System and method for covering a blade mounting region of turbine blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9366151-B2
Application number	US-201213465957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2012
Priority date	May 7, 2012
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A system includes a cover segment configured to mount in first and second grooves circumferentially along a blade mounting region of a turbine rotor. The cover segment includes a cover body and at least one fastener. The cover body includes first and second lips extending along first and second circumferential portions of the cover body at an offset from one another. The first lip is configured to mount circumferentially along the first groove and the second lip is configured to mount circumferentially along the second groove. The at least one fastener is configured to retain the cover body to the turbine rotor or at least one blade mounted in the blade mounting region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a turbine, comprising:
a turbine rotor comprising a blade mounting region having a plurality blade mounts disposed circumferentially about a rotational axis of the turbine rotor, and first and second grooves extending circumferentially along the blade mounting region at a radial offset from one another relative to the rotational axis;
a plurality of blades disposed in the plurality of blade mounts, wherein the plurality of blade mounts comprises a plurality of blade slots;
a segmented cover assembly comprising a plurality of cover segments configured to mount in the first and second grooves circumferentially along the blade mounting region, wherein each cover segment comprises:
a cover body comprising:
a sealing rib configured to interface with the blade mounting region and to extend around at least one axial blade slot of the plurality of blade slots when the cover body is in a mounted position;
a first lip extending along a first circumferential portion of the cover body, wherein the first lip is configured to mount circumferentially along the first groove when the cover body is in the mounted position; and
a second lip extending along a second circumferential portion of the cover body, wherein the second lip is disposed radially opposite the first lip, and the second lip is configured to mount circumferentially along the second groove when the cover body is in the mounted position, wherein the second lip comprises a hook portion, and a drop down space is formed between the hook portion, the sealing rib, and the turbine rotor when the cover body is in the mounted position; and

at least one fastener configured to retain the cover body to the turbine rotor or one of the plurality of blades.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each cover segment is configured to mount the first and second lips in a first radial direction into the first and second grooves, and the at least one fastener is configured to block movement of the cover segment in a second radial direction opposite to the first radial direction.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first lip comprises a protrusive portion having a fastener receptacle configured to receive the at least one fastener.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the segmented cover assembly substantially covers the plurality of axial blade slots.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing rib is configured to direct a coolant flow through the blade mounting region.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each cover segment is configured to extend over at least first and second blade mounts of the plurality of blade mounts.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the turbine comprises a gas turbine.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second grooves are oriented in a common direction.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second grooves are oriented in the common direction radially inward toward the rotational axis.

10. A system, comprising:
a cover segment configured to mount in first and second grooves circumferentially along a blade mounting region of a turbine rotor, wherein the first groove is radially outside the second groove, and the cover segment comprises:
a cover body comprising:
a sealing rib comprising a lower portion configured to interface with the turbine rotor radially between an axial blade slot and the second groove when the cover body is in a mounted position, wherein the sealing rib is configured to interface with the blade mounting region to form a sealed portion axially between the cover body and the axial blade slot, and the sealing rib is configured to extend around at least one axial blade slot in the blade mounting region;
a first lip extending along a first circumferential portion of the cover body, wherein the first lip is configured to mount circumferentially along the first groove when the cover body is in the mounted position; and
a second lip extending along a second circumferential portion of the cover body, wherein the second lip is configured to mount circumferentially along the second groove when the cover body is in the mounted position, wherein the second lip comprises a hook portion, and a drop down space is formed between the hook portion, the lower portion of the sealing rib, and the turbine rotor when the cover body is in the mounted position; and

at least one fastener configured to retain the cover body to the turbine rotor or at least one blade mounted in the blade mounting region.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second lips are oriented in a common radial direction, and the at least one fastener is oriented in an axial direction.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the cover segment is configured to mount the first and second lips in a first radial direction into the first and second grooves, and the at least one fastener is configured to block movement of the cover segment in a circumferential direction and a second radial direction opposite to the first radial direction.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first lip comprises a protrusive portion having a fastener receptacle configured to receive the at least one fastener.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the sealing rib is configured to direct a coolant flow through the sealed portion.

15. The system of claim 12 , comprising a turbine having the turbine rotor and the cover segment.

16. A method, comprising:
mounting a segmented cover body in first and second grooves circumferentially along a blade mounting region of a turbine rotor, wherein the first groove is radially outside the second groove, and mounting comprises:
inserting a first lip of a cover body segment into the first groove;
inserting a second lip of the cover body segment into the second groove after inserting the first lip of the cover body into the first groove, wherein the first and second lips extend along first and second circumferential portions of the cover body segment at an offset from one another, the second lip comprises a hook portion, and the cover body segment is in a mounted position when the first lip interfaces with the first groove and the second lip interfaces with the second groove;
interfacing a sealing rib with the turbine rotor to form a sealed portion and a drop down space when the cover body segment is in the mounted position, wherein the sealed portion is disposed between the cover body segment and the blade mounting region, the sealing rib extends around and interfaces with an axial blade slot in the blade mounting region when the cover body segment is in the mounted position, and the drop down space is disposed between the hook portion, the sealing rib and the turbine rotor when the cover body segment is in the mounted position; and
inserting, after inserting the second lip of the cover body segment into the second groove, at least one fastener to secure the cover body segment to the turbine rotor or at least one blade mounted in the blade mounting region; and

directing a coolant flow through the sealed portion.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein inserting the first and second lips comprises inserting the first and second lips in a first radial direction into the first and second grooves, and inserting the at least one fastener comprises inserting the at least one fastener in an axial direction to block movement of the cover body segment in a second radial direction opposite to the first radial direction.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein inserting the first lip comprises inserting a protrusive portion having a fastene

Assignees

• Dimmick Iii John Herbert
• Lecuyer Raymond Joseph
• Butz David Arthur
• Austin Norman K
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Dimmick Iii John Herbert
• Lecuyer Raymond Joseph
• Butz David Arthur
• Austin Norman K

Classifications

• F05D2230/64

  using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centring, e.g. pins · CPC title

• F01D5/3015

  with side plates · CPC title

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title

• F01D11/006 Primary

  Sealing the gap between rotor blades or blades and rotor · CPC title

• Y02T50/671

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic