Mixing plenum for spoked rotors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016186571-A1
Application number	US-201514797923-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Aug 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas turbine engine may comprise a first rotor with a primary flowpath along an outer diameter of the first rotor. A secondary flowpath may be radially inward from the primary flowpath. The secondary flowpath may pass through an opening through the first rotor. A blade may be disposed on a distal end of the first rotor. The blade may extend into the primary flowpath. A bleed tube may be in a wall of the primary flowpath and forward of the blade. The bleed tube may extend radially inward from the primary flowpath. The bleed tube may fluidly connect to the opening through the first rotor. A plenum may be aft of the blade and radially inward from the primary flowpath. The plenum may be fluidly connected to the opening through the first rotor. A second rotor may be aft of the plenum.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a first rotor defining a first opening; a second rotor defining a second opening; and a mixing plenum structure extending between and coupled to the first rotor and the second rotor, wherein the first rotor, the second rotor, and the mixing plenum structure define a mixing plenum in fluid communication with the first opening and the second opening.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mixing plenum structure includes an outer wall configured to couple to a blade.

3 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the mixing plenum structure includes an inner wall opposite and facing the outer wall and configured to couple to the first rotor and the second rotor.

4 . The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a sealing feature extending radially inward from the outer wall.

5 . The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the mixing plenum structure comprises an austenitic nickel-chromium-based alloy.

6 . The assembly of claim 1 , further including a first structure defining a bleed tube, wherein the first structure is formed continuously with the first rotor.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the mixing plenum comprises an annular chamber.

8 . A compressor, comprising:
a first rotor defining a first opening therethrough; a first structure defining a bleed tube fluidly coupled with and extending radially outward and forward of the first opening; a second rotor defining a second opening therethrough fluidly coupled to the first opening and the bleed tube; and a second structure at least partially defining a mixing plenum aft of the first opening, forward of the second opening, and in fluid communication with the first opening and the second opening.

9 . The compressor of claim 8 , wherein the mixing plenum comprises an annular chamber.

10 . The compressor of claim 8 , further comprising a blade at a distal end of the first rotor, wherein an outer wall of one of the first structure and the second structure is formed continuously with the blade.

11 . The compressor of claim 10 , further comprising a sealing feature extending radially inward from the outer wall.

12 . The compressor of claim 10 , wherein the second structure comprises an austenitic nickel-chromium-based alloy.

13 . The compressor of claim 8 , wherein the second structure comprises an inner wall formed continuously with the second rotor.

14 . The compressor of claim 8 , wherein the first structure defining the bleed tube is formed continuously with the first rotor.

15 . A cooling system, comprising:
a first rotor comprising a first opening; a second rotor aft of the first rotor and comprising a second opening fluidly coupled with the first opening, wherein the first rotor and the second rotor at least partially define a mixing plenum therebetween in fluid communication with the first opening and the second opening and configured to receive air at the first opening and guide the air to the second opening with a more uniform temperature and pressure at the second opening.

16 . The cooling system of claim 15 , wherein the mixing plenum comprises an annular chamber.

17 . The cooling system of claim 15 , further comprising a blade at a distal end of the first rotor.

18 . The cooling system of claim 17 , further including a sealing feature configured to guide air from the mixing plenum into the second opening.

19 . The cooling system of claim 15 , further including a first structure defining a bleed tube forward of the first rotor, the first structure formed continuously with the first rotor.

20 . The cooling system of claim 15 , wherein the mixing plenum is further defined by a wall radially inward from the mixing plenum and formed continuously with the second rotor.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Suciu Gabriel L
• Merry Brian D
• Hill James D

Classifications

• F01D5/12

  Blades ({specially adapted for radial flow machines or engines F01D5/04}; blade roots F01D5/30; rotors with blades adjustable in operation F01D7/00; stator blades F01D9/02) · CPC title

• F04D29/58

  Cooling (of machines or engines in general F01P); Heating; Diminishing heat transfer {(for the motor of air-pump units F04D25/082; cooling of shafts or bearings F04D29/04)} · CPC title

• F05D2300/175

  Superalloys · CPC title

• F01D5/34

  Rotor-blade aggregates of unitary construction {, e.g. formed of sheet laminae; (discs formed of sheet laminae F01D5/028; ceramic materials F01D5/284, composite materials F01D5/282)} · CPC title

• F04D29/321

  for axial flow compressors · CPC title