Heat pipe cooled turbine casing system for clearance management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290214-A1
Application number	US-201514676917-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbomachine includes a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor, and the turbine receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. The turbine has a turbine casing. A cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine casing. The cooling system includes a plurality of heat pipes attached to and in thermal communication with the turbine casing. The plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to one or more manifolds. The plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the turbine casing to a plurality of heat exchangers.

First claim

1 . A turbomachine comprising:
a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion; a combustor operably connected with the compressor, the combustor receiving the compressed airflow; a turbine operably connected with the combustor, the turbine receiving combustion gas flow from the combustor, the turbine having a turbine casing; a cooling system operatively connected to the turbine casing, the cooling system including a plurality of heat pipes attached to and in thermal communication with the turbine casing, the plurality of heat pipes operatively connected to one or more manifolds, the plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the turbine casing to a plurality of heat exchangers.

2 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , the plurality of heat pipes further comprising a heat transfer medium including one or combinations of:
aluminum, beryllium, beryllium-fluorine alloy, boron, calcium, cobalt, lead-bismuth alloy, liquid metal, lithium-chlorine alloy, lithium-fluorine alloy, manganese, manganese-chlorine alloy, mercury, molten salt, potassium, potassium-chlorine alloy, potassium-fluorine alloy, potassium-nitrogen-oxygen alloy, rhodium, rubidium-chlorine alloy, rubidium-fluorine alloy, sodium, sodium-chlorine alloy, sodium-fluorine alloy, sodium-boron-fluorine alloy, sodium nitrogen-oxygen alloy, strontium, tin, zirconium-fluorine alloy.

3 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , the plurality of heat pipes further comprising a molten salt heat transfer medium including one or combinations of, potassium or sodium.

4 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , the plurality of heat pipes attached to the turbine casing via one or more of:
welds, bolts, fasteners, welded brackets or clamps.

5 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , the plurality of heat pipes located circumferentially around the turbine casing.

6 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , each of the plurality of heat pipes located in a heat pipe heat exchanger, the heat pipe heat exchanger attached to the turbine casing.

7 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more manifolds form part of a heat transfer loop, and the heat transfer medium in the heat transfer loop is at least one of:
water, steam, glycol or oil.

8 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heat pipes have a cross-sectional shape, the cross sectional shape generally comprising at least one of:
circular, oval, rectangular with rounded corners or polygonal.

9 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , the plurality of heat pipes further comprising a plurality of fins, the plurality of fins configured to increase the heat transfer capability of the plurality of heat pipes.

10 . The turbomachine of claim 1 , the plurality of heat exchangers including a heat pipe heat exchanger operably connected to the plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds, and the heat pipe heat exchanger also operably connected to:
a fuel heating heat exchanger; or a heat recovery steam generator heat exchanger; or a fuel heating heat exchanger and a heat recovery steam generator heat exchanger.

11 . A cooling system for a turbomachine, the turbomachine including a compressor, a combustor operably connected with the compressor, and a turbine operably connected with the combustor, the turbine having a turbine casing, the cooling system comprising:
a cooling system operatively connected to the turbine casing, the cooling system including a plurality of heat pipes attached to and in thermal communication with the turbine casing, the plurality of heat pipes operatively connected to one or more manifolds, the plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the turbine casing to a plurality of heat exchangers.

12 . The cooling system of claim 11 , the plurality of heat pipes further comprising a heat transfer medium including one or combinations of:
aluminum, beryllium, beryllium-fluorine alloy, boron, calcium, cobalt, lead-bismuth alloy, liquid metal, lithium-chlorine alloy, lithium-fluorine alloy, manganese, manganese-chlorine alloy, mercury, molten salt, potassium, potassium-chlorine alloy, potassium-fluorine alloy, potassium-nitrogen-oxygen alloy, rhodium, rubidium-chlorine alloy, rubidium-fluorine alloy, sodium, sodium-chlorine alloy, sodium-fluorine alloy, sodium-boron-fluorine alloy, sodium nitrogen-oxygen alloy, strontium, tin, zirconium-fluorine alloy.

13 . The cooling system of claim 11 , the plurality of heat pipes further comprising a molten salt heat transfer medium including one or combinations of, potassium or sodium.

14 . The cooling system of claim 11 , the plurality of heat pipes attached to the turbine casing via one or more of:
welds, bolts, fasteners, welded brackets or clamps.

15 . The cooling system of claim 11 , the plurality of heat pipes located circumferentially around the turbine casing.

16 . The cooling system of claim 11 , each of the plurality of heat pipes located in a heat pipe heat exchanger, the heat pipe heat exchanger attached to the turbine casing.

17 . The cooling system of claim 13 , the plurality of heat exchangers including a heat pipe heat exchanger operably connected to the plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds, and the heat pipe heat exchanger also operably connected to:
a fuel heating heat exchanger; or a heat recovery steam generator heat exchanger; or a fuel heating heat exchanger and a heat recovery steam generator heat exchanger.

18 . The cooling system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of heat pipes have a cross-sectional shape, the cross sectional shape generally comprising at least one of:
circular, oval, or rectangular with rounded corners, polygonal.

19 . A method of extracting heat from a turbine casing of a turbomachine, the method comprising:
passing combustion gases through a turbine, the turbine casing forming an outer shell of the turbine; extracting heat from the turbine casing by thermally conducting the heat to a plurality of heat pipes, the plurality of heat pipes comprising a molten salt heat transfer medium including one or combinations of, potassium or sodium; conducting heat from the plurality of heat pipes to a heat pipe heat exchanger, the heat pipe heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to a fuel heating heat exchanger.

20 . The method of claim 19 , the heat pipe heat exchanger operably connected to a circuit including a heat recovery steam generator heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Ekanayake Sanji
• Scipio Alston Ilfrod
• Yang Timothy Tahteh

Classifications

• F01P9/00 Primary

  Cooling having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F01P1/00 - F01P7/00 (profiting from waste heat of combustion-engine cooling F02G5/00) · CPC title

• F01P9/02

  Cooling by evaporation, e.g. by spraying water on to cylinders (evaporation and condensation of liquid coolant in closed cycles F01P3/22 {; evaporation or evaporation apparatus for physical or chemical purposes, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions B01B1/005}) · CPC title

• F02C3/04

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title

• F02M31/16

  Other apparatus for heating fuel · CPC title

• F01D11/24 Primary

  by selectively cooling-heating stator or rotor components · CPC title