And Axial Or Circumferential Expansion Patents (Class 415/138)
  • Patent number: 9650966
    Abstract: A gas turbine provided with an air bleeder tube (1) that, during startup, bleeds a portion of the compressed air of a compressor from the compressor and discharged the bled air into a cylindrical exhaust duct (20), wherein the air bleeder tube (1) is disposed at a portion that does not obstruct the flow of the main flow of combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuro Sakamoto, Eisaku Ito, Susumu Wakazono, Koichi Ishizaka, Yukinori Machida
  • Patent number: 9140137
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes high and low pressure turbines. A mid turbine frame is arranged axially between the high and low pressure turbines. A bearing is operatively supported by a support structure. An inner case is secured to the support structure and includes a first conical member and a bearing support to which the bearing is mounted. The bearing support includes a second conical member that is secured to the first conical member at a joint. The first and second conical members are arranged radially inward of the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Russell Mayer, George J. Kramer, Paul W. Palmer
  • Patent number: 8888442
    Abstract: A turbine vane ring has radially outer and inner annular shrouds defining therebetween an annular gaspath. Circumferentially spaced-apart airfoil vanes extend radially across the gaspath between the outer and the inner shrouds. The radially outer shroud has a circumferentially continuous cylindrical wall extending axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge. A set of circumferentially distributed stress relieving slots is defined in the leading edge of the cylindrical wall at locations adjacent to the leading edge of at least some of said airfoil vanes. The stress relieving slots extend radially through the cylindrical wall from the radially inner surface to the opposed radially outer surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Keppel Nyron Bharath, John Pietrobon, Vincent Paradis, Douglas MacCaul
  • Patent number: 8888441
    Abstract: Systems and devices for sealing portions of a rotary machine are disclosed. In one embodiment, a seal assembly element includes: a head flange; an axial neck connected to the head flange, wherein the axial neck includes a mating flange extending circumferentially from a distal end of the seal assembly element, the mating flange configured to form a multidirectional seal with a recessed portion of a complementary seal assembly element; and a set of axial seal teeth connected to the axial neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Edward Jordy, William Edward Adis, Bernard Arthur Couture, Jr., Dexter Andrew Young
  • Patent number: 8684672
    Abstract: A brake system comprising a brake disc is disclosed. The brake system comprises at least one flexible portion. The at least one flexible portion is configured for compensating expansion of the brake disc and/or absorbing the expansion of the brake disc. The brake system is especially for a wind turbine generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Soeren Oemann Lind
  • Patent number: 8678754
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, an assembly for preventing fluid flow between turbine components includes a shim and a first woven wire mesh layer that includes a first surface coupled to a first side of the shim and a second surface of the woven wire mesh layer opposite the first surface. The assembly also includes a first outer layer coupled to the second surface of the woven wire mesh layer, where the first outer layer includes a high temperature non-metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Victor John Morgan, Rebecca Evelyn Hefner, Stephen Gerard Pope
  • Patent number: 8672616
    Abstract: A stator blade carrier, particularly for a gas turbine, is provided. The stator blade carrier includes a number of axial segments and is intended to attain a particularly high degree of operational reliability and long service life. To this end, two neighboring axial segments are connected to a number of tie rods, each enclosed by a support tube, wherein a spherical disk is arranged on at least one end of the respective support tube and mounted in a conical socket supported on the respective axial segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roderich Bryk, Oliver Strohmeier
  • Patent number: 8649954
    Abstract: A system for controlling angular position of stator blades including: a mechanism for calculating a set angular position of the blades according to one of speeds; and a module for correcting the set position including: a mechanism for determining the angular position of the blades; a mechanism for measuring fuel flow rate of the turbine engine; a memory unit in which consecutive angular positions of the blades are combined with the fuel flow rates of the turbine engine measured at the angular positions; and a mechanism for determining a correcting angle according to the difference between the fuel flow rates measured between two consecutive angular position of the blades. A method for optimizing the common angular position can utilize the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: David Julien Boyer, Cedrik Djelassi, Julien Alexis Louis Ricordeau
  • Patent number: 8636466
    Abstract: A ferrule of a stator with blades of an axial turbomachine consists of at least two segments having the general form of an arc of a circle and intended to be arranged end to end, so as to form the ferrule, where each segment contains on its outside a plurality of openings arranged at regular distances along the general arc of the circle of the segment, into each of which fits the end of a blade of the stator. Each end of a segment possesses a section of which the profile essentially corresponds with that of the end of the corresponding blade when the segment is placed on the blades of the stator, such that the joint between two adjacent segments corresponds with the profile of the corresponding blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Techspace Aero S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-François Cortequisse
  • Patent number: 8613590
    Abstract: An article of manufacture has a body formed in part of a first metal alloy and in part of a second metal alloy, the second metal alloy having a thermal coefficient of expansion that is less than the thermal coefficient of expansion of the first metal alloy. A BOAS segment for a gas turbine engine is disclosed wherein the formation of cracks due to thermal mechanical fatigue in the body of the disclosed BOAS segment is minimized, if not eliminated, through a unique construction of the disclosed BOAS segment, whether original equipment manufacture or a repaired blade outer air seal. A method for manufacture of a BOAS segment and a method for modifying a BOAS segment are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Philip R. Belanger, Susan M. Tholen
  • Patent number: 8613589
    Abstract: To provide a thermal insulation structure for a structural member and a scroll structure which can be easily used even in integrally constructed structural members and which can ensure reliability and thermal insulation properties. Provided are securing portions (52 and 53) extending outward from an outer wall of the structural member; a press plate (55) attached to the securing portions (52 and 53), with a gap between the press plate and the outer wall; and a thermal insulation member (56) disposed between the outer wall and the press plate (55).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignees: Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (Pty) Limited, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoki Yamashita, Toshihiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 8608427
    Abstract: An arrangement for optimizing the running clearance for turbomachines of the axial type, such as turbocompressors, gas turbines, and steam turbines, in particular for compressors of stationary gas turbines, by controlling the inner diameter, which is relevant to the running clearance, of at least one stator structure that surrounds a rotor blade ring, including: the stator structure has a closed, circular inner ring, a circular outer ring that is situated concentric to the inner ring at a radial distance therefrom, and a plurality of links that integrally connect the inner ring to the outer ring, the links being circumferentially inclined at a defined angle (?) to the radial direction and distributed around the circumference of the stator structure, and the arrangement includes an adjustment device for rotating the inner ring relative to the outer ring with elastic modification of the running clearance-relevant inner diameter (D) of the inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Böck
  • Patent number: 8591182
    Abstract: A device (10) for suspending gas channel elements, in particular for suspending guide blades or guide blade segments or gas channel segments, on a housing of a gas turbines is provided. The device comprises first plate-shaped elements (11, 12, 13, 14) and second plate-shaped elements (15, 16, 17), whereby the first plate-shaped elements (11, 12, 13, 14) and the second plate-shaped elements (15, 16, 17) are connected together by web-like elements (18) which extend in an essentially perpendicular manner in relation to the first and second elements and form a meandering or crenelated profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Morgenstern, Rudolf Stanka
  • Patent number: 8534076
    Abstract: A combustor-turbine seal interface is provided for deployment within a gas turbine engine. In one embodiment, the combustor-turbine assembly a combustor, a turbine nozzle downstream of the combustor, and a first compliant dual seal assembly. The first compliant dual seal assembly includes a compliant seal wall sealingly coupled between the combustor and the turbine nozzle, a first compression seal sealingly disposed between the compliant seal wall and the turbine nozzle, and a first bearing seal generally defined by the compliant seal wall and the turbine nozzle. The first bearing seal is sealingly disposed in series with the first compression seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell Internationl Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory O. Woodcock, Bradley Reed Tucker, Jason Smoke, Stony Kujala, Terrel Kuhn
  • Patent number: 8523518
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for linking machine stators are provided. A bracket may be utilized to link adjacent stators within a machine, for example, a turbine. The bracket may include a body portion, a first plurality of extensions, and a second plurality of extensions. The body portion may include a first edge operable to align with a base of a first stator and a second edge opposite the first edge and operable to align with a base of a second stator. The first plurality of extensions may extend from the first edge and may be operable to align with at least one corresponding groove on the base of the first stator. The second plurality of extensions may extend from the second edge and may be operable to align with at least one corresponding groove on the base of the second stator. When utilized to link the first stator and the second stator, the bracket may facilitate a reduction of vibrations in the first stator and the second stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lisa A. Wichmann, Thomas R. Tipton, Nick Martin
  • Patent number: 8510945
    Abstract: A method of assembling a heat exchanger in a gas turbine engine assembly is provided. The method includes providing a structural body including a wall having an elongated slot, providing a heat exchanger operably associated with a bracket, and providing a slip joint for coupling the bracket to the structural body. The slip joint includes a standoff, an elongated member, and a biasing member disposed about the elongated member. The standoff is inserted through the wall so that the biasing member imparts a predetermined biasing force between the bracket and the structural body. The slip joint allows relative sliding movement between the bracket and the structural body when a sliding force due to thermal expansion or contraction is greater than the biasing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: John Hand, Bernard A. Luschek, Lonnie R. Stewart, Michael J. Gilloon, Walter A. Hundley, Jr., Jerry W. Myers, Dennis A. McQueen, Michael Peoples
  • Patent number: 8504646
    Abstract: A method for transferring existing data from a source motor to a target motor includes retrieving the existing data from the source motor, optionally converting the existing data into a new format, and at least one of storing, erasing, writing, overwriting, or replacing software and/or data on the target motor such that the existing data is stored on the target motor in a format compatible with the target motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Sntech, Inc.
    Inventors: Young-Chun Jeung, Thomas Earl Cain
  • Patent number: 8434999
    Abstract: A spline seal for a hot gas path component is provided. The spline seal may include a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The first metal layer may have a first volumetric thermal expansion coefficient. The second metal layer may be disposed adjacent the first metal layer and have a second volumetric thermal expansion coefficient. The second volumetric thermal expansion coefficient may be higher than the first volumetric thermal expansion coefficient. When the spline seal is exposed to a heat source, the first and second metal layers may deform to provide a seal between the hot gas path component and an adjacent hot gas path component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sergio Daniel Marques Amaral, Gary Michael Itzel, Xiuzhang James Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130034423
    Abstract: A system for passively controlling clearance in a turbine engine comprises a static assembly arranged circumferentially about an engine rotor assembly and defining a gap between a tip end of the rotor assembly and an adjacent inner surface of the static assembly. The static assembly includes a gap control member that defines the inner surface, is exposed to the engine working fluid, and comprises a shape memory material selected and preconditioned to deform in a pre-selected manner in response to a temperature of the engine working fluid. Alternatively, airfoil blades of the rotor assembly include a gap control member. A method for passively controlling clearance in a turbine engine comprises assembling the engine so as to define an initial set of build clearances, operating the engine to observe running clearances, configuring a gap control member comprising a shape memory material and re-assembling the engine with the gap control member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James Adaickalasamy, Hariharan Sundaram
  • Patent number: 8342798
    Abstract: A system includes a turbine casing including a first hook configured to mate with a second hook to support a turbine shroud about a plurality of turbine blades. The turbine casing includes a coolant circuit configured to adjust clearance between the turbine shroud and the turbine blades based on coolant flow through the coolant circuit. The coolant circuit includes a first plurality of radial coolant passages extending into the first hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald E. Floyd, II, Henry G. Ballard, Jr., Brad Miller
  • Patent number: 8231338
    Abstract: A turbine is provided and includes a turbine shell including shrouds at multiple stages thereof, and constraining elements, disposed at least at first through fourth substantially regularly spaced perimetrical locations around the turbine shell, which are configured to concentrically constrain the shrouds of the turbine shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Henry Grady Ballard, Jr., Fred Thomas Willett, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8206085
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a turbine engine that includes a rotor including multiple blades. The turbine engine also includes a shroud disposed about the blades. The shroud includes multiple segments engaged with one another via mating teeth. The mating teeth are oriented in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Luke J. Ammann
  • Patent number: 8177488
    Abstract: A service tube apparatus for a gas turbine engine includes a service tube assembly having: (a) an elongated, hollow service tube; and (b) a service tube baffle surrounding the service tube which is pierced with a plurality of impingement cooling holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alan Manteiga, Robert John Parks
  • Patent number: 8166767
    Abstract: An assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor and a vane assembly disposed downstream thereof. A portion of an outer platform of the vane assembly defines an axial sliding joint connection with the combustor, and includes a plurality of depressions located in an outer circumferential surface thereof opposite the combustor. The depressions are disposed in regions of expected higher thermal growth about the circumference of the outer platform such that thermal growth of the entire outer platform is substantially uniform circumferentially therearound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Nicolas Grivas, Bhawan B. Patel, Oleg Morenko, Eric Durocher
  • Patent number: 8157509
    Abstract: A turbine diffuser is disclosed. The turbine diffuser includes a diffuser segment having a forward end and an aft end with a flange disposed at the aft end of the diffuser segment. The diffuser segment is joinable to an adjacent diffuser segment via the flange, which includes a seal retainer that is securedly connectable in a radial direction with a seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Damon Black, Scott Michael Elam, Prashant Kantappa Patil
  • Patent number: 8152454
    Abstract: A guide vane for a gas turbine includes a vane body having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a shroud extending at least between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The shroud has a first side wall and a second side wall extending essentially radially and in a longitudinal direction of the gas turbine. The first side wall has a groove disposed in a region of the trailing edge extending in a longitudinal direction of the shroud and is configured to receive a sealing plate. The first side wall also has a clearance extending from the groove in a region of the trailing edge, wherein a depth of the clearance in a circumferential direction of the gas turbine is equal to a depth of the groove, and wherein a width of the clearance in the longitudinal direction of the shroud is between one to three times the depth of the clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Alexander Khanin, Igor Kurganov, Sergey Vorontsov, Victor Odinokov
  • Patent number: 8047769
    Abstract: An inspection port plug device is provided for sealing three or more oppositely placed inspection ports in a multi-chambered gas turbine engine. An embodiment of the inspection port plug device includes a cap and at least two shafts coupled end-to-end. A first shaft includes a first end coupled to the cap and a second end having a first sealing plug, wherein the first sealing plug includes a recess. A second shaft includes a third end coupled to the first sealing plug within the recess and a fourth end having a second sealing plug. The first shaft and the second shaft also include a first biasing mechanism and a second biasing mechanism, respectively, for maintaining the seals at the first and second sealing plugs when the inspection port plug device is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Henry G. Ballard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8011879
    Abstract: A transition channel between a first turbine section and a second turbine section for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The channel includes a first radially external annular wall including ring sector elements housed inside an annular ring and orifices for injecting a fluid into the channel in order to re-energize the boundary layer thereof, a second radially internal annular wall, and a fluid supply device arranged between the space outside the ring and the injection orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Guimbard, Philippe Jean-Pierre Pabion, Eric Schwartz, Jean-Luc Soupizon
  • Patent number: 8001791
    Abstract: The turbine engine assembly has a frame and a turbine engine spool. A strut couples the frame to the spool and an actuator couples the strut to the frame. The actuator has a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nagendra Somanath, Christopher M. Dye, Keshava B. Kumar
  • Patent number: 7909569
    Abstract: The turbine support case comprises a first annular portion, a second annular portion, and a third annular portion connected between the first and the second portion. The third portion has an average wall thickness smaller than an average wall thickness of the first and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Durocher, Martin Jutras
  • Patent number: 7857579
    Abstract: A sealing element for sealing a component gap with respect to a flow, in particular for use in a fluid-flow machine, specifically in a turbomachine is provided. In addition a fluid-flow machine is provided including such a sealing element for sealing a component gap. The sealing element includes a hollow profile enclosing a cavity. Arranged in the hollow profile are a first opening and a second opening, which are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the hollow profile. The first opening is formed as an inlet opening for a cooling fluid into the cavity of the hollow profile, the second opening is formed as an outlet opening for the cooling fluid from the cavity of the hollow profile. With the sealing element arranged in a fluid-flow machine, the sealing element can consequently be internally cooled by means of the cooling fluid. Furthermore, the sealing element uses the pressure gradient occurring in the flow in the direction of flow to form a stable cooling fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Nicolas Johnson Campino, Jonas Hurter, Markus Stemann, Sergey Trifonov, Alexander Zagorskiy
  • Patent number: 7828515
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil, such as a rotor blade or a stator vane, for a gas turbine engine, the airfoil formed as a shell and spar construction with a plurality of hook shaped struts each mounted within channels extending in a spanwise direction of the spar and the shell to allow for relative motion between the spar and shell in the airfoil chordwise direction while also fanning a seal between adjacent cooling channels. The struts provide the seal as well as prevent bulging of the shell from the spar due to the cooling air pressure. The hook struts have a hooked shaped end and a rounded shaped end in order to insert the struts into the spar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith D Kimmel
  • Patent number: 7805924
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mixer assembly including a mixer and a plurality of scoops attached around a circumference of the mixer element via a combination of sliding brackets and fixed brackets. The sliding brackets provide attachment and allow relative movement between the plurality of scoops and the mixer element while the fixed brackets provide only attachment between the mixer element and the plurality of scoops. The first sliding bracket includes a first flange that is fixedly mounted to the mixer element and a second flange that is biased against a surface of the scoop. A second sliding bracket is fixedly mounted to the mixer element and adjustably mounted to the scoop. The second sliding bracket includes an attachment hole and the scoop includes an adjustment slot. A fastener assembly including a spacer is received within the adjustment hole and the adjustment slot to allow relative movement between the mixer element and the scoop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Adeyemi E. Alade, Paul W. Palmer
  • Patent number: 7798768
    Abstract: A turbine vane ID support system usable to support the ID of a turbine vane and including a transition seal system and a turbine vane ID forward rail seal system. The transition seal system may seal the turbine vane ID support body to a transition, and the turbine vane ID forward rail seal system may seal the turbine vane ID support body to a turbine vane. Use of the transition seal system and the turbine vane ID forward rail seal system eliminates the problems inherent with conventional seals used to seal transitions directly to turbine vanes. The turbine vane ID support system may also be configured such that the turbine vane ID support system may be removed to facilitate removal of turbine vanes and blades for repair or replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: John Strain, Yevgeniy Shteyman, Robert W. Spitzer
  • Patent number: 7771160
    Abstract: A ceramic shroud assembly suitable for use in a gas turbine engine comprises a metal clamp ring shrink fitted around a ceramic shroud ring and an insulating and compliant interlayer. The interlayer is positioned between the metal clamp ring and the ceramic shroud ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Shi, Shaoluo L. Butler, Kevin E. Green
  • Patent number: 7766609
    Abstract: A float wall heat shield for use on an endwall of a stator vane used in a gas turbine engine. The heat shield includes an attachment extending from a center of the heat shield to secure the shield to the vane. A plurality of ribs formed on the inside surface of the shield forms cooling channels extending in the streamwise direction. The leading edge of the shield curves downward over the leading edge of the endwall and forms a cooling air inlet. The trailing edge of the shield forms a cooling air exit extending in a straight direction to provide purge air for a rim cavity of an adjacent rotor blade assembly. The heat shield includes pressure and suction sides that conform to an outline of the airfoil of adjacent vanes, and forms cooling air exit gaps so that the cooling air passing through the channels can discharge to prevent inflow of the hot gas flow. The heat shield eliminates the need for film cooling holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 7762766
    Abstract: A support for the first row turbine vanes (12) in a gas turbine engine, the support including a support framework (18). The support framework (18) includes an outer vane carrier (34), and an inner vane carrier (36) connected to the outer vane carrier (34) by a plurality of struts (44, 46). The outer vane carrier (34) is mounted to an inner casing (16) of the engine and the struts (44, 46) support the inner vane carrier (36) in cantilevered relation to the outer vane carrier (34). An aft outer flange (94) of each first row vane (12) is supported on the outer vane carrier (34) and a forward inner flange (114) of the vane (12) is support on the inner vane carrier (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Yevgeniy Shteyman, John Strain, William R. Ryan, Robert W. Spitzer
  • Patent number: 7722317
    Abstract: A CMC wall (20F) may be attached to a metal wall (22F) by a plurality of bolts (28A, 28B, 28C) passing through respective holes (24A, 24B, 24C) in the CMC wall (20F) and holes in the metal wall (22F), clamping the walls (20F, 22F) together with a force that allows sliding thermal expansion but does not allow vibrational shifting. Distal ones of the holes (24A, 24B) in the CMC wall (20F) or in the metal wall (22F) are elongated toward a central one of the bolts (24C) or at alternate angles to guide differential thermal expansion (20T) of the CMC wall (20F) versus the metal wall (22F) between desired cold and hot geometries. A second CMC wall (20R) may be mounted similarly to a second metal wall (22R) by pins (39A, 39B, 39C) that allow expansion of the CMC component (201) in a direction normal to the walls (20F, 20R).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony L. Schiavo, Douglas A. Keller, Malberto F. Gonzalez, David C. Radonovich
  • Patent number: 7686576
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes forming at least one stator ring passage within at least a portion of a radially inner surface of a casing. The method also includes providing at least one stator ring segment that is sized to be inserted into the at least one stator ring passage. The method further includes forming at least one radial passage within at least a portion of the at least one stator ring segment such that at least a portion of the at least one radial passage is adjacent to at least one substantially axial stator blade passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Francis Martin, Stephen Paul Wassynger
  • Patent number: 7686569
    Abstract: A blade gap control system configured to move a blade ring of a turbine engine relative to a blade assembly to reduce the gaps between the tips of the blades and the blade rings to increase the efficiency of the turbine engine is provided. The blade rings can be at an acute angle with respect to the rotational axis of the blade assembly. The axial movement of the blade ring can be done by a pressure differential supplied across the blade ring, the thermal expansion and/or contraction of a linkage or by a piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Hubertus Edward Paprotna, Oran Bertsch
  • Patent number: 7597536
    Abstract: An airfoil used in a gas turbine engine, such as a turbine blade, includes a thin slot formed between a platform section and an airfoil section of the blade, with a metering hole providing for a cooling air passage between a dead rim cavity and the thin slot, such that cooling air passes through the thin slot and out onto the transition between the platform and airfoil for cooling purposes. A plurality of thin slots is arranged around the periphery of the airfoil on the platform of the blade and extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge. In another embodiment, one thin slot could extend from the around the pressure side and the suction side of the airfoil. The thin slot not only provides cooling air to the transition region of the blade, but also de-couples the platform from the airfoil of the blade to reduce stress levels due to thermal gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 7594792
    Abstract: The gastight sealing device associated with a functional clearance existing between two sectors of a turbomachine includes an annular plate wound up on itself over at least one turn, covering functional clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: David Audeon, Kamel Benderradji, Marc Roger Marchi
  • Patent number: 7588414
    Abstract: A passive internal control system for rotor blade tip clearance of a high-pressure turbine is based on inner rings that expand in a radial direction under the influence of heat and radially adjust the clearance delimited by liner segments (9) on the casing side. It comprises a radially expandable U-shaped downstream inner ring (10) mounted to inner platforms (7b) of guide vanes (7) on a side where the rotor does not have a static bearing, said ring providing expansion compensation in the axial and peripheral directions and forming a torsion box (8) with struts (13, 14) that absorbs rolling and tilting moments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Thomas Wunderlich, Peter Broadhead
  • Patent number: 7575415
    Abstract: A method for assembling a gas turbine engine is provided. The method comprises coupling a first turbine nozzle within the engine, coupling a second turbine nozzle circumferentially adjacent the first turbine nozzle such that a gap is defined between the first and second turbine nozzles and providing at least one spline seal including a substantially planar body. The method also comprises forming at least one retainer tab to extend outward from the body portion of the at least one spline seal, and inserting the at least one spline seal into a slot defined in at least one of the first and second turbine nozzles to facilitate reducing leakage through the gap, such that the at least one retainer tab facilitates retaining the retainer tab within the turbine nozzle slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vincent Marion Drerup, Harold Ray Hansel, James Anthony Ketzer, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 7571614
    Abstract: Turboshaft engine including two subassemblies defining between them an annular chamber housing a seal. The two subassemblies are assembled under axial stress thereby defining an annular chamber housing the seal and an interposed part is inserted between the butting surfaces of the two parts of the annular chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Snecma
    Inventors: Claude Lejars, Marica Mesic, Bruce Pontoizeau, Alexandre Roy, Patrice Suet
  • Patent number: 7527469
    Abstract: One embodiment of a transition-to-turbine seal (300) comprises a transition exit seal (302) adapted for fixed attachment to an exit rail (350) of a transition (109), and a stage-1 seal (340). The stage-1 seal (340) comprises an axial seal slot (348) comprising parallel walls (346, 347) adapted to slidingly engage a first male member (310) of the transition exit seal (302). The stage-1 seal (340) also comprises a radial seal slot (354) comprising parallel walls (351, 353) adapted to slidingly engage a plate (338) of a row 1 vane segment (330). The transition-to-turbine seal (300) thus provides both axial and radial freedom of movement. Materials and coatings for the transition exit seal (302) and the stage-1 seal (340) are selected to promote preferential wear of these components relative to wear of the surface of the row 1 vane segment (330). Wear of the exit rail (350) is reduced or eliminated due to the noted fixed attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Zborovsky, Johan Hsu, Andrew G. McQuiggan
  • Patent number: 7491029
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine generally includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The turbine can include an integrated manifold comprising a plenum defined by a manifold disposed in connection with a divider plate and opposite a shielding plate comprising a plurality of apertures. During operation of the gas turbine engine, a quantity of working fluid enters the integrated manifold and circulates throughout the plenum and shielding plate, and enters the turbine through the apertures to actively control clearances between turbine engine components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael C. Pezzetti, Jr., Daniel E. Kane, Craig B. Pease, John T. Reinard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7445425
    Abstract: A seal arrangement 32 between a turbine shroud seal segments 38,40 in a gas turbine engine. The arrangement 32 comprises facing slots 34, 36 provided respectively in the segments 38,40 with offset spaces 42, 44 provided between the segments 38,40. A strip 46 is cemented into the slot 36 such that the flow path 50 passes through the space 42, around the free end of the strip 46, and out through the offset space 44, thereby providing a longer flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Paul William Ferra, Timothy John Scanlon
  • Patent number: 7445426
    Abstract: A compressor includes a stator having a plurality of vane sectors each with an outer shroud having a forward and a rearward guide vane extending there form, the vane sector being mounted in an annular slot of the casing, the guide vanes forming a gap between the tips and an inner shroud, and a spring member located on the outer shroud in the rearward portion to bias the rearward shroud in a radial direction, where a space is formed in the slot to allow for the outer shroud to move in the radial direction when the rearward guide vane tip makes contact with the inner shroud due to thermal growth of the stator components. This arrangement allows for the rearward guide vane tip to maintain contact with the inner shroud without inducing high compressive stresses in the stator components due to the thermal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred P. Matheny, John N. Keune
  • Patent number: 7422413
    Abstract: The present invention is a shroud tip clearance control ring for use in a gas turbine engine in which a rotary blade and a shroud ring form a gap that forms a blade outer air seal, and where the shroud ring is formed of two shroud segment halves, each shroud segment including a pin located near an end of the segment, the pins being slidably within slots formed on the casing, and a drive member moves along a direction in which the pins are moved along the slots to change a radius of the shroud ring in a way such that the radius remains substantially the same along a 360 degree angle of the shroud ring. The drive member includes two positions, one that places the shroud ring in a radially inward position, and another position that places the shroud ring in a radially outward position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred P Matheny