With Diversely Oriented Inlet Or Additional Inlet For Diverse Fluid (e.g., Heating, Cooling Or Mixed Working Fluid, Etc.) Patents (Class 415/116)
  • Publication number: 20150139785
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbomachine bearing support (1) supporting at least one bearing and extending according to a longitudinal principal axis of the turbomachine and comprising: a truncated part (11) having a diameter increasing from upstream to downstream; a flange part (12) which extends from the truncated part (11) as far as the bearing (5, 6) to which it is fixed by an axial flange (121), and having at its downstream end a radial internal flange (17) fixed to an oil inlet cover defining with the bearing (5, 6) an oil inlet container (170); oiled air clearance ducts (71) projecting downstream relative to the flange part (12) and on the oil inlet container (170) and to the other side upstream of the flange part (12) directly radially externally relative to the axial flange (121).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Frederic NOEL, Benoit Argemiro Matthieu DEBRAY, Mario Cesar DE SOUSA, Gregory GHOSAROSSIAN-PRILLIEUX, Nicolas POMMIER
  • Publication number: 20150139783
    Abstract: A thermal protection device for equipment (14) positioned in an engine compartment (9) of an aircraft turbomachine comprises at least one heat shield (16) arranged at least partially between said equipment and a thermally radiative wall (12) of said engine compartment exposed to a heating source. Said shield (16; 26; 36) comprises air-channeling means (16a, 19) connected to a cooling air source (11) and configured to direct said cooling air toward said equipment (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Yannick SOMMERER, Stéphanie JEANMOUGIN
  • Publication number: 20150128598
    Abstract: A converging-diverging nozzle that has particular application for providing a cooling air flow to ring segments in a gas turbine engine. The engine includes a turbine section that receives a hot working gas. The turbine section includes at least one row of vanes, at least one row of blades and a plurality of ring segments forming at least one ring. The ring segments and the vanes are mounted to a vane carrier, where the vane carrier includes a cooling flow channel for each of the ring segments that receives an air flow to cool the ring segments. A plug is provided in each channel and has an internal bore shaped to define the converging-diverging nozzle through which the air flows so as to create a supersonic flow that reduces the temperature of the air and thus provides more cooling for the same amount of air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Chad W. Heinrich, Stephen Erick Holland
  • Publication number: 20150132160
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electric fan. The electric fan includes a casing, a rotary unit and a cover. The casing has a frame shape such that a first opening is formed in a central portion of the casing. An inlet hole and an outlet hole are respectively formed in inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the frame. A space is defined in the casing. The rotary unit includes an impeller installed in the space, and a drive unit. The rotary unit is configured such that when the impeller is rotated by the drive unit, external air is drawn into the space through the inlet hole and then discharged out of the space through an outlet hole. The cover is installed on a front part of the casing in a direct contact manner. The cover defines a second opening communicating with the first opening so that air supplied from the outlet hole is discharged out of the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Sung Woo Ha
  • Publication number: 20150132107
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to rotor cooling and, more particularly, to a stator member having at least one passage for the delivery of cooling steam to a bucket root. In one embodiment, the invention provides a turbine comprising: a rotor including a first bucket root; and a stator member having: a rotor bore within which at least a portion of the rotor is disposed; a facing end adjacent to the first bucket root of the rotor; a plurality of seals within the rotor bore for sealing against the rotor, the plurality of seals including a first seal nearest the facing end and a second seal adjacent to the first seal; and a plurality of passages, each extending from a surface of the rotor bore at a point between the first seal and the second seal and extending through the facing end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zheng, Sanjay Chopra, Thomas Joseph Farineau, Tai Joung Kim, Richard James Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9028700
    Abstract: A system and method of operating the same includes an absorption tank having a compressor communicating gas thereto, a suspended solid filtration tank having a primary inlet, a secondary inlet, a primary outlet and a secondary outlet and a pump comprising a pump inlet coupled to the secondary outlet and a pump outlet communicating fluid to the absorption tank. The absorption tank forms a solution from the fluid and gas. A turbine mechanically couples the pump with a common shaft extending to the pump. The turbine has a turbine inlet coupled to the absorption tank and a turbine outlet coupled to the secondary inlet. The turbine depressurizes the solution. The system may also use a centrifugal pump in place of a turbine and absorption tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Fluid Equipment Development Company, LLC
    Inventor: Eli Oklejas, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150125265
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas turbocharger (1) with 2-channel turbine inflow, including a housing (2), a shaft (6) mounted in the housing (2), a compressor wheel (8) arranged on the shaft (6) and a turbine wheel (7) arranged on the shaft (6), and a first and a second inflow duct (11, 12) formed in the housing (2). Both inflow ducts (11, 12) open in the direction of the turbine wheel (7). A partition (9) separates the two inflow ducts (11, 12) from one another. At least one water-cooling duct (10) is provided in the interior of the partition (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Krewinkel, Frank Scherrer
  • Publication number: 20150125260
    Abstract: The invention offers a steam turbine forced air cooling system, its method, and a steam turbine provided with the system, the system being of an inexpensive and simple device configuration and improving a cooling effect by the use of an easy-to-get device. Suction is applied to the steam introduction side of an HP turbine 4 or an IP turbine 9 by the use of cooling air suction ejectors 27, 28 which use a compressed medium other than steam as a drive source. The cooling air is then introduced from the steam exhaust portion of the steam turbine into the inside of the steam turbine and is discharged from the ejectors 27, 28 to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Genki KASHIMA, Toyohiko MASUDA, Tetsuya HINUMA, Isao SAGAWA, Yoshitaka NARIMATSU, Hotaka KOBAYASHI, Goingwon LEE, Kenji SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20150125266
    Abstract: Steam turbine equipment is provided that can sharply adjust power generation output based on a variation in power demand while improving power generation efficiency during operation at a rated power generation output. The steam turbine equipment includes a steam control valve 4 disposed in a main steam pipe 2 leading from a boiler 1 to a steam turbine, an overload valve 6 disposed in an overload steam pipe 5 that bypasses the steam control valve 4 and leads from the main steam pipe 2 to a lower-pressure side of a steam turbine than a point where the main steam pipe 2 connects to the steam turbine, and a slit portion 31 through which the steam having flowed through the overload steam pipe 5 passes before flowing into a steam turbine stage portion. The slit portion 31 is configured such that its width C in an axial direction of a turbine rotor 15 is smaller than an inside diameter d of the overload steam pipe 5 (d>C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Yusuke TAKAHASHI, Goingwon LEE, Koji OGATA, Nozomu OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 9021816
    Abstract: A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer platforms joined by a radially extending airfoil. The airfoil includes leading and trailing edges joined by spaced apart pressure and suction sides to provide an exterior airfoil surface. The airfoil includes an airfoil cooling passage. A platform cooling passage is arranged within at least one of the inner and outer platforms. The platform cooling passage includes multiple cooling regions with one of the cooling regions arranged beneath the airfoil cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell J. Bergman, Leonard A. Bach, Brandon W. Spangler
  • Patent number: 9022754
    Abstract: A fan impeller structure includes an annular body. The annular body has a top section and a receiving space. At least one first bending section is formed between the top section and the annular body. At least one recess is formed at the first bending section. At least one flow guide hole is formed between the first bending section and the recess in communication with the receiving space. In operation, the airflow conducted into the receiving space is increased. Moreover, no matter whether the fan impeller structure is clockwise rotated or counterclockwise rotated, the airflow can be conducted into the receiving space through the flow guide hole. Accordingly, the heat dissipation effect will not be affected by the rotational direction of the fan impeller structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chu-Hsien Chou
  • Patent number: 9022727
    Abstract: A rotor (13) for a turbo machine, in particular for an aircraft turbine, has rotating blades (12), which are joined to a basic rotor body (14), in which at least one rotating blade (12) has at least one inner cooling channel, which extends at least along a predominant region of a blade element (18) of rotating blade (12) and has an inlet opening (23) for introducing cooling air into blade element (18), in which the inlet opening (23) is formed in a blade neck (16) lying between a blade foot (32) and a blade platform (10) of rotating blade (12). Inlet opening (23) is disposed in a cavity (22) formed radially underneath blade platform (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Peter Borufka, Frank Stiehler
  • Publication number: 20150118022
    Abstract: In one example, an arcuate segment for a ring-shaped, rotary machine component such as a stator nozzle or bucket shroud, includes a segment body having an end face formed with a circumferentially-facing seal slot adapted to receive a seal extending between the segment body and a corresponding seal slot in an adjacent segment body to seal a radially-extending gap between the adjacent segment bodies. A cooling channel is provided in the segment body in proximity to the seal slot, and is adapted to be supplied with cooling air. A passage extends from the cooling channel into the seal slot, at a location where the cooling air can be supplied to the higher pressure area on the radially-outer side of the seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Wayne WEBER, Gregory Thomas Foster, Aaron Ezekiel Smith
  • Publication number: 20150118019
    Abstract: The present disclosure refers to an impingement cooling arrangement for cooling a duct wall of a duct guiding a hot gas flow. The impingement cooling arrangement includes an impingement sleeve which is at least partly disposed in a compressed air plenum, and spaced at a distance to the duct wall to form a cooling flow path between the duct wall and the impingement sleeve such that cooling air injected from the compressed air plenum through apertures in the sleeve impinges on the duct wall. At least one flow diverter is arranged in the cooling flow path to divert the cross flow away from at least one aperture. Besides the impingement cooling arrangement a gas turbine with such an arrangement as well as a method for cooling a duct wall are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Maurer, Michael Huber, Selma Zahirovic
  • Patent number: 9017013
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided comprising a forward rotor disk and blade assembly capable of rotating; an aft rotor disk and blade assembly capable of rotating; and a row of vanes positioned between the forward rotor disk and blade assembly and the aft rotor disk and blade assembly. The vane row and the forward rotor disk and blade assembly may define a forward cavity. The vane row may comprise at least one stator vane comprising: a main body and an inner shroud structure comprising a cover. The cover may include a first inner cavity receiving cooling air. The cover may further include at least one cooling flow passage. Cooling air flowing from the cooling flow passage has a tangential velocity component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Vincent P. Laurello, Kok-Mun Tham
  • Patent number: 9017014
    Abstract: An outer rim seal arrangement (10), including: an annular rim (70) centered about a longitudinal axis (30) of a rotor disc (31), extending fore and having a fore-end (72), an outward-facing surface (74), and an inward-facing surface (76); a lower angel wing (62) extending aft from a base of a turbine blade (22) and having an aft end (64) disposed radially inward of the rim inward-facing surface to define a lower angel wing seal gap (80); an upper angel wing (66) extending aft from the turbine blade base and having an aft end (68) disposed radially outward of the rim outward-facing surface to define a upper angel wing seal gap (80, 82); and guide vanes (100) disposed on the rim inward-facing surface in the lower angel wing seal gap. Pumping fins (102) may be disposed on the upper angel wing seal aft end in the upper angel wing seal gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Eric Schroeder, Jamie Meeroff, Samuel R. Miller, Jr., John J. Marra, Christian X. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20150108364
    Abstract: A charged particle emission and air-blowing device includes a communication port biased toward an end portion in a predetermined direction with respect to an air outlet, and a width expander configured to widen a flow path between an air directing plate of the end portion and a second blowing duct wider than a periphery. Emitted light from a light guide plate is reflected by the air directing plate in the delivery direction of an air flow. An air flow passes from a downward direction to an upward direction along a circuit board in an auxiliary suction path, and an opening portion faces the upper portion of the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro Hanai, Kenichi Shiraishi, Nobuhiro Iwaki
  • Patent number: 9004853
    Abstract: An axial compressor is disclosed for compressing air, such as for a gas turbine. The axial compressor can include a rotor, having a multiplicity of rotor blades, and rotor casing. The casing and rotor can form an annular gas passage. Outside the gas passage an annular and concentric bleed air chamber, can include at least one bleed air slot in functional communication with the gas passage. At least one injection device having at least one nozzle which can inject the fluid into the gas passage via the bleed air slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Luis Puerta, Marco Micheli, Wolfgang Kappis, Gabriel Dunkel
  • Patent number: 9003657
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes providing a substrate with an outer surface and at least one interior space and machining the substrate to selectively remove a portion of the substrate and define one or more cooling supply holes therein. Each of the one or more cooling supply holes is in fluid communication with the at least one interior space. The method further includes disposing an open cell porous metallic layer on at least a portion of the substrate. The open cell porous metallic layer is in fluid communication with the one or more cooling supply holes. A coating layer is disposed on the open cell porous metallic layer. The coating layer having formed therein one or more cooling exit holes in fluid communication with the open cell porous metallic layer. The substrate, the one or more cooling supply holes, the open cell porous metallic layer and the cooling exit holes providing a cooling network for a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Scott Andrew Weaver, Wayne Charles Hasz
  • Patent number: 8998565
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus configured to seal with a turbine blade stage of a gas turbine. The apparatus includes an outer shroud coupled to an inner shroud and configured to circumferentially surround the turbine blade stage. The inner shroud is configured to circumferentially surround the turbine blade stage to seal with the turbine blade stage and includes an attachment element configured to be inserted into the outer shroud to couple the inner shroud to the outer shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Thomas Foster, Andres Jose Garcia-Crespo
  • Patent number: 8998566
    Abstract: A blade arrangement is provided for a gas turbine, in which blade leaves, having a leading edge and a trailing edge and also a pressure side and a suction side, are assembled sealingly with platforms configured as separate components. A peripheral sealing arrangement is provided between the blade leaves and the associated platforms, which seals off an interspace between the blade leaves and platforms against hot gas flowing around the blade leaves. A directed site-dependent supply of cooling air for purging the sealing arrangement is provided on a side of the sealing arrangement which faces away from the hot gas. A method of operating the above blade arrangement is also provided. The method includes supplying cooling air for purging the sealing arrangement at a pressure which decreases from the leading edge of the blade leaves to the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Sascha Justl, Carlos Simon-Delgado, Herbert Brandl
  • Patent number: 8998564
    Abstract: An example method of reducing loads on a connection shaft includes disengaging a connection shaft from a motor-generator such that the connection shaft is not rotatably coupled to the motor-generator. The method communicates a fluid away from the motor-generator through a communication path established within the connection shaft. An example turbomachine connection shaft is configured to selectively rotatably couple a turbomachine rotor and a motor-generator. The connection shaft establishes a communication path that selectively vents the motor-generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn C. Lemmers, Jr., David S. Behling, Luke Wagner
  • Patent number: 8998563
    Abstract: An active clearance control system for a gas turbine engine includes a structural member that is configured to be arranged near a blade tip. A plenum includes first and second walls respectively providing first and second cavities. The first wall includes impingement holes. The plenum is arranged over the structural member. A fluid source is fluidly connected to the second cavity to provide an impingement cooling flow from the second cavity through the impingement holes to the first cavity onto the structural member. A method includes the steps of providing a conditioning fluid to an outer cavity of a plenum providing an impingement cooling flow through impingement holes from an inner wall of the plenum to an inner cavity, directing the impingement cooling flow onto a structural member, and conditioning a temperature of the structural member with the impingement cooling flow to control a blade tip clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Philip Robert Rioux
  • Patent number: 8998567
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for cleaning turbines, such as power generation turbines, are disclosed. Supplemental piping is connected to existing compressor air extraction and turbine nozzle cooling air piping, to supply water and/or cleaning agents into areas of a turbine not ordinarily accessible by injection of water and/or cleaning agents into the bellmouth of the turbine alone. Pressure and flow sensors, pumps, valving, and a control system to regulate the operation of the pumps and valving are provided to control the introduction of water and/or cleaning agents into the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 8992171
    Abstract: An energy efficient climate control system for an offshore wind turbine that is integrated with the component cooling system is disclosed. The climate control system includes a cooling circuit adapted to carry heat generated by a component of the nacelle to outside the nacelle. The climate control system also includes an airflow system adapted to receive a warm outflow of coolant from the cooling circuit, across a variable flow control valve, the airflow system supplying clean ambient air to the nacelle at a predetermined relative humidity. The variable flow control valve regulates a flow rate of the coolant through the airflow system to adjust the relative humidity of the air entering the nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Gamesa Innovation & Technology, S.L.
    Inventor: Peri Sabhapathy
  • Publication number: 20150082767
    Abstract: The present application provides a passive control valve actuator cooling system to provide a flow of cooling air to a control valve actuator used with a gas turbine engine. The passive control valve actuator cooling system may include a turbine enclosure with a negative pressure therein, a radiation shield with a number of radiation shield outlets and the control valve actuator positioned therein, and a cooling air line extending from outside of the turbine enclosure to the radiation shield such that the negative pressure within the turbine enclosure pulls the flow of cooling air into and through the radiation shield so as to cool the control valve actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dean Matthew Erickson, Martin Lopez, Jose Francisco Aguilar
  • Publication number: 20150078887
    Abstract: In a disc axis adjusting mechanism in a gas turbine, the gas turbine has an exhaust gas diffuser provided between a casing wall and a bearing case which are connected to a downstream side of a turbine, a plurality of struts provided at intervals in a circumferential direction, and strut covers coupling an outer diffuser and an inner diffuser of the exhaust gas diffuser so as to cover the struts, and the mechanism comprises: a plurality of air introduction holes formed in the casing wall so as to allow the interior and exterior of the wall to communicate with each other; a sensor unit configured to detect a parameter corresponding to the thermal elongation of each of the struts; and a flow rate adjustor configured to adjust the flow rate of air flowing through each of the air introduction holes based on a detection value detected by the sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Motoharu Ueda, Eigo Katou, Eisaku Ito
  • Patent number: 8979470
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor with rotor blades having roots connected into seats of a compressor drum. The rotor blade roots and/or the compressor drum have longitudinal passages for a cooling fluid, connecting higher pressure areas to lower pressure areas of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Sergei Riazantsev, Holger Kiewel, Sven Olmes, Thomas Kramer, Sergey Shchukin
  • Patent number: 8978390
    Abstract: A wall of a component of a gas turbine engine includes first and second wall surfaces, an inlet located at the first wall surface, an outlet located at the second surface, a metering section commencing at the inlet and extending downstream from the inlet, and a diffusing section extending from the metering section and terminating at the outlet. The diffusing section includes a leading edge formed at an upstream end of the outlet, a trailing edge formed at a downstream end of the outlet, a body region upstream of the trailing edge, and a plurality of crenellation features located on the body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn Levasseur, Edward F. Pietraszkiewicz
  • Publication number: 20150071763
    Abstract: A seal assembly between a hot gas path and a disc cavity in a turbine engine includes a non-rotatable vane assembly including a row of vanes and an inner shroud, a rotatable blade assembly axially adjacent to the vane assembly and including a row of blades and a turbine disc that forms a part of a turbine rotor, and an annular wing member located radially between the hot gas path and the disc cavity. The wing member extends generally axially from the blade assembly toward the vane assembly and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart flow passages extending therethrough from a radially inner surface thereof to a radially outer surface thereof. The flow passages each include a portion that is curved as the passage extends radially outwardly to effect a scooping of cooling fluid from the disc cavity into the flow passages and toward the hot gas path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Manjit Shivanand, Vincent Paul Laurello, Gm Salam Azad, Nicholas F. Martin, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150068217
    Abstract: An inlet system for a gas turbine includes an inlet air duct; a silencer disposed in the inlet air duct, the silencer including a plurality of panels with spaces between the panels; and a conduit with orifices disposed to inject inlet bleed heat into each of the spaces. A method of conditioning inlet air for a gas turbine includes flowing air through spaces between panels of a silencer in an inlet air duct of the gas turbine, and injecting inlet bleed heat through orifices and into each of the spaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Laxmikant MERCHANT, Srinivas AVISHETTI, Valery Ivanovich PONYAVIN, Doug BYRD
  • Patent number: 8973372
    Abstract: A shell air recirculation system for use in a gas turbine engine includes one or more outlet ports located at a bottom wall section of an engine casing wall and one or more inlet ports located at a top wall section of the engine casing wall. The system further includes a piping system that provides fluid communication between the outlet port(s) and the inlet port(s), a blower for extracting air from a combustor shell through the outlet port(s) and for conveying the extracted air to the inlet port(s), and a valve system for selectively allowing and preventing air from passing through the piping system. The system operates during less than full load operation of the engine to circulate air within the combustor shell but is not operational during full load operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Evan C. Landrum, Jiping Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150063983
    Abstract: A turbomachine having a cooling device for supplying cooling air onto a compressor region from an air distribution chamber is disclosed, the air distribution chamber being arranged between an outlet diffuser of a compressor and a combustion chamber, where the cooling device has cooling air pipes for supplying cooling air from the air distribution chamber into a cavity between the outlet diffuser and a rotor segment of the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Alexander Boeck
  • Publication number: 20150059357
    Abstract: A system for providing cooling for a turbine component that includes an outer surface exposed to combustion gases is provided. A component base includes at least one fluid supply passage coupleable to a source of cooling fluid. At least one feed passage communicates with the at least one fluid supply passage. At least one delivery channel communicates with the at least one feed passage. At least one cover layer covers the at least one feed passage and the at least one delivery channel, defining at least in part the component outer surface. At least one discharge passage extends to the outer surface. A diffuser section is defined in at least one of the at least one delivery channel and the at least one discharge passage, such that a fluid channeled through the system is diffused prior to discharge adjacent the outer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Victor John Morgan, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Patent number: 8967944
    Abstract: A buffer air pump provides pressurized cooling air for cooling components of the gas turbine engine. The buffer air pump is supported on and/or within an accessory gearbox and draws bypass air in through an inlet manifold. An impeller supported within a scroll housing pressurizes the incoming bypass air and directs the pressurized air through passages to a component requiring cooling. The buffer air pump draws in relatively cool air from the bypass flow, pressurizes the air with the impeller and sends the air through conduits and passages within the gas turbine engine to the component that requires cooling such as a bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jorn A. Glahn, Brian D. Merry, Christopher M. Dye
  • Publication number: 20150052872
    Abstract: Thermal isolating service tubes and assemblies thereof for gas turbine engines are provided. The thermal isolating service tube comprises an inner tubular member defining a fluid passage and at least one outer tubular member disposed about the inner tubular member. A spacing volume is defined between at least the inner tubular member and an adjacent outer tubular member. The thermal isolating service tube comprises a unitary structure and has at least one portion with a curved configuration, a non-circular cross-sectional shape, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Ed Zurmehly, Cristopher Frost, Michael O'Brien, Donald G Godfrey
  • Patent number: 8956116
    Abstract: A gas turbine component for example a turbine blade or a rotor disk is provided. In order to extend the service life of the corresponding component by reducing the thermally or mechanically induced stress concentration in the direct surroundings of a duct opening onto a surface, at least one groove-like recess is provided near the effective zone of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Fathi Ahmad, Harald Hoell, Karsten Kolk, Harald Nimptsch, Werner Setz
  • Patent number: 8956105
    Abstract: A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine may include a composite airfoil structure. The composite airfoil structure may have an opening. The turbine vane may include a spar. The spar may have a body, which may be disposed within the opening. A standoff structure may be disposed within the opening. In some non-limiting embodiments, a cooling air gap may be defined between the body and an internal surface of the composite airfoil structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Uskert, Ted Joseph Freeman, David J. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20150044030
    Abstract: A long-duct mixed-flow nozzle system for a turbofan engine, the nozzle system may include an inner housing configured to enclose a core and form a core flow duct, the inner housing terminating in a core nozzle having a core exit aperture, an outer housing forming a fan flow duct and terminating in a fan exit aperture at a location downstream of the core exit aperture, the fan exit aperture having a plurality of chevrons, and the core exit aperture having a plurality of chutes separated by radially extending lobes configured to mix exhaust gas from the core flow duct with bypass gas flow in the fan flow duct, the radially extending lobes varying in profile from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: David William Forsyth
  • Patent number: 8950183
    Abstract: An engine system includes a plurality of turbochargers each including a compressor outlet fluidly connected to an intake manifold of an engine. A plurality of intake conduits are configured to each convey incoming combustion air to one of the turbochargers, and each includes a casing, and a duct within the casing having a surge inhibitor mounted thereon which includes a flow-directing surface oriented obliquely to an axis of the duct to direct combustion air leaked back out of the compressor inlet away from a discharging stream of combustion air exiting the duct. Related methodology is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jed W. Nixon, Keith G. Rochford
  • Publication number: 20150037140
    Abstract: A thermal actuator is provided and includes an expansion material disposed and configured to move a movable element from a first movable element position toward a second movable element position in accordance with an expansion condition of the expansion material. The expansion material includes an inorganic salt mixture or a metal oxide mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pramod Kumar Biyani, Larry Neil Lewis, Carlos Miguel Miranda, Slawomir Rubinsztajn, Stanley Frank Simpson
  • Patent number: 8944751
    Abstract: The present application provides an inner nozzle platform. The inner nozzle platform may include a platform cavity, an impingement plenum positioned within the platform cavity, a retention plate positioned on a first side of the impingement plenum, and a compliant seal positioned on a second side of the impingement plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aaron Gregory Winn, Robert Walter Coign, James Stewart Phillips, Thomas Robbins Tipton, Gregory Thomas Foster, Ravichandran Meenakshisundaram, Niranjan Gokuldas Pai
  • Patent number: 8938879
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component is provided. The method includes forming one or more grooves in an outer surface of a substrate. Each groove extends at least partially along the surface of the substrate and has a base, a top and at least one discharge point. The method further includes forming a run-out region adjacent to the discharge point for each groove and disposing a coating over at least a portion of the surface of the substrate. The groove(s) and the coating define one or more channels for cooling the component. Components with cooling channels are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Patent number: 8939711
    Abstract: A seal assembly between a hot gas path and a disc cavity in a turbine engine includes a non-rotatable vane assembly including a row of vanes and an inner shroud, a rotatable blade assembly adjacent to the vane assembly and including a row of blades and a turbine disc that forms a part of a turbine rotor, and an annular wing member located radially between the hot gas path and the disc cavity. The wing member extends generally axially from the blade assembly toward the vane assembly and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart flow passages extending therethrough from a radially inner surface thereof to a radially outer surface thereof. The flow passages effect a pumping of cooling fluid from the disc cavity toward the hot gas path during operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Manjit Shivanand, Vincent P. Laurello, Gm Salam Azad, Nicholas F. Martin, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150023778
    Abstract: A micro gas turbine system (1) having an annular recuperator (9) for heat transfer from an exhaust gas flow (13) to an intake air flow (8). The exhaust gas flow (13) flows through radial inlets (18) into the recuperator (9) and/or out of the recuperator (9) through radial outlets (19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: BABCOCK BORSIG STEINMULLER GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Berg, Frieder Neumann, Mathias Born, Karl-Friedrich Schroder
  • Publication number: 20150013345
    Abstract: A shroud segment for a casing of gas turbine includes a body configured for attachment to the casing proximate a localized critical process location within the casing. The body has a leading edge, a trailing edge, and two side edges. The critical process location is located between the leading edge and the trailing edge when the body is attached to the casing. A cooling passage is defined in the body along one of the side edges with one of an inlet or an outlet proximate the critical process location. The cooling passage is configured large enough to cool the one side edge adjacent the cooling passage to a desired level during operation of the gas turbine. The critical process locations may be related to temperatures, pressures or other measurable features of the gas turbine environment when in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher Donald Porter, Gregory Thomas Foster, Aaron Ezekiel Smith, David Wayne Weber, Michelle J. Rogers
  • Patent number: 8932007
    Abstract: An axial flow gas turbine (20) includes a rotor (13) and a stator, and a hot gas path through which hot gas passes. The rotor (13) includes a rotor shaft (15) with axial slots for receiving a plurality of blades (B1-B3) arranged in a series of blade rows, with rotor heat shields (R1, R2) interposed between adjacent blade rows. The rotor shaft (15) is configured to axially conduct a main flow of cooling air along the rotor heat shields (R1, R2) and the lower parts of the blades (B1-B3), and the rotor shaft (15) supplies the interior of the blades (B1-B3) with cooling air (18). Stable and predictable cooling air parameters at any blade row inlet are secured by providing air-tight cooling channels (21), which extend axially through the rotor shaft (15) separate from the main flow of cooling air (17), and supply the blades (B1-B3) with cooling air (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Anatolievich Khanin, Valery Kostege, Anton Sumin
  • Patent number: 8932009
    Abstract: A device for supporting a ring of a gas turbine, the ring configured to surround mobile blades of the turbine which are driven by a gas stream flowing upstream to downstream. The device includes at least one upstream hook facing upstream, to be housed in an upstream groove of the ring, opened toward the downstream direction, and at least one downstream hook facing downstream, to be housed in a downstream groove of the ring, opened toward the upstream direction. The hooks are protected and clearances at apexes of the blades are more easily controlled. The device further includes, upstream from the upstream hook, a mechanism injecting cooling gas to cool the upstream hook and/or includes, downstream from the downstream hook, a mechanism injecting a cooling gas to cool the downstream hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Christophe-Olivier Moraines, Frederic Philippe Jean-Jacques Pardo
  • Publication number: 20150007581
    Abstract: A shroud block segment for a gas turbine includes a main body having a leading portion, a trailing portion, a first side portion and an opposing second side portion that extend axially between the leading portion and the trailing portion. The main body further includes an arcuate combustion gas side, an opposing back side and a cooling chamber defined in the back side. A cooling plenum and an exhaust passage are defined within the main body where the exhaust passage provides for fluid communication out of the cooling plenum. An insert opening extends within the main body through the back side towards the cooling plenum. A cooling flow insert is disposed within the insert opening. The cooling flow insert comprises a plurality of cooling flow passages that provide for fluid communication between the cooling chamber and the cooling plenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Ibrahim Sezer, Anshuman Singh, Gary Michael Itzel, James William Vehr
  • Patent number: 8926267
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including: an ambient-air cooling circuit (10) having a cooling channel (26) disposed in a turbine blade (22) and in fluid communication with a source (12) of ambient air: and an pre-swirler (18), the pre-swirler having: an inner shroud (38); an outer shroud (56); and a plurality of guide vanes (42), each spanning from the inner shroud to the outer shroud. Circumferentially adjacent guide vanes (46, 48) define respective nozzles (44) there between. Forces created by a rotation of the turbine blade motivate ambient air through the cooling circuit. The pre-swirler is configured to impart swirl to ambient air drawn through the nozzles and to direct the swirled ambient air toward a base of the turbine blade. The end walls (50, 54) of the pre-swirler may be contoured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Eric Schroeder, Jamie Meeroff, Samuel R. Miller, Jr., John J. Marra