Liquid cooling system for gas turbines

• US 6,672,075 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Maryland
• Original Assignee: University of Maryland
• Inventors: Sandu, Constantin, Brasoveanu, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Casaregola, Louis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/197,434
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 608/05, 608/06, 415/114, 415/175, 415/176, 415/178
• US Class Current: 60/806
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/088 in a closed cavity
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/185 Liquid cooling F01D5/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/16 characterised by cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/232 characterized by the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

Cooling systems with liquid for gas turbine engines use the relative motion of the engine stator with respect to the rotor for actuating the coolant pump. The cooling system is completely encapsulated within the engine rotor. The cooling system includes a tank containing the cooling liquid, a coolant pump coupled to the tank to extract the cooling liquid from the tank, a system of ducts and channels extending in the rotor shaft, and rotor disks and rotor blades, where the heat exchanger is positioned either in the compressor drum, or in the end of compressor section.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling system in a gas turbine including a compressor section having a compressor drum and compressor blades, a combustion section fluidly coupled to said compressor section, a turbine rotor and a turbine stator, said turbine rotor having a rotor shaft, at least one rotor disk on said rotor shaft, and rotor blades arranged on said at least one rotor disk, comprising:

a tank having an inlet and an outlet and containing a cooling liquid therein,

a coolant pump coupled to said tank to extract said cooling liquid therefrom for forced circulation of said cooling liquid through said at least one rotor disk and said rotor blades, and

a heat exchanger fluidly coupled by an inlet thereof to said at least one rotor disk and said rotor blades, and by an output thereof to said tank for cooling said liquid returning from said at least one rotor disk and said rotor blades and for supplying said cooled liquid to said tank, said tank, said coolant pump, and said heat exchanger being incorporated into said turbine rotor.

2. The liquid cooling system of claim 1, further comprising:

a system of intake and output channels extending within said rotor shaft, said at least one rotor disk and said rotor blades, each at said intake channels being fluidly coupled to a respective one of said output channels;

said inlet of said heat exchanger being coupled to said output channels to receive a heated said cooling liquid therefrom.

3. The liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein said coolant pump is actuated responsive to relative motion between said stator and said rotor.

4. The liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger is positioned in said compressor drum.

5. The liquid cooling system of claim 2, wherein said heat exchanger is positioned at the end of said compressor stage, said heat exchanger including cooling blades having ducts formed therethrough and coupled to said output channels, the heated liquid delivered to said cooling blades ducts transferring the heat associated therewith to said cooling blades of said heat exchanger.

6. The liquid cooling system of claim 2, wherein said heat exchanger is positioned in said compressor drum, said compressor blades including transfer ducts formed therein for said coolant liquid to pass therethrough, said transfer ducts being fluidly coupled between said output channels and said inlet of said tank.

7. The coolant system of claim 1, wherein said coolant pump includes a pump for forced recirculation of the coolant liquid.

8. The coolant system of claim 1, wherein said cooling pump includes a rotating pump body and an adjusting unit coupled to said rotating pump body for adjusting the speed of said cooling pump.

9. The coolant system of claim 1, wherein said tank includes a rotating tank.

10. The coolant system of claim 4, wherein said heat exchanger is formed as a casting made from either a heat resistant steel, super alloy, or titanium alloy.

11. The coolant system of claim 4, wherein said heat exchanger includes hollow blades, and brazed cylindrical ribs, extending between said hollow blades on the external surface of said heat exchanger.

12. The coolant system of claim 5, wherein said cooling blades of said heat exchanger are made of heat resistant steel or super alloy.

13. The coolant system of claim 2, wherein said intake and output channels are made from super alloy.

14. The coolant system of claim 5, wherein said ducts are made from a heat resistant steel.

15. The coolant system of claim 1, wherein said coolant liquid includes a metallic alloy having a composition of 25% of sodium and 75% of potassium.