MECHANICAL JOINT FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

• US 20100316484A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jasko, Ryan Michael, Monttinen, Jarmo Tapani, Intemann, Paul Alexander, Muthasamy, Sasikumar, Seitzer, Kenneth Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,459,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/001 for sealing space between stator blade and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/041 using blades F01D5/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/506 bolted or riveted

Abstract

A mechanical joint for a gas turbine engine includes:(a) an annular first component having an annular, radially-extending first flange; (b) an annular second component having an annular, radially-extending second flange abutting the first flange; (c) a plurality of generally radially-extending radial channels passing through at least one of the first and second flanges; (d) a plurality of generally axially-extending channels extending through the first flange and communicating with respective ones of the radial channels; and (e) a plurality of fasteners clamping the first and second flanges together.

Claims

1. A mechanical joint for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

(a) an annular first component having an annular, radially-extending first flange;

(b) an annular second component having an annular, radially-extending second flange abutting the first flange;

(c) a plurality of generally radially-extending radial channels passing through at least one of the first and second flanges;

(d) a plurality of generally axially-extending channels extending through the first flange and communicating with respective ones of the radial channels; and

(e) a plurality of fasteners clamping the first and second flanges together.

2. The mechanical joint of claim 1, wherein:

(a) The first flange has a plurality of generally radially-extending first grooves formed therein; and

(b) The second flange has a plurality of generally radially-extending second grooves formed therein, wherein the first and second grooves are circumferentially aligned so as to cooperatively define the radial channels.

3. The mechanical joint of claim 1 wherein a head of each of the fasteners includes one or more tabs which extend laterally so as to deflect flow through passing through the axial channels.

4. The mechanical joint of claim 3 wherein the tabs carried by adjacent bolts are axially offset and overlap each other in a lateral direction.

17. The mechanical joint of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of clips disposed between the fasteners so as to deflect flow through passing through the axial channels, the clips being retained in grooves formed in heads of the fasteners.

18. the mechanical joint of claim 17 wherein the clips are generally J-shaped and include spaced-apart fingers which engage one of the flanges.

5. A joint structure for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

(a) an annular nozzle support coupled to a stationary turbine nozzle, including a radially-extending nozzle support flange, the nozzle support flange having a plurality of generally radially-extending first grooves formed therein;

(b) an annular diffuser including a plurality of streamlined struts and a diffuser arm carrying a radially-extending diffuser flange abutting the nozzle support flange, the diffuser flange including a plurality of generally radially-extending second grooves formed therein, wherein the first and second grooves are circumferentially aligned so as to cooperatively define radial channels;

(c) an annular outlet guide vane structure including a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes and an outlet guide vane arm carrying a radially-extending outlet guide vane flange which abuts the diffuser flange, wherein the diffuser arm and the outlet guide vane arm cooperatively define an open volume therebetween;

(d) a plurality of generally axially-extending channels extending through the diffuser and outlet guide flanges, and communicating with respective ones of the radial channels and the open volume; and

(e) a plurality of fasteners clamping the nozzle support flange, diffuser flange, and outlet guide vane flange together.

6. The joint structure of claim 5 wherein each of the fasteners has a head disposed adjacent the outlet guide vane flange, each head including one or more tabs which extend laterally so as to deflect flow through passing through the axial channels.

7. The joint structure of claim 6 wherein the tabs carried by adjacent bolts are axially offset and overlap each other in a lateral direction.

8. The joint structure of claim 5 wherein the nozzle support flange includes a plurality of scallops formed therein

9. The joint structure of claim 5 wherein the outlet guide vane flange includes a plurality of generally radially-extending slots which communicate with the axial channels and a radially outer edge of the outlet guide vane flange.

10. The joint structure of claim 5 wherein a center portion of the outlet guide vane arm carries a stationary seal member on an inner surface thereof.

11. The joint structure of claim 10 wherein a center portion of the outlet guide vane arm carrying the stationary seal member is at least twice as thick as a remaining portion of the outlet guide vane arm.

12. The joint structure of claim 10 further comprising an annular heat shield surrounding a center portion of the outlet guide vane arm.

13. The joint structure of claim 10 further comprising an annular windage shield having an L-shaped cross-section disposed adjacent the nozzle support and surrounding the fasteners.

14. The joint structure of claim 13 wherein preselected gaps are is present between the distal ends of axial and radial legs of the windage shield and the adjacent structure, so as to allow flow circulation past the fasteners.

19. The joint structure of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of clips disposed between the fasteners so as to deflect flow through passing through the axial channels, the clips being retained in grooves formed in heads of the fasteners.

20. the joint structure of claim 19 wherein the clips are generally J-shaped and include spaced-apart fingers which engage the outlet guide vane flange.

15. A method of reducing thermal gradients in a mechanical joint for a gas turbine engine of the type including two or more annular components each having radially-extending flanges which are clamped together with a plurality of fasteners, wherein exterior surfaces of the annular components are exposed in operation to high-temperature gases, the method comprising passing high-temperature gases from the exterior through central portions of the clamped flanges.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising deflecting gases which have passed through the clamped flanges away from an axial direction.