Device for sealing gas turbine stator blades

• US 6,217,279 B1
• Filed: 02/10/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Aoki, Sunao, Yuri, Masanori, Ai, Toshishige, Suenaga, Kiyoshi, Tomita, Yasuoki, Fukuno, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US09/230,820
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 415/115, 415/116, 415/117, 415/110-113, 415/135, 415/136, 415/176, 415/178, 415/180
• US Class Current: 415/110
• 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 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: F02C 7/18 the medium being gaseous, e.g. air F02C7/125 takes precedence

Abstract

A sealing device for a gas turbine stator blade, in which an outer shroud (32) is mounted by heat insulating rings (32a,32b) on a blade ring (50). The blade ring (50) has a first air hole (1), which communicates with a space (53), and a second air hole (51), which communicates with a seal tube (2). The seal tube (2) is inserted into the second air hole (51), and a spring (6) is arranged between a projection (4) of the tube (2) and a retaining portion (5) of the air hole (51) to removably secure the seal tube (2). Cooling air (54) flows through the first air hole (1) to cool the shrouds and the inside of a stator blade (31) until it is released from the trailing edge of the blade. The cooling air also flows into a cavity (36) so that a high pressure can be maintained without a pressure loss because the tube (2) is independent of the space (53) in the blade ring.

Claims

1. A sealing device for a gas turbine stator blade, in which air is guided from air holes formed in a blade ring through a space formed by said blade ring, a heat insulating ring and an outer shroud, the air being further guided from said space through a seal tube in the stator blade into an inner shroud, such that a pressure in a cavity of said inner shroud may be maintained at a higher pressure than that in a combustion gas passage to seal the interior of said inner shroud,

wherein said air holes include a first air hole communicating with said space, and a second air hole communicating with said seal tube.

2. A sealing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said seal tube is removably connected to said second air hole.

3. A sealing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion of the air is bled from a compressor into said air holes, said cavity is formed by an inner shroud and a seal ring retaining ring, and the air bled from said compressor is cooled by a cooler prior to being guided into said stator blade to cool said seal ring retaining ring.

4. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a coil spring interposed between a retaining portion of said second air hole and a projection formed on said seal tube.

5. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a coil spring, wherein said seal tube includes a removable adapter partially inserted in said second air hole, said removable adapter having a projection, and said coil spring is interposed between a retaining portion of said second air hole and said projection formed on said removable adapter.

6. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bellows member connected between said blade ring and said seal tube.

7. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a coil spring disposed between a retaining portion of said second air hole and a radial projection of said seal tube.

8. A stator blade sealing arrangement for a gas turbine, said sealing arrangement comprising:

a stator blade having an outer shroud and an inner shroud;

a blade ring connected to said outer shroud, said blade ring including a first air hole and a second air hole;

heat insulating rings connecting said blade ring with said outer shroud;

a radial space defined by said heat insulating rings, said outer shroud, and said blade ring, wherein said first air hole communicates with said radial space;

a seal tube extending from said second air hole, through said radial space and said stator blade and into said inner shroud, said seal tube having a first end communicating with said second air hole,

wherein air bled from a compressor can be guided into said radial space, via said first air hole, and into an interior of said inner shroud through said seal tube, via said second air hole, so that pressure in a cavity of said inner shroud can be maintained at a higher pressure than a pressure in a combustion gas passage.

9. A sealing device arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air bled from the compressor passes through a cooler prior to entering said first and second air holes.

10. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a coil spring interposed between a retaining portion of said second air hole and a projection formed on said seal tube.

11. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a coil spring, wherein said seal tube includes a removable adapter partially inserted in said second air hole, said removable adapter having a projection, and said coil spring is interposed between a retaining portion of said second air hole and said projection formed on said removable adapter.

12. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a bellows member connected between said blade ring and said seal tube.

13. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a coil spring disposed between a retaining portion of said second air hole and a radial projection of said seal tube.