Gas turbine engine having an improved transition duct support
First Claim
1. In combination in an axial flow gas turbine engine having a combustion section including a plurality of burners disposed circumferentially about the engine axis for receiving and mixing compressed air and fuel in a combustion process to produce propulsive gases which are transmitted from the plurality of burners through a plurality of circumferentially disposed transition ducts between the respective burners and a turbine inlet at the turbine section, the improvement comprising:
- an outer support ring connected to the plurality of transition ducts and positioned in the engine coaxially of the engine axis, the outer ring circumscribing the transition ducts radially outside of the ducts;
an inner support ring connected to a plurality of transition ducts and positioned in the engine coaxially of the engine axis, the inner ring extending around the engine axis radially within the circumaxially disposed transition ducts;
a plurality of struts extending from the outer support ring to the inner support ring, the struts being interdigitated between the transition ducts; and
one of the support rings being fixedly secured in the engine between the combustion and turbine sections for holding the transition ducts in the engine, and the other of the support rings being suspended in the engine by the struts from said one of the support rings, said other of the support rings thereby being free to expand and contract radially in the engine with the transition ducts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An axial flow gas turbine engine is provided with a plurality of combustion chambers distributed circumferentially about the engine axis and a plurality of transition ducts which carry propulsive gases between the burners and an annular turbine inlet at a bulkhead between the combustion and turbine sections of the engine. Support for the transition ducts at the turbine inlet is provided by an outer support ring fixedly secured to the engine bulkhead and an inner support ring which is held by a plurality of struts from the outer support ring. Flexible sealing means extend between the inner support ring and the bulkhead adjacent the turbine inlet to permit the inner ring to expand or contract radially with the transition ducts and at the same time to prevent compressed air from flowing directly into the turbine section. The outer ring and the flexible sealing means are apertured to permit a limited flow of relatively cool compressor air to enter the turbine along with the propulsive gases and thereby cool the support structure and the inlet guide vanes of the turbine.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. In combination in an axial flow gas turbine engine having a combustion section including a plurality of burners disposed circumferentially about the engine axis for receiving and mixing compressed air and fuel in a combustion process to produce propulsive gases which are transmitted from the plurality of burners through a plurality of circumferentially disposed transition ducts between the respective burners and a turbine inlet at the turbine section, the improvement comprising:
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an outer support ring connected to the plurality of transition ducts and positioned in the engine coaxially of the engine axis, the outer ring circumscribing the transition ducts radially outside of the ducts; an inner support ring connected to a plurality of transition ducts and positioned in the engine coaxially of the engine axis, the inner ring extending around the engine axis radially within the circumaxially disposed transition ducts; a plurality of struts extending from the outer support ring to the inner support ring, the struts being interdigitated between the transition ducts; and one of the support rings being fixedly secured in the engine between the combustion and turbine sections for holding the transition ducts in the engine, and the other of the support rings being suspended in the engine by the struts from said one of the support rings, said other of the support rings thereby being free to expand and contract radially in the engine with the transition ducts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification