Apparatus and method for minimizing differential thermal expansion of gas turbine vane structures
First Claim
1. A gas turbine comprising:
- (a) a combustion section having means for producing a hot gas;
(b) a turbine section having a plurality of shrouds disposed therein, each of said shrouds having first and second surfaces, said turbine section having means for directing sad hot gas to flow over each of said first surfaces; and
(c) a laminate structure affixed to said second surface of each of said shrouds, each of said laminate structures having first and second layers, each of said first and second layers having first and second surfaces, said first and second layers joined together along their respective first surfaces, a first passageway formed in said first surface of said first layer, each of said first passageways having an inlet and an outlet, each of said inlets and outlets in flow communication with said hot gas flowing over said first surfaces of said shrouds.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for minimizing differential thermal expansion in external cooling air structures formed on the shrouds of the vane segments of a gas turbine. The external cooling air structure is formed from a laminate comprised of two layers joined in sandwich-like fashion. A passageway, which may be of a serpentine arrangement, is formed between the two layers of the laminate. Hot gas flowing over the shroud is directed through the passageway, thereby heating the structure so that its temperature is close to that of the shroud. Cooling air is bled into the hot gas directed to the passageway so as to reduce the temperature of the hot gas flowing through the passageway and prevent overheating of the external cooling air structure.
52 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A gas turbine comprising:
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(a) a combustion section having means for producing a hot gas; (b) a turbine section having a plurality of shrouds disposed therein, each of said shrouds having first and second surfaces, said turbine section having means for directing sad hot gas to flow over each of said first surfaces; and (c) a laminate structure affixed to said second surface of each of said shrouds, each of said laminate structures having first and second layers, each of said first and second layers having first and second surfaces, said first and second layers joined together along their respective first surfaces, a first passageway formed in said first surface of said first layer, each of said first passageways having an inlet and an outlet, each of said inlets and outlets in flow communication with said hot gas flowing over said first surfaces of said shrouds. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 24, 25)
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11. A gas turbine comprising:
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(a) a combustion section having means for producing a hot gas; (b) a turbine section having a plurality of shrouds disposed therein, each of said shrouds having first and second surfaces, said turbine section having means for directing said hot gas to flow over each of said first surfaces; (c) a supply of cooling air; d) a structure affixed to said second surface of each of said shrouds, each of said structures having first and second layers, each of said first and second layers having first and second surfaces, said first and second layers joined along their respective first surfaces, a first passageway formed between each of said first and second layers, each of said first passageways having a serpentine arrangement and an inlet and an outlet, each of said inlets and outlets in flow communication with said hot gas flowing over said first surfaces of said shrouds, said second surface of said first layer forming a second passageway through which said cooling air flows; and e) means for inducing a portion of said hot gas flowing over said first surfaces of each of said shrouds to flow through each of said first passageways.
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14. In a gas turbine through which a hot gas flows, said gas turbine having a member, said member having first and second surfaces, means for directing said hot gas flow over said first surface of said member, and a cooling air supply, an apparatus for containing and distributing cooling air from said supply comprising:
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(a) a laminate structure affixed to said second surface of said member, said laminate structure having first and second layers, said first and second layers each having first and second surfaces, said first and second layers bonded together along their respective first surfaces, whereby said first surfaces of said first and second layers are contiguous; (b) a hot gas flow path, said hot gas flow path disposed in said first surface of said first layer, said hot gas flow path having an inlet; and (c) means for directing a first portion of said hot gas flowing over said first surface of said member to said inlet of said hot gas flow path. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In a gas turbine through which a hot gas flows, having a vane segment, said vane segment having a shroud, said shroud having first and second surfaces, said hot gas flowing over said first surface, cooling air being supplied to said shroud, said vane segment having a laminate structure affixed to said second surface of said shroud, said laminate structure forming a first passageway for said cooling air on said second surface of said shroud, a second passageway formed in said laminate structure, a method of reducing thermal expansion between said structure and said shroud comprising the steps of:
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a) directing a first portion of said hot gas flowing over said first surface of said shroud to said second passageway; b) flowing said first portion of said hot gas through said second passageway; c) returning said hot gas flowing through said second passageway to said hot gas flowing over said first surface of said shroud. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A conduit for directing the flow of a fluid comprising a first element having first and second surfaces, a second element connected to said first element and enclosing said first surface, thereby forming a first passageway, cooling means for providing a cooling medium to said first passageway, thereby maintaining said second element at a first temperature, and heating means for providing a heating medium to said second surface of said first element, thereby maintaining said first element at a second temperature, further characterized by said second element being a laminate formed from first and second layers having first and second surfaces, respectively, along which said layers are jointed, said second element having a second passageway formed in said first surface of said first layer, and means for controllably passing a portion of said heating medium through said second passageway, thereby modulating the difference between said first and second temperatures.
Specification