Variable area turbine arrangement with secondary flow modulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201491-A1
Application number	US-201414912476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Aug 21, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A variable area turbine arrangement according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a variable vane assembly and a secondary flow system associated with the variable vane assembly. Flow modulation of a cooling fluid through the secondary flow system is changed simultaneously with actuation of the variable vane assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A variable area turbine arrangement, comprising:
a variable vane assembly; a secondary flow system associated with said variable vane assembly; and wherein flow modulation of a cooling fluid through said secondary flow system is changed simultaneously with actuation of said variable vane assembly.

2 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes a spindle having a window and said secondary flow system includes a tube having a port configured to align with said window.

3 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 2 , wherein said spindle is configured to rotate about a spindle axis to move said window relative to said port.

4 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 3 , wherein said spindle is configured to rotate between a first position in which said port is covered by said spindle and a second position in which said port at least partially aligns with said window to permit a portion of said cooling fluid to enter said port.

5 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes a spindle having a window and said secondary flow system includes a TOBI assembly having at least one passage that is selectively exposed to said window to alter an amount of said cooling fluid communicated through said secondary flow system.

6 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes a spindle and said secondary flow system includes a TOBI assembly having at least one exit nozzle vane linked to said spindle through a linkage assembly.

7 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes a spindle and said secondary flow system includes a TOBI assembly having at least one rotating blocker linked to said spindle through a linkage assembly.

8 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes a spindle having a window and said secondary flow system includes a port disposed through a platform, said window being selectively moved relative to said port to alter an amount of said cooling fluid communicated through said secondary flow system.

9 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes an actuation system having at least one gear that is moveable to expose a port of said secondary flow system.

10 . The variable area turbine arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes an actuation system and said secondary flow system includes a cooling pipe and a modulation valve disposed in said cooling pipe, said actuation system configured to simultaneously move a portion of said variable vane and said modulation valve.

11 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a turbine section; a variable vane assembly disposed within said turbine section; a secondary flow system configured to communicate a cooling fluid to at least one of said variable vane assembly and nearby hardware of said turbine section; and a portion of said variable vane assembly configured to move and simultaneously modulate a flow of said cooling fluid through said secondary flow system.

12 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 , wherein said variable vane assembly includes a variable airfoil that is movable to modulate said flow of said cooling fluid.

13 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 , comprising an actuation system that is configured to modulate said flow of said cooling fluid.

14 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 , wherein said secondary flow system includes a TOBI assembly radially inboard of said variable vane assembly.

15 . The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 , wherein said secondary flow system includes at least one of a port, a nozzle, a passage and a modulation valve.

16 . A method, comprising:
moving a portion of a variable vane assembly to alter flow area associated with a variable area turbine arrangement; and simultaneously with the step of moving, modulating a flow of a cooling fluid through a secondary flow system associated with the variable vane assembly.

17 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the step of moving includes utilizing a variable airfoil of the variable vane assembly to modulate the flow through the secondary flow system.

18 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the step of moving includes utilizing an actuation system to modulate the flow through the secondary flow system.

19 . The method as recited in claim 16 , comprising the step of conditioning a variable airfoil of the variable vane assembly with the cooling fluid.

20 . The method as recited in claim 16 , comprising the step of conditioning nearby hardware of the variable area turbine arrangement with the cooling fluid.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Surace Raymond
• Hudson Eric A

Classifications

• F01D9/065 Primary

  Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26) · CPC title

• F01D17/16

  by means of nozzle vanes · CPC title

• F05D2260/532

  of the bevelled or angled type · CPC title

• F01D17/148

  by means of rotatable members, e.g. butterfly valves · CPC title

• F01D17/162 Primary

  for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence) · CPC title