Means Specific To Axial Flow Runner Patents (Class 415/168.4)
  • Patent number: 10822977
    Abstract: A blade includes an airfoil, a stationary portion coupled to a radially inner end of the airfoil, and a leakage flow guide vane assembly coupled to the stationary portion. The leakage flow guide vane assembly includes a plurality of passages defined therein. The passages are oriented to induce a swirl velocity to a working fluid flowing through the passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yu Wang, Sean Morrissey, Xiaoqing Zheng, Tao Guo
  • Patent number: 10794209
    Abstract: A tip shroud of a turbine rotor blade includes at least one first through hole. The first through hole includes a first opening and a second opening, the first opening penetrating the tip shroud in a radial direction so as to bring a first cavity and an inter-blade flow passage into communication. The first cavity is defined between a first seal fin and a second seal fin. The first seal fin extending in the radial direction on an outer side in a radial direction of the tip shroud, and the second seal fin extending in the radial direction at a position spaced part from the first seal fin in a direction of an axis of a rotor body. The first opening is formed at an intermediate position between the first seal fin and the second seal fin. The second opening is formed at a position facing the inter-blade flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Matsumoto, Hideaki Sugishita
  • Patent number: 9644483
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a turbomachine bucket having a flow interrupter, as well as related turbomachines. Various embodiments include a turbomachine bucket having: a base section sized to couple with a turbomachine rotor, the base section having a leading edge and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge; a blade section coupled to the base section and aligned to extend radially from the base section; a shroud coupled to the blade section and aligned to extend radially from the blade section; and a flow interrupter coupled to the leading edge of the base section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Moorthi Subramaniyan, Prabakaran Modachur Krishnan
  • Patent number: 9359913
    Abstract: An inner shell assembly for a steam turbine includes an inner shell with a plurality of grooves of preset dimensions, and a plurality of nozzle carriers respectively securable in the plurality of grooves. Each of the nozzle carriers supports at least one nozzle and bucket for a turbine stage via a dovetail, where the inner shell, the plurality of nozzle carriers and the nozzles and buckets define a steam path. A radial position of the dovetails in the nozzle carriers within its corresponding grooves is selectable according to the steam path, and an axial width of each of the nozzle carriers is selectable according to the steam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Earl Montgomery, Fred Thomas Willett
  • Patent number: 9022722
    Abstract: A frame assembly of a ring-type fan with a pressure-releasing function includes a fan wheel, a pressuring-releasing portion, and a frame body. The fan wheel is received in an accommodating space of the frame body. The fan wheel has a hub and a plurality of blades. The pressure-releasing portion is formed on free ends of the blades and has a stopping wall and a flange extending from one end of the stopping wall. A pressure-releasing channel is formed between the stopping wall and an inner wall of the frame body. With the pressure-releasing portion being formed on the free ends of the blades, the present invention is capable of delaying the deceleration, improving the fan performance, and reducing its noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Hao Liu, Guan-Chen Yin
  • Patent number: 8936431
    Abstract: A shroud for a turbine and a method of assembling is provided. The turbine includes a housing, a rotatable shaft and a bucket extending outward therefrom. The shroud includes an alignment member which is coupled to the housing, wherein the alignment member includes a first end, a second end and a body extending between the first and second ends. The second end includes an arcuate portion to facilitate fluid flow downstream from the bucket. The shroud further includes a seal coupled to the body to facilitate sealing a gap defined between the bucket and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rohit Chouhan, Sumeet Soni
  • Patent number: 8926283
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine, including: a plurality of blades (60) assembled into an annular row of blades and partly defining a hot gas path (26) and a cooling fluid path (24), wherein the cooling fluid path extends from a rotor cavity (22) to the hot gas path; an angel wing assembly (99) disposed on a side (74) of a base (76) of the row of blades; and pumping features (130) distributed about the angel wing assembly configured to impart, at a narrowest gap (42) of the cooling fluid path, motion to a flow of cooling fluid flowing there through. The plurality of pumping features, the angel wing assembly, and the base of the row of blades are effective to produce a helical motion to the flow of cooling fluid as it enters the hot gas path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Paul H. Vitt, Eric Schroeder
  • Patent number: 8753070
    Abstract: A device for redirecting a leakage current flowing between a stator and a rotor is disclosed. The device includes a sealing element for interrupting the leakage current, an outlet opening disposed on the rotor, and a guide which is configured to direct the leakage current past the sealing element to the outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Sergio Elorza Gomez
  • Patent number: 8616838
    Abstract: A compressor of a turbine engine, the compressor including stator blades with shrouds, the shrouds being surrounded, at least in part, by rotating structure and forming a shroud cavity therebetween, the compressor including: a plurality of tangential flow inducers disposed within the shroud cavity; wherein each tangential flow inducer comprises a surface disposed on the rotating structure that is configured such that, when rotated, induces a tangential directional component to and/or increases the velocity of a flow of leakage exiting the shroud cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ya-Tien Chiu, Venkata S. P. Chaluvadi, Peter S. King
  • Publication number: 20130330179
    Abstract: A shroud for a turbine and a method of assembling is provided. The turbine includes a housing, a rotatable shaft and a bucket extending outward therefrom. The shroud includes an alignment member which is coupled to the housing, wherein the alignment member includes a first end, a second end and a body extending between the first and second ends. The second end includes an arcuate portion to facilitate fluid flow downstream from the bucket. The shroud further includes a seal coupled to the body to facilitate sealing a gap defined between the bucket and the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Rohit Chouhan, Sumeet Soni
  • Publication number: 20130071229
    Abstract: A device for plugging an axially-aligned bore in a shaft of a gas turbine engine comprises a plug. A sealing body of the plug is sealingly received in a bore of the shaft. Legs project from the sealing body and are displaceable between a normally contracted position in which the legs are radially inward relative to a periphery of the bore, and a deployed position in which the legs project radially outward and engage with shaft projections within the bore of the shaft. A wedge is operatively engaged to the plug for movement of the wedge relative to the plug. The wedge comprises a portion in operative contact with the legs of the plug unit to displace the legs between positions as a response to movement of the wedge. A gas turbine engine and a method for plugging a shaft are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventor: Marcin Rejman
  • Patent number: 8308429
    Abstract: An axial compressor comprises a stator component and a rotor component, which cooperate to perform work on a fluid flow in a primary flow-passage defined by the stator and rotor components, the stator component and the rotor component further defining a secondary flow-passage which interconnects a higher pressure region and a lower pressure region of the primary flow-passage, the rotor component being provided with at least one secondary rotor element which, in normal operation of the machine, pumps a bypass flow of fluid through the secondary flow passage from the lower pressure region to the higher pressure region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, PLC
    Inventor: Mark O. Walker
  • Patent number: 8167534
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a turbine engine. The engine may include a main housing defining a compressor compartment and an air intake housing mounted to the main housing. The engine may also include a rotor including a compressor portion disposed within the compressor compartment, and a hub portion extending from the compressor compartment through an opening in the air intake housing into a bearing compartment defined by the air intake housing. The engine may further include a seal mounted in the opening in the air intake housing in an annular gap between the hub portion of the rotor and the air intake housing and configured to form a seal between the bearing compartment and the compressor compartment. The seal may be configured to be removed from the opening in the air intake housing while the air intake housing is mounted to the main housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Charles C. Cornelius, Gabriel J. Glynn
  • Patent number: 8113764
    Abstract: A steam turbine includes a shaft operatively connecting a first turbine section and a second turbine section. A packing assembly is positioned about the shaft. A first conduit is fluidly connected to the packing assembly. The first conduit is configured to introduce a flow of low temperature, low pressure steam to the packing assembly. A second conduit is also fluidly connected to the packing assembly downstream from the first turbine section and upstream from the first conduit. The second conduit receives a portion of the high temperature, high pressure steam passing into the packing assembly from the first turbine section. A valve is fluidly connected to the second conduit. The valve is configured to be selectively operated so as to allow the high temperature, high pressure steam to mix with the low pressure, low temperature steam in the second conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nestor Hernandez, Dhaval Ramesh Bhalodia
  • Patent number: 8066475
    Abstract: A uniquely configured rotating seal tooth is used in conjunction with commonly used labyrinth-type seals that provide a seal between a rotating component and a stationary component. The uniquely configured rotating seal tooth produces a compression mechanism to counter leakage flow through the labyrinth of seal teeth, thereby lessening the pressure gradient that drives leakage and reversing the direction of some of the leakage flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles Alan Bulgrin, Ralph Chris Bruner, Robert Craig Akin
  • Patent number: 7581920
    Abstract: An air circulation method in a turbomachine compressor includes minimizing an inner flowpath between two adjacent blades by providing labyrinths on an inner casing between the two adjacent blades, and sucking in air from the minimized inner flowpath through a radially inner orifice of a vane faced by the labyrinths. The method further includes directing the sucked in air through the vane, bleeding the air from the vane through a radially outer opening of the vane and through an orifice of an outer casing. The air is collected from the vane into a manifold outside the compression stage. A compressor arrangement for circulating air includes a suction device for sucking in air present in the inner flowpath between labyrinths and the vane, and for sending the air into the vane of the stator. The arrangement also includes a device for bleeding air in the vane of the stator and for sending the air outside the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Alain Lardellier
  • Patent number: 7544039
    Abstract: A twin spool rotor shaft having an inner rotor shaft and an outer rotor shaft concentric to the inner rotor shaft, an outer shaft seal assembly formed between the outer rotor shaft and a stationary casing, and an inner shaft seal assembly formed between the outer shaft and the inner shaft. The two seal assemblies include a purge cavity and two drain cavities formed on the sides of the purge cavity. A purge fluid is supplied to the outer purge cavity, and drain passages in the stationary housing drain the two outer drain cavities without mixing the two fluids. The outer purge cavity is fluidly connected to the inner purge cavity through a radial passage in the outer rotor shaft in one embodiment, or through a bore tube passing within the inner rotor shaft in a second embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip C. Pelfrey
  • Patent number: 7147431
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) is provided with a stage of turbine blades (22) surrounded by hollow shroud segments (28). Cooling of the shroud segments (28) is achieved by providing a flow of engine leakage air from space volume (48) centrally of the engine (10) via an annular compartment (46) wherein it is diverted away from the blade cooling system and passed via piping (44) within each guide vane (20) to shroud segments (28). The flow impingement cools the shroud segments (28) and then passes into the gas annulus via slots (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Alan R Maguire, Paul W Ferra
  • Patent number: 6330790
    Abstract: A buffer seal arrangement is provided for improved buffer sealing of oil sump seals in gas turbine engines. The buffer seal arrangement includes a three section labyrinth seal. Disposed between the first and second section is a buffer air supply annulus for delivering pressurized air from the engine to said first and second sections of the seal. Oil drains are disposed between said second and third sections and adjacent the third section. The first section has four knife seals, and the second and third sections have three knife seals. Rig testing has shown that this buffer seal arrangement can prevent the leakage of oil into the gas path of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: AlliedSignal, Inc.
    Inventors: Gulshan K. Arora, Donn A. Groninger, Francis Leech, Bobby J. Hobbs
  • Patent number: 6244816
    Abstract: A structure for preventing deformation of a gland portion of a low pressure steam turbine by preventing wet steam from entering the gland portion. The gland portion includes a gland casing (3) that surrounds a gland portion periphery (2) of a rotor (1). A portion of steam (20), in the form of wet steam (21a), flows into a cavity (10) through a gap (11). Accordingly, a ridge (15) is provided on and around the entire periphery of the rotor (1), and thereby the wet steam (21a) is caused to flow in a swirling manner, and is prevented from flowing toward the gland portion periphery (2). Also, water in the wet steam (21a) scatters therearound so that the gland casing (3) and the seal portion (4, 5) are prevented from being partially cooled. Thus, contact with the rotor (1) is avoided and vibration caused thereby is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryotaro Magoshi
  • Patent number: 6238180
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a leak reducing structure in a steam turbine having high pressure, intermediate pressure, and low pressure turbine sections in a single casing, in which steam leaking from the high pressure side to the intermediate pressure side is recovered to be used effectively. The high pressure, intermediate pressure, and low pressure turbine sections are arranged along a rotor in an external casing. High-pressure steam from a high-pressure steam inlet port passes through a nozzle chamber formed integrally with a dummy ring, and flows into the high pressure turbine section to do work. On the other hand, some of high-pressure steam attempts to leak from a seal portion of the dummy ring to the intermediate pressure turbine section side. However, the leaking steam flows from point X of an external pipe to point Y on the high pressure side to be recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryotaro Magoshi, Takashi Nakano, Kouji Tanaka