Passive flow modulation of cooling flow into a cavity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191373-A1
Application number	US-201514983779-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A passive flow modulation device according to an embodiment includes: a temperature sensitive element disposed within a first area; a piston coupled to the temperature sensitive element, the piston extending through a wall to a second area, wherein the first area is at a higher temperature than the second area; and a valve arrangement disposed in the second area and actuated by a distal end portion of the piston, the valve arrangement tangentially injecting a supply of cooling air through an angled orifice from the second area into the first area in response an increase in temperature in the first area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A passive flow modulation device, comprising:
a temperature sensitive element disposed within a first area; a piston coupled to the temperature sensitive element, the piston extending through a wall to a second area, wherein the first area is at a higher temperature than the second area; and a valve arrangement disposed in the second area and actuated by a distal end portion of the piston, the valve arrangement tangentially injecting a supply of cooling air through an angled orifice from the second area into the first area in response an increase in temperature in the first area.

2 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the first area and the second area are located within a turbine.

3 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the first area is disposed between a stator and rotor of the turbine.

4 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the angled orifice further comprises a pre-swirl orifice or a flow inducer.

5 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 2 , wherein the first area comprises a wheelspace cavity of the turbine.

6 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the first area contains a rotating flow of air, and wherein the supply of cooling air is injected into the first area through the angled orifice in a direction of rotation of the rotating flow of air.

7 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the supply of cooling air injected into the first area increases in response to a further increase in the temperature in the first area.

8 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensitive element comprises a housing containing a thermally expandable material.

9 . A passive flow modulation device, comprising:
a temperature sensitive element; a piston coupled to the temperature sensitive element, the piston including a head section, wherein the temperature sensitive element and the piston are disposed in a first area; and an orifice, extending from a second area into the first area, for supplying a flow of cooling air from the second area to the first area, wherein the first area is at a higher temperature than the second area; wherein the temperature sensitive element enlarges or contracts to selectively position the head of the piston over a portion of the aperture to control the flow of cooling air from the second area into the first area.

10 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the orifice comprises an angled orifice, and wherein a distal end of the head of the piston includes an angled surface.

11 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 10 , wherein the angled surface of the head of the piston has a shape corresponding to a flow angle of the cooling air through the angled orifice.

12 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the first area and the second area are located within a turbine.

13 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 12 , wherein the first area comprises a wheelspace cavity of the turbine.

14 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the orifice comprises a pre-swirl orifice or a flow inducer.

15 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the first area contains a rotating flow of air, and wherein the flow of cooling air is injected into the first area through the angled orifice in a direction of rotation of the rotating flow of air.

16 . The passive flow modulation device according to claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensitive element comprises a housing containing a thermally expandable material.

17 . A cooling system for a turbine, comprising:
an orifice located between a first area and a second area of the turbine, wherein the first area of the turbine is at a higher temperature than the second area of the turbine; a passive flow modulation device disposed adjacent the orifice for directing a flow of cooling air through the orifice from the second area of the turbine to the first area of the turbine, the passive flow modulation device including:
a temperature sensitive element disposed within the first area;
a piston coupled to the temperature sensitive element, the piston extending through a wall to the second area; and
a valve arrangement disposed in the second area and actuated by a distal end portion of the piston, the valve arrangement selectively directing the flow of cooling air through the orifice from the second area into the first area in response a change in temperature in the first area; or
a temperature sensitive element; and
a piston coupled to the temperature sensitive element, the piston including a head section, wherein the temperature sensitive element and the piston are disposed in the first area;
wherein the temperature sensitive element enlarges or contracts in response to a change in temperature in the first area to selectively position the head of the piston over a portion of the aperture to control the flow of cooling air from the second area into the first area.

18 . The cooling system according to claim 17 , wherein the orifice comprise an angled orifice, and wherein the angled orifice comprises a pre-swirl orifice or a flow inducer.

19 . The cooling system according to claim 17 , wherein the first area comprises a wheelspace cavity of the turbine.

20 . The cooling system according to claim 17 , wherein the first area contains a rotating flow of air, and wherein the flow of cooling air is directed from the second area into the first area through the orifice in a direction of rotation of the rotating flow of air.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Miranda Carlos Miguel
• Widener Stanley Kevin

Classifications

• F01D17/085

  to temperature · CPC title

• F01D9/00

  Stators · CPC title

• F05D2220/30

  in turbines · CPC title

• F01D17/145 Primary

  by means of valves, e.g. for steam turbines (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• F01D25/12 Primary

  Cooling · CPC title