Diffuser pipe with axially-directed exit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020393129-A1
Application number	US-201916440213-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2019
Priority date	Jun 13, 2019
Publication date	Dec 17, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compressor diffuser for a gas turbine engine includes diffuser pipes having a tubular body including a generally radial portion, a bend portion and a generally axial portion. The generally axial portion has an exit segment extending parallel to the center axis and terminating at a pipe outlet. The bend portion is disposed radially further from the center axis than the exit segment.

First claim

1 . A compressor diffuser for a gas turbine engine having a center axis, the compressor diffuser comprising: diffuser pipes having a tubular body including a generally radial portion, a bend portion and a generally axial portion, the generally axial portion having an exit segment extending parallel to the center axis and terminating at a pipe outlet, the bend portion disposed radially further from the center axis than the exit segment.

2 . The compressor diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the exit segment is the same radial distance from the center axis along a length of the exit segment.

3 . The compressor diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has a length measured from an inlet of the generally radial portion to the pipe outlet, the exit segment having a length of 20% of the length of the tubular body.

4 . The compressor diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the generally axial portion curves radially inwardly from the bend portion toward the exit segment.

5 . The compressor diffuser of claim 4 , wherein the center axis and radial lines extending therefrom define a plurality of planes, one of the plurality of planes intersecting the tubular body along the generally axial portion to define a planar profile of the generally axial portion, the planar profile having a slope being a change in a radial distance of the planar profile from the center axis over a length along the center axis, the slope of the planar profile being negative where the generally axial portion curves radially inwardly from the bend portion toward the exit segment.

6 . The compressor diffuser of claim 5 , wherein the slope of planar profile along the exit segment is zero.

7 . The compressor diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the exit segment is curved circumferentially toward the center axis relative to a portion of the tubular body immediately upstream of the exit segment.

8 . The compressor diffuser of claim 1 in combination with a reverse-flow combustor positioned to receive fluid flow from the pipe outlet.

9 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor having an impeller rotatable about a center axis, and having a radial impeller outlet; a diffuser with diffuser pipes to receive fluid from the radial impeller outlet, and having a tubular body including a generally radial portion, a bend portion and a generally axial portion, the generally axial portion having an exit segment extending parallel to the center axis and terminating at a pipe outlet, the bend portion disposed radially further from the center axis than the exit segment; and a reverse-flow combustor downstream of the diffuser.

10 . The centrifugal compressor of claim 9 , wherein the exit segment is the same radial distance from the center axis along a length of the exit segment.

11 . The centrifugal compressor of claim 9 , wherein the tubular body has a length measured from an inlet of the generally radial portion to the pipe outlet, the exit segment having a length of 20% of the length of the tubular body.

12 . The centrifugal compressor of claim 9 , wherein the generally axial portion curves radially inwardly from the bend portion toward the exit segment.

13 . The centrifugal compressor of claim 12 , wherein the center axis and radial lines extending therefrom define a plurality of planes, one of the plurality of planes intersecting the tubular body along the generally axial portion to define a planar profile of the generally axial portion, the planar profile having a slope being a change in a radial distance of the planar profile from the center axis over a length along the center axis, the slope of the planar profile being negative where the generally axial portion curves radially inwardly from the bend portion toward the exit segment.

14 . The centrifugal compressor of claim 13 , wherein the slope of planar profile along the exit segment is zero.

15 . The centrifugal compressor of claim 9 , wherein the exit segment is curved circumferentially toward the center axis relative to a portion of the tubular body immediately upstream of the exit segment.

16 . A method of modifying a vibratory response of a diffuser pipe of a compressor with a center axis, the method comprising: positioning a bend portion of the diffuser pipe radially outwardly from the center axis and from an outlet of the diffuser pipe, and orienting an exit segment of the diffuser pipe to be parallel with the center axis.

17 . The method of claim 16 , comprising lengthening the diffuser pipe before the bend portion.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein orienting the exit segment includes straightening the exit segment to have a same radial distance from the center axis over a length of the exit segment.

19 . The method of claim 16 , comprising curving the diffuser pipe radially inwardly from the bend portion to the exit segment.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Duong Hien

Classifications

• F04D29/441

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/2255

  flow-channels with a special cross-section contour, e.g. ejecting, throttling or diffusing effect · CPC title

• F01D17/14

  varying effective cross-sectional area of nozzles or guide conduits · CPC title

• F02C3/08

  the compressor comprising at least one radial stage (F02C3/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2250/20

  Three-dimensional · CPC title