Integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9556746-B2
Application number	US-201314048426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2013
Priority date	Oct 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

An integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement according to an embodiment, includes a single-piece interturbine duct (ITD) and a plurality of vane nozzle segments removably attached to the ITD. Vane airfoils of the vane nozzle segments in combination with trailing edge portions of the struts, form a vane nozzle integrated with the ITD.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
an interturbine duct (ITD) including inner and outer annular duct walls arranged concentrically about an axis and defining an annular flow passage therebetween, an array of circumferentially spaced apart struts extending radially across the annular flow passage, each of the struts having an airfoil profile with a leading edge and a trailing edge portion, the inner and outer annular duct walls each defining a plurality of receivers in respective downstream end sections of the inner and outer annular duct walls, each of the receivers being circumferentially located between adjacent struts, each of the receivers including a pair of opposed axial surfaces circumferentially facing each other, the receivers in the inner or outer duct wall further including at least one axially extending slot;
a plurality of vane nozzle segments, each of the vane nozzle segments including an inner ring segment, an outer ring segment and a plurality of spaced apart vane airfoils extending between and interconnecting the inner and outer ring segments, the vane nozzle segments being removably received in the respective receivers of the ITD between the opposed axial surfaces of the receivers, the inner or outer ring segment of each of the vane nozzle segments having at least one lug slidably axially engaged in the at least one axially extending slot of an associated one of the receivers, the vane nozzle segments cooperating with the downstream end section of the inner and outer annular duct walls to provide a vane nozzle integrated with the ITD, the vane airfoils of the vane ring segments in combination with trailing edge portions of the respective struts forming an array of nozzle openings in a downstream end section of the annular flow passage, and
a retaining ring mounted in a circumferential groove defined in the inner or outer annular duct wall of the ITD, the retaining ring axially retaining the vane nozzle segments in the receivers.

2. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the vane airfoils of the vane nozzle segments are axially positioned such that trailing edges of the respective vane airfoils axially align with the trailing edges of the respective struts.

3. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein a nozzle opening dimension measured circumferentially between trailing edges of adjacent vane airfoils is substantially identical to a nozzle opening dimension measured circumferentially between the trailing edge of each of the struts and a trailing edge of one of the vane airfoils which is adjacent the strut.

4. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one axially extending slot comprises a plurality of slots defined in a number of the receivers, the slots receiving the at least one lug of the respective vane nozzle segments to radially and circumferentially retain the respective vane nozzle segment in position such that the inner ring segments and the outer ring segments form part of the respective inner and outer annular duct walls of the ITD.

5. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein the at least one lug is disposed on each of the outer ring segments and wherein the slots are defined in the outer annular duct wall, and wherein the at least one lug includes a pair of lugs projecting outwardly from opposed circumferential ends of each outer ring segments.

6. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 4 wherein the at least one lug is disposed on each of the inner ring segments and wherein the slots are defined in the inner annular duct wall.

7. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the inner ring segments each comprise circumferentially opposed ends defining two end surfaces facing away from each other, the at least one lug comprising opposed lugs projecting circumferentially away from each of the end surfaces, and wherein the axially extending slot comprises a pair of axial slots defined on the opposed axial surfaces of each receiver in the inner annular duct wall for receiving axial insertion of the respective one of the lugs to thereby radially and circumferentially retain the vane nozzle segments in position with respect to the ITD.

8. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer ring segments each comprise circumferentially opposed ends defining two end surfaces facing away from each other, the at least one lug comprising lugs projecting circumferentially away from each of the end surfaces, and wherein the at least one axially extending slot comprises an axial slot defined on each of the opposed axial surfaces of the receivers in the outer annular duct wall for receiving axial insertion of the respective one of the lugs to thereby radially and circumferentially retain the vane nozzle segments in position with respect to the ITD.

9. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the retaining ring is in contact with a circumferentially extending radial surface of the respective vane nozzle segments to thereby axially retain the vane nozzle segments in position with respect to the ITD.

10. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 9 wherein the circumferential groove is defined in the inner annular duct wall.

11. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 9 wherein each of the vane nozzle segments comprises a flange segment projecting radially away from the inner ring segment, the flange segment defining said circumferentially extending radial surface.

12. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the ITD is a single-piece component which includes said inner and outer annular duct walls, said struts and a plurality of vane airfoils radially extending between and interconnecting the inner and outer annular duct walls, the vane airfoils of the ITD being identical to the vane airfoils of the vane nozzle segments in shape and size, trailing edges of the vane airfoils of the ITD axially aligning with the trailing edges of the struts.

13. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 12 wherein said vane airfoils of the ITD are arranged in pairs, each of the struts being flanked by a pair of the vane airfoils of the ITD.

14. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein a leading edge of the respective vane airfoils is disposed downstream of the leading edge of the respective struts in the annular flow passage.

15. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the receivers are defined as a plurality of recesses in the outer annular duct wall and a plurality of slots in the inner annular duct wall.

16. The integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the vane nozzle segments comprises a T shaped dovetail configuration on the outer ring segment and wherein the ITD comprises a T shaped groove for receiving axial insertion of the T shaped dovetail configuration.

17. An integrated strut and turbine vane nozzle (ISV) arrangement for a gas turbine engine, compri

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Paradis Vincent
• Pater Chris

Classifications

• F01D25/246 Primary

  Fastening of diaphragms or stator-rings · CPC title

• F01D25/162

  Bearing supports · CPC title

• F01D5/3007

  of axial insertion type · CPC title

• F01D5/142

  of the blades of successive rotor or stator blade-rows · CPC title

• F01D9/042

  fixing blades to stators (fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246) · CPC title