INTERNAL COOLING OF ENGINE COMPONENTS

• US 20160097286A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: TIBBOTT, Ian, RAWLINSON, Anthony John, IRELAND, Peter Thomas, CRESCI, Irene
• Granted Patent: US 9,797,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/188 with an insert in the blade cavity to guide the cooling fluid, e.g. forming a separation wall
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/189 the insert having a tubular cross-section, e.g. airfoil shape
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/041 using blades F01D5/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/065 Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/126 Baffles or ribs
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/127 Vortex generators, turbulators, or the like, for mixing by creating turbulence F05D2260/2212
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/201 by impingement of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/2212 by creating turbulence vortex generators, turbulators or the like for mixing F05D2240/127
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/22141 using fins or ribs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine component, especially an aerofoil-sectioned nozzle guide vane (NGV), having at least one internal cooling chamber for passage of cooling air, the chamber including leading edge portion and one inlet portion via which cooling air may enter the chamber from feed source, wherein the component includes a partitioning element, e.g. curved or scoop-shaped partitioning plate or wall, provided in the chamber inlet portion and defining within the inlet portion a sub-chamber adjacent the leading edge portion, and wherein partitioning element is configured so the cooling air velocity in the sub-chamber is less than the cooling air velocity in the remainder of inlet portion. The reduced velocity of the cooling air in the sub-chamber adjacent the leading edge serves to increase pressure therein, thereby maintaining desired backflow pressure margin between the feed pressure of the cooling air delivered to the showerhead holes and the gas-path from the combustor.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine component having at least one internal cooling chamber for passage therethrough of cooling air, the said chamber including a leading edge portion and at least one inlet portion via which cooling air may enter the chamber from a feed source,

wherein the component comprises a partitioning element present in the chamber inlet portion and extending to define a sub-chamber wholly or partly within the chamber which sub-chamber is bounded by the partitioning element and the leading edge portion, the sub-chamber having a sub-chamber inlet arranged to receive cooling air from the feed source and wherein the partitioning element is configured such that the cooling air velocity in the sub-chamber is less than the cooling air velocity in the remainder of the inlet portion.

2. A gas turbine engine component as claimed in claim 1 wherein the component is a nozzle guide vane or a turbine blade.

3. A gas turbine engine component as claimed in claim 2 wherein the component comprises forward and rearward cooling chambers and a partitioning element is provided in the forward cooling chamber.

5. A component according to claim 1, wherein at least an axially outer portion of the partitioning element relative to the longitudinal axis of the cooling chamber of the component, extends into an inlet feed passage via which cooling air enters the inlet portion of the cooling chamber from the feed source, in addition to the partitioning element being located in the inlet portion itself.

6. A component according to claim 1, wherein at least an axially inner portion of the partitioning element relative to the longitudinal axis of the cooling chamber of the component extends into the main volume of the cooling chamber, in addition to the partitioning element being located in the inlet portion itself of the chamber.

7. A component according to claim 1, wherein the partitioning element is provided in at least the inlet portion of the cooling chamber by virtue of being mounted therein by either:

(i) being manufactured as a discrete element and subsequently mounted in the component at the desired location by welding;

or

(ii) being formed integrally with the side walls of the component by virtue of it being cast as an integral internal wall portion of the overall component wall structural arrangement during the overall casting thereof.

8. A component according to claim 1, wherein the partitioning element is arranged in the inlet portion of the cooling chamber by virtue of being mounted therein and attached to an inner side wall of the component itself.

9. A component according to claim 1, wherein the cooling chamber contains an insert tube comprising impingement holes therein for feeding cooling air to the leading edge portion of the component, and the partitioning element is mounted in the insert tube and attached to an inner side wall of the insert tube.

10. A component according to claim 1, wherein the partitioning element is in the form of a body, plate, wall, member or element having a cross-section or a face adjacentmost the leading edge portion of the component which is of a desired or appropriate shape and/or configuration.

11. A component according to claim 10, wherein the said cross-section or the said face of the partitioning element is selected from any of the following shapes and/or configurations:

(i) non-flat;

(ii) smoothly curved or arcuate in one or more orthogonal directions;

(iii) comprising two or more substantially flat sections angled with respect to each other in one or more orthogonal directions;

(iv) concave in one or more orthogonal directions;

(v) part-cylindrical in one or more orthogonal directions;

(vi) scoop-shaped;

(vii) in one or more orthogonal directions it is planar, part-cylindrical, part-polygonal, part-spherical, part-parabolic, part-hyperbolic or a shape derived from any combination of two or more of any of the preceding curves, shapes or mathematical functions defined in this subparagraph (vii);

(viii) comprising a plurality of portions, each of which is independently shaped or configured in accordance with any one or more of the shapes, configurations, curves or mathematical functions or any combination thereof as defined in any of (i) to (vii) above.

12. A component according to claim 1, wherein a single said partitioning element is provided in the inlet portion of the cooling chamber, whereby a single sub-chamber is defined adjacent the leading edge portion thereof.

13. A component according to claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of said partitioning elements are provided in at least the inlet portion of the cooling chamber, such that a plurality of sub-chambers are defined therewithin.

14. A component according to claim 1, wherein the chamber the cooling chamber has a plurality of inlet portions, and each of the inlet portions is provided with a respective one of a plurality of said partitioning elements.

15. A partitioning element for use, or when used, in forming or operating or using a component of a gas turbine engine, wherein the partitioning element is the partitioning element of the component of claim 1.

16. A gas turbine engine including one or more internally cooled components, the or each component being a component according to claim 1.

4. A component according wherein the leading edge portion of the component comprises a showerhead portion, the sub-chamber defined by the partitioning element being adjacent the showerhead portion.

17. A method of cooling a leading edge portion of a component of a gas turbine engine, the component having at least one internal cooling chamber for passage therethrough of cooling air, the said chamber including a leading edge portion and at least one inlet portion via which cooling air may enter the chamber from a feed source,

wherein the method comprises:

providing a partitioning element in the chamber inlet portion and extending to define a sub-chamber wholly or partly within the chamber which sub-chamber is bounded by the partitioning element and the leading edge portion, the sub-chamber having a sub-chamber inlet arranged to receive cooling air from the feed source the partitioning element being configured such that, in use, the cooling air velocity in the sub-chamber is less than the cooling air velocity in the remainder of the inlet portion, and

when in use, cooling the component by feeding cooling air from the feed source into both the sub-chamber and the chamber, whereby the cooling air velocity in the sub-chamber is less than the cooling air velocity in the chamber outside of the sub-chamber.