METHOD OF COOLING A GAS TURBINE AND APPARATUS

• US 20200131992A1
• Filed: 04/17/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Robak, Christopher W.
• Granted Patent: US 11,255,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/001 for sealing space between stator blade and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/04 using sealing fluid, e.g. steam
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/082 on the side of the rotor disc
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/18 the medium being gaseous, e.g. air F02C7/125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/3212 the first stage of a turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/201 by impingement of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A method of designing a gas turbine engine includes locating purge openings in fluid communication with a first stage cavity. At least one of a cover plate or a rotor disk is positioned adjacent the first stage cavity and radially inward from the purge openings. A portion of a rotor blade is positioned radially outward from the purge openings. A mass flow rate of cooling air through the purge openings is selected based on a radial location of the purge openings to create an air barrier between a radially inner side of the purge openings and a radially outer side of the purge openings.

Claims

1. A method of designing a gas turbine engine comprising:

locating purge openings in fluid communication with a first stage cavity;

positioning at least one of a cover plate or a rotor disk adjacent the first stage cavity and radially inward from the purge openings;

positioning a portion of a rotor blade radially outward from the purge openings; and

selecting a mass flow rate of cooling air through the purge openings based on a radial location of the purge openings to create an air barrier between a radially inner side of the purge openings and a radially outer side of the purge openings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass flow rate of cooling air through the purge openings is less than the mass flow rate needed to purge the first stage cavity of exhaust gases.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first stage cavity is a first stage forward cavity and the purge openings extend through a static structure forward of the first stage forward cavity and are in fluid communication with a compressor section.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising locating aft purge openings in fluid communication with a first stage aft cavity, wherein the aft purge openings are in fluid communication with the compressor section through at least one passage extending through at least one of a plurality of vanes.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising positioning at least one of an aft cover plate or an aft rotor disk adjacent the first stage aft cavity and radially inward from the aft purge openings and positioning a portion of a second rotor blade radially outward from the aft purge openings to create an air barrier between a radially inner side of the aft purge openings and a radially outer side of the aft purge openings.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting a mass flow rate of cooling air through the aft purge openings based on a radial location of the purge openings.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mass flow rate of cooling air through the aft purge openings is less than the mass flow rate needed to purge the first stage aft cavity of exhaust gases.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the purge openings extend in a direction transverse to an axis of rotation of the gas turbine engine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the purge openings include a first plurality of purge openings extending in a direction with a component in a radially inward direction and a second plurality of purge openings extending in a direction with a component in a radially outward direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the purge openings extend in a direction having a component in a circumferential direction.

11. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a first vane assembly;

a first rotor assembly located axially aft of the first vane assembly;

a cover plate engaging the first vane assembly and the first rotor assembly, wherein the first vane assembly, the first rotor assembly, and the cover plate at least partially define a first stage cavity, and

a plurality of purge openings in fluid communication with the first stage cavity and located radially outward from the cover plate.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the first stage cavity is a first stage forward cavity and the purge openings extend through a static structure forward of the first stage forward cavity and are in fluid communication with a compressor section.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 12, further comprising a first stage aft cavity and aft purge openings in fluid communication with the first stage aft cavity and in fluid communication with the compressor section through at least one passage extending through at least one of a plurality of vanes of the vane assembly.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13, further comprising at least one of an aft cover plate or an aft rotor disk adjacent the first stage aft cavity and radially inward from the aft purge openings and a portion of a second rotor blade is located radially outward from the aft purge openings.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the aft purge openings extend in a direction transverse to an axis of rotation of the gas turbine engine.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the aft purge openings include a first plurality of aft purge openings extending in a direction with a component in a radially inward direction and a second plurality of aft purge openings extending in a direction with a component in a radially outward direction.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the purge openings extend in a direction having a component in a circumferential direction.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the purge openings extend in a direction transverse to an axis of rotation of the gas turbine engine.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the purge openings include a first plurality of purge openings extending in a direction with a component in a radially inward direction and a second plurality of purge openings extending in a direction with a component in a radially outward direction.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein the purge openings extend in a direction having a component in a circumferential direction.