abradable coating.

15 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a high-pressure compressor disposed between a low-pressure compressor and a combustor, the high-pressure compressor being coaxially coupled to a high-pressure turbine for rotation with the high-pressure turbine; the high-pressure compressor including a plurality of rotors coaxially disposed within a case, each rotor including a disk having a radially inward end and a radially outward end that includes an outer rim, each outer rim is coupled to a radially outwardly extending rotor blade and to at least one other outer rim of at least one adjacent disk, each radially outwardly extending rotor blade terminating at a tip disposed in close proximity with an interior surface of the case; the case being coupled to a plurality of radially inwardly extending stator vanes, each stator vane extending towards one of the outer rims and terminating at a tip disposed in close proximity to one of the outer rims; a plurality of the outer rims including a serrated outer surface, each serrated outer surface facing the tip of one of the stator vanes.

16 . The engine of claim 15 wherein the serrated outer surface includes a plurality of adjacent and coaxial grooves.

17 . The engine of claim 15 wherein the serrated outer surface includes a plurality of coaxial grooves separated by lands with each groove disposed between two lands, the grooves being defined by a bottom surface disposed between two side walls, the sidewalls being slanted in a fore direction.

18 . The engine of claim 17 wherein the lands are flat.

19 . The engine of claim 15 wherein each stator vane that faces one of the serrated outer surfaces has a width and each serrated outer surface has a width that is smaller than the width of the stator vane that faces the serrated outer surface.

20 . The engine of claim 15 wherein the tips of the stator vanes that face the serrated outer surfaces are free of abradable coatings.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Alvanos Ioannis

Classifications

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• F01D11/001 Primary

  for sealing space between stator blade and rotor · CPC title

• F04D29/164

  of an axial flow wheel · CPC title

• F02C3/14

  characterised by the arrangement of the combustion chamber in the plant (combustion chambers per se F23R; F02C3/205 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02C3/06

  the compressor comprising only axial stages (F02C3/10 takes precedence) · CPC title