Including Heat Insulation Or Exchange Means (e.g., Fins, Lagging, Etc.) Patents (Class 415/177)
  • Patent number: 5605045
    Abstract: An exhaust gas-driven turbine drives a compressor to charge an internal combustion engine. An integral motor is positioned on the connecting shaft to add power to the turbocharging shaft, especially at low exhaust gas volume. Cooling for this motor includes circulation of engine oil therearound and may include insulation to limit heat inflow from the turbine and may include air flow through the motor to carry away heat inflow from the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Turbodyne Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward M. Halimi, Ralph P. Maloof, William E. Woollenweber
  • Patent number: 5586860
    Abstract: Turbo aero engine including a heating arrangement for the internal portions (12) of turbine disks on revving up so as to reduce the temperature gradient in the disks. Heating gas passes through pipes (11) integral with the stator and reheats the disks by passing through a gasket (13) designed with the tongues (18) and orifices (20 and 22) which allow the gas to circulate towards the zones to be heated when the revving up has firstly heated the portions of the machine close to the pipes (11) and then makes it possible to interrupt the communication when the temperatures even out and the original heat expansions become uniform and offset the orifices (20 and 23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Bertrand, Gilles A. Charier, Xavier J.A. Guyonnet, Jean-Louis Picard
  • Patent number: 5582506
    Abstract: A fan device for an integrated circuit includes a finned plate, a fan having a rotor shaft, and a board member mounted to the finned plate. The finned plate includes a plurality of rows and columns of fins extending upwardly from an upper side thereof and a space defined in a center of the upper side, each two adjacent fins having a gap defined therebetween. The board member includes a hole defined in a mediate portion thereof, a support member provided in the hole, and a plurality of ribs extending downwardly from a periphery defining the hole to the support member, the support member including a stud formed on an upper side thereof and having a second hole defined therein for rotatably receiving the rotor shaft of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Inventor: Chen Fu-In Hong
  • Patent number: 5577883
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gas friction pump with a high vacuum (HV) area and a forevacuum area (FV) area; in order to avoid, on the pumping surfaces, the formation of solid materials when such pumps are used for chemical processes, it is proposed that the HV area and the FV area have different working temperatures, so that the temperature of the HV area is lower than the temperature of the FV area (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gunter Schutz, Markus Szirmay, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 5569017
    Abstract: An improved end bracket is provided for a high velocity low pressure blower assembly. The end bracket includes a pair of members, each heat sink having several vanes. The bracket further includes a bearing boss having heat dissipating vanes radiating from it. The heat sink members and vanes serve to dissipate heat from a bearing which is mounted in the bearing boss. The bracket also includes a tangential exhaust horn having a threaded hose coupling. The exhaust horn communicates with a tapered scroll passage which serves to direct air to the exhaust horn. The scroll passage is tapered to allow the high velocity air to expand as it becomes hotter, thereby reducing turbulence at the exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Ametek, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Barnhart, David P. Gill
  • Patent number: 5562408
    Abstract: A turbine shroud includes an annular shroud support joined to an annular outer casing and spaced radially inwardly therefrom to define an annular flow duct for receiving compressor bleed air. A plurality of shroud panels are joined to the shroud support and have a radially inner surface positionable radially above turbine rotor blades to define a tip clearance therebetween. An isolation shield is joined to the shroud support radially above the panels and includes a plurality of open-ended cells facing radially outwardly in the duct toward the outer casing for inducing drag in the bleed air flowable axially through the duct to thermally isolate the shroud support from the bleed air for controlling the tip clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Proctor, David R. Linger, David A. Di Salle, Steven R. Brassfield, Larry W. Plemmons
  • Patent number: 5558495
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for creating heat by electromagnetic induction between relatively rotating components. In RAT applications, part of the nose cone (34) is formed from electrically conductive material (106) which is in thermally conductive relation to the nose cone exterior. A magnetic field is created by components (60) that are spaced apart from the electrically conductive material and relatively rotatable with respect to that material. The electrically conductive material intersects the magnetic field, at least in part, such that eddy currents are created in the electrically conductive material by relative rotation with respect to the magnetic field. These eddy currents create heat which is conducted to the exterior surface of the RAT nose cone. Preferably, the magnetic field is created by a pair of spaced-apart permanent magnets (60) mounted on a support plate (62) inside the RAT hub (28) and immediately behind the nose cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Barry J. Parker, Alexander Krinickas, John D. Stilwell, Neil L. Brown
  • Patent number: 5549449
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine and compressor housing attached by a circumferential clamp with circumferentially staggered contact points between the clamp and the housings to reduce heat transfer from the turbine housing to the compressor housing. The mass of the turbine housing is reduced and the mass of the compressor housing is increased to reduce the transfer of heat from the turbine housing to the compressor housing from the thermal flux of the turbine side heat energy. The compressor housing mass is increased by incorporating a heat-transfer interface between the compressor housing and the oil reservoir cover, which oil reservoir extends circumferentially around the axis of the turbocharger rotor shaft. Concentricity between the components of the turbocharger is achieved by creating the radial junction between the turbine and compressor backwalls on the smallest feasible diameter to minimize the effects of thermally induced distortion on component concentricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: WRR Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. McInerney, Norbert L. Osborn, Gerhard M. Schruf
  • Patent number: 5540547
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for damping the vibrations of circumferentially extending and generally cantilevered tubing segments of a cooling manifold of a gas turbine engine which is disposed in a generally concentric relationship with and attached to an annular engine casing. The vibration damping means comprises a plurality of clip elements, with each clip element being attached to a pair of axially adjacent ones of the tubing segments at a location proximate free ends of the tubing segments which engage an axially extending manifold plenum in slip joint connections. Each clip element comprises first and second arcuate retainers connected by an arcuate spacer section which establishes the proper axial spacing between the retainers. At least one of the retainers engages the corresponding tubing segments in an interference fit, with each retainer establishing an interference fit in a preferred embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Lester E. Cole
  • Patent number: 5522700
    Abstract: A fan device for dissipating heat from an electronic component includes a base having a number of upward extending fins. The fins on the side portions are higher than the middle fins. A board is secured above the shorter fins and engaged between the higher fins, and includes a number of orifices for air circulation purposes. The board includes a support engaged in an opening and coupled to the board for securing a fan. Alternatively, the board may be engaged on top of the higher fins, or, the fins may have identical height and include a depression formed in the middle portion for engagement with the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Inventor: Chen Fu-in Hong
  • Patent number: 5498131
    Abstract: A steam turbine has a rotor-stress reducing steam system coupled to the rotor bore of the rotor shaft so as to introduce steam in the rotor bore. The rotor-stress reducing steam system has a radial steam supply device in which steam is introduced via radial channels through the rotor core, or alternatively, an axial steam supply device has a steam supply tube coaxially disposed within the rotor bore. The surface of the rotor core that is the boundary of the rotor bore typically has rifled grooves so that condensate from the warming steam is collected and directed to a bore condensate drain apparatus coupled to the rotor bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Karl D. Minto
  • Patent number: 5468123
    Abstract: The system makes it possible to reduce the clearances existing between the rotor and stator of a turbine (40) of a turbo jet engine during the various operating phases of the latter whilst keeping the temperatures of the disks inside the limits of their mechanical behaviour. The disks (4) of the turbine (40) are ventilated via the sampling of high pressure air at a high temperature (2) and the stator via the sampling of low pressure air at a low temperature (3). The respective temperatures of these two samplings are homogenized by a heat exchanger (1). This exchanger is short-circuited by a branch circuit connection (5) on the low pressure circuit so as to keep as stable as possible the clearances inside the turbine (40) according to the various ranges of capacity of the turbo jet engine by means of a valve (6) controlled by the computer.Application for aircraft turbo jet engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Societe Nationale D'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs D'Aviation "Snecma"
    Inventors: Michel Guimier, Philippe M. Paris
  • Patent number: 5443368
    Abstract: A vacuum system comprises, as an integral assembly, a turbomolecular pump with drive motor, a vent valve, a purge valve, a roughing valve, a heater and an electronic control module. The control module has a programmed processor for controlling the motor and valves and is user programmable for establishing specific control sequences. The integral electronic control module is removable from the assembly and is connected to the other devices through a common connector assembly. Proper introduction of a purge gas through the purge valve is detected by detecting the current load on the pump drive or by detecting foreline pressure. To test the purge gas status, the purge valve may be closed and then opened as drive current or pressure is monitored. After power failure, the controller will continue normal drive of the turbomolecular pump so long as the speed of the pump has remained above a threshold value. Otherwise the vent valve will have been opened, and a start-up sequence must be initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Helix Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Alan L. Weeks, Gerald J. Fortier, Stephen R. Matte', Peter W. Gaudet, Martin Stein, Steven C. Rosner, Robert J. Lepofsky
  • Patent number: 5409352
    Abstract: A CPU heat dissipating device, which includes a radiating flange having a plurality of radiating fins spaced on a flat bottom plate thereof around a circle and defining a receiving chamber to hold a fan, and a flat cover plate covered on the radiating flange over the fan and having a ventilation port at the center vertically aligned with the fan and a plurality of radial ribs spaced around the ventilation port at the bottom and respectively fitting the radiating fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Inventor: Mike Lin
  • Patent number: 5403150
    Abstract: A turbocharger having a heat insulating system whereby an aluminum bearing housing, its internal components including bearing assemblies and lubricating oil are insulated from the heat of the turbine. The insulating system includes three basic component parts. The first component part is a partially convoluted backplate interconnecting the bearing housing and the turbine housing. The second component part is an insulator situated next to the backplate and the third component part is a heat shield provided between the turbine wheel and the insulator. Between the backplate and the bearing housing is defined a cavity near the turbine shaft. Oil slingers are provided on the shaft within the cavity to create an oil-air mist when the shaft is rotated, thereby enhancing cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Albert McEachern, Jr., J. W. Brogdon
  • Patent number: 5399066
    Abstract: Clearance control is provided by a shaped, integral environmental shield and circumferentially segmented cooling manifold. Each manifold has impingement rails located radially outside selected components of the stator casing. Cooling air is directed onto stator components and returns immediately through circuitous paths to improve uniformity of cooling. The structure incorporates the environmental shield into a two piece bonded structure to facilitate construction and assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Julie A. Ritchie, Joseph H. Schleue, Jeffrey Glover, Frederick W. Tegarden
  • Patent number: 5351732
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a casing cooling system which operates in one of two conditions, the first being operational at engine cruise, where all of the cooling air is initially directed onto a specific region of the casing; under full power conditions, some of the cooling air is directed onto the specific casing region and the reminder directed onto the reminder of the casing; the cooling system operates to optimize turbine blade/casing radial clearances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Stephen J. Mills, Robin D. Monico, Andrew J. Bradley
  • Patent number: 5332358
    Abstract: A seal support assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a stator seal support having an annular seal backing extending axially away therefrom and having an integral retention flange at one end thereof. The retention flange includes a retention groove. An annular seal block is supported radially inwardly of the seal backing for cooperating with rotor seal teeth to define a fluid seal. A control ring is disposed radially outwardly of the seal backing and is supported thereby, with the control ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart retention tabs cooperating with the retention flange for axially retaining the control ring on the seal backing. An annular heat shield is fixedly joined at one end to the seal support, and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart retention tabs cooperating with the retention flange for axially retaining the heat shield to the seal backing while permitting unrestrained differential radial movement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Hemmelgarn, Jeffrey A. Kress, Richard W. Albrecht
  • Patent number: 5330321
    Abstract: In a gas turbine engine tip clearance between rotor blades and an encircling shroud liner is controlled by moving the shroud liner radially to match the thermal and centrifugal growth of the rotor assembly. The shroud liner segments are suspended between two axially displaced control rings located in a passageway carrying air ducted from the compressor. One control ring responds very quickly to changes in gas temperature corresponding to centrifugal growth and blade thermal growth. The other ring responds very much more slowly and corresponds to the thermal growth of the disc. The shroud liner segments are suspended from the control rings to adopt a position that constitutes the average between the growth positions of the two control rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Rolls Royce plc
    Inventors: Michael C. Roberts, John F. Leonard
  • Patent number: 5273397
    Abstract: A thermal radiation shield is joined to an annular casing through which combustion gases are axially flowable. The shield is spaced at least in part radially inwardly from the casing inner surface and includes axially spaced apart forward and aft edges and radially outer and inner surfaces extending axially therebetween. The shield includes a trough disposed in the outer surface which faces the casing inner surface, and the trough extends along the shield at least in part both axially and circumferentially. A flow conduit extends through the casing and in flow communication with the trough for channeling cooling air thereto. The shield protects the casing from thermal radiation, and the trough is effective for channeling the cooling air both circumferentially and axially for reducing thermal gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert P. Czachor, Scott P. Ryczek
  • Patent number: 5269651
    Abstract: A guide vane ring having guide vanes is provided on two rings which are arranged coaxially and radially at a distance from one another. These two rings are held on assigned housing sections which are subjected to thermally different expansions. One ring is rigidly connected with the guide vanes, and the other ring is connected with the free ends of the guide vanes by the compressive force of a tensioning element. In addition, the other ring is divided into several piston-ring-type elements which axially follow one another and which are each slotted approximately axially and form a cylindrical sliding surface for the whole free ends of the vanes. The tensioning element is arranged on the one group of assigned housing sections while forming a radial compressive force distributed uniformly on the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Munchen GmbH
    Inventors: Oskar Ostermeir, Wolfgang Kruger
  • Patent number: 5246337
    Abstract: A generally cylindrical thermal shield for a heat exchanger in a centrifugal pump which includes a fixed inner diameter vertical wall that forms an annular clearance coaxially around the pump impeller shaft, an outer vertical wall that has a diameter greater than the diameter of the inner vertical wall, and a bottom section that extends upwardly between the inner and outer diameter vertical walls such that the bottom section meets the outer wall at an obtuse angle and meets the inner wall at an acute angle. Such a construction prevents any part of the outer wall from being located opposite the journal return holes of the impeller chamber and minimizes or eliminates erosive wear that may otherwise occur from the flow of fluid from the return holes against the bearing journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: BW/IP International, Inc.
    Inventor: Clark S. Boster
  • Patent number: 5238365
    Abstract: A thermal seal and insulating assembly for the low pressure turbine stage of a gas turbine engine having an inner liner and an outer liner which are connected by a 360.degree. ring. The ring serves to insulate a low pressure turbine case which is located radially outward from the outer liner from high temperature fluid flow. The inner liner is integrally connected to a liner extension located at the front of the inner liner. The liner extension deflects thermal fluid flow away from the inner liner. The inner liner and outer liner house a plurality of tubular and axially aligned honeycombed cells which provide a barrier against radiation heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph Petsche
  • Patent number: 5232339
    Abstract: A rotor disk assembly includes rotor disks and structural spacer arms adapted to transmit axial loads and bending moments between adjacent disks. The spacer arms include cooling fins for convective cooling of the spacer arms. The spacer arm is preferably a self supporting wheel structure. The cooling fins are preferably circumferentially continuous and extend radially into a relatively cooler rotor bore cavity in which the disk hubs are supported. The cooling fins can be positioned on the spacer arms to reduce thermal distortion of the spacer arms, and thereby reduce bending stresses transmitted to the disks. The spacer arm includes a body section adjacent a relatively higher temperature seal cavity, which can be purged by cooling air from the relatively lower temperature rotor bore cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Larry W. Plemmons, Richard A. Wesling
  • Patent number: 5228836
    Abstract: The runner for pumping hot reactor liquids includes a runner body which is connected with a shaft portion which transmits a driving torque. An annular insert is disposed between a bearing sleeve projecting from the runner body and the drive shaft portion to define an annular flow path in order to guide an auxiliary flow which, in the case of an injection operation, leads cool reactor liquid to the runner in one direction of flow and, in the case of a leakage operation, leads hot reactor liquid for cooling away from the runner in an opposite direction of flow. A closed cavity is formed between the runner body and the drive shaft portion in a transition zone between the two components so as to reduce the cross-sectional area for the transfer of heat between the runner body and the drive shaft portion. The cavity is formed by a blind bore which has a diameter greater than 30% of the outer diameter of the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Sulzer Brothers Limited
    Inventors: Gunther Eichhorn, Arno Frei
  • Patent number: 5226788
    Abstract: The present invention provides an annular integral bolt heat shield and axial retention apparatus to axially retain bolts used for holding together two rotor elements during assembly when the bolts are otherwise subject to sliding into a closed cavity of the assembled engine or one of its modules. The integral retainer and heat shield engage the bolts disposed through bolt holes in a gas turbine engine rotor shaft so that the bolts remain straight during assembly when a second rotor element such as a second shaft is being attached to the first shaft and bolt holes in the second shaft have to engage and fit over the bolts of the first shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steve R. Fledderjohn
  • Patent number: 5224822
    Abstract: The invention comprises the use of a thermal barrier coating on a member of a gas turbine engine component with one surface of the member exposed to high temperature but not exposed to high velocity gases, as an insulating material to slow the heat transfer to the substrate of the component member and allow thermal gradients within acceptable material limits between the thermal barrier coated member and the remainder of the component. In a particular application, the use of a thermal barrier coating enables making a high pressure turbine nozzle integral with a discourager seal lip, eliminating fasteners protruding into the rotor/stator cavity and split lines between segments of the prior art that allowed high temperature gas ingestion further into the cavity and caused windage losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dean T. Lenahan, Charles F. Riedmiller, Andrew P. Elovic
  • Patent number: 5219270
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering energy from a wet oxidation products stream flow includes channeling the stream flow to an energy recovery assembly (10). The assembly (10) includes a rotatable reactor barrel (32). The reaction barrel (32) is mounted on an axle (33) for rotation therewith. The reaction barrel (32) has races (40) disposed in juxtaposition and circumferentially about the axle (33). Each race (40) is disk-like in shape, has an outer rim, and may be juxtapositioned adjacent to another race (40). The reactor barrel (32) is provided with a plurality of rocket nozzles (41) on each race (40), and rocket nozzles (41) on adjacent races (40) may be in staggered alignment with the rocket nozzles (41) of an adjacent race (40). The stream flow is channeled to and expelled through the rocket nozzles (41), thus causing the reactor barrel (32) to rotate. The stream flow may be channeled via nozzle ducts (52) having varying lengths to control the flow to the rocket nozzles (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Titmas and Associates Incorporated
    Inventor: James A. Titmas
  • Patent number: 5217350
    Abstract: A cylindrical support portion is provided on a wafer pump case to surround a rotary shaft, and a cylindrically formed power transmitting rotary wheel surrounding the support portion is integrally coupled to an outer end of the rotary shaft which protrudes outwardly from the support portion. A bearing means is interposed between an inner surface of the power transmitting rotary wheel and an outer surface of the support portion. A plurality of sealing members disposed concentrically with the bearing means are interposed between the rotary shaft and an inner surface of the cylindrical support portion at a location axially outwardly spaced from the mechanical seal, and a grease is filled between the sealing members. The water pump structure not only improves the sealing property of the sealing members by providing the sealing members at a location in which the deflection of the rotary shaft is smallest, but also increases the retaining property for the grease between the plurality of sealing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Kimura, Kiyoshi Miyazaki, Toshihide Matsunaga, Shoji Isobe, Shigeru Itoh, Naokazu Kawase, Tsutomu Kishi
  • Patent number: 5211536
    Abstract: The invention comprises the use of a split retaining ring cooperating with an inner nozzle support member to retain nozzle segments and a stationary seal without the use of threaded fasteners. Elimination of bolt heads from the rotor/stator cavity reduces windage losses and enables a shortening of the inner nozzle band overhang, reducing the requirement for high pressure cooling and cavity purge air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert I. Ackerman, Alan Walker, Ronald E. Schlechtweg
  • Patent number: 5201846
    Abstract: A turbine for an axial flow gas turbine engine has a heat shield arranged in an annular space between the outer casing and an array of butted nozzle segments. The heat shield is made of a material which expands when subjected to the high temperatures generated inside said turbine during operation. A mechanism is provided for blocking rotation about the axial axis and axial displacement in an aft direction of the heat shield, while not blocking radial expansion of the heat shield. The outer casing and heat shield are dimensioned and configured so that after thermal expansion the heat shield and outer casing contact to form a gastight chamber therebetween, whereas prior to thermal expansion the heat shield and outer casing do not form a gastight chamber therebetween. The heat shield is a sheet metal ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Derek J. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 5201847
    Abstract: A gas turbine of the type having cooling air supplied to cool the outer surfaces of the shrouds of the turbine vanes is provided with roughness elements disposed upon the outer surfaces of the shrouds. The roughness elements enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the shroud by increasing the surface area of the shroud and enhance the efficiency of the cooling air by increasing the turbulence between the cooling air and the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Graydon L. Whidden
  • Patent number: 5197852
    Abstract: The present invention is a unique nozzle assembly for a high pressure turbine of a gas turbine engine. The nozzle assembly includes a series of circumferentially spaced vanes and a nozzle band. The nozzle band supports the vanes and includes a mounting flange extending radially from the nozzle band and adapted to be secured to the gas turbine engine. The nozzle band has an overhang portion axially downstream of the mounting flange. A pin fin bank is formed within the overhang portion for allowing cooling fluid to flow therethrough to cool the overhang portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Walker, Dean T. Lenahan, Gary M. Itzel, Andrew P. Elovic
  • Patent number: 5195868
    Abstract: A heat shield mechanism for thermally protecting a casing located in a turbine engine having a plurality of honeycomb cells which are connected to a support plate. A spring in contact with the support plate and in contact with a vane liner exerts a force on the support plate which causes at least one of the plurality of honeycomb cells to be pressed against the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Larry W. Plemmons, Mark S. Rocklin, Jay A. Benson
  • Patent number: 5192186
    Abstract: A shroud ring suitable for the turbine of a gas turbine engine comprises an annular heat pipe with radially inwardly directed flanges which are bridged by a plurality of abutting tiles so that together they define an annular chamber. The annular chamber serves to provide a thermal barrier between the tiles and a major portion of the heat pipe. The operating temperature of the shroud ring is thus reduced thereby ensuring reduced radial expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John H. R. Sadler
  • Patent number: 5180279
    Abstract: A cover plate for a cooling fan motor includes a heat shield portion spaced from the motor and a deflector portion extending beyond the motor. The deflector portion redirects axial discharge airflow across the motor to provide cooling, thereby improving the life of the motor bearings and the operating efficiency of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Lee A. M. McLane-Goetz, Matthew J. Laramie, Kevin L. McClelland, Robert L. McCormick, Allen L. Schultz
  • Patent number: 5176495
    Abstract: A thermal shielding apparatus for use in the low pressure stage of a turbine engine having a plurality of tubular honeycomb cells which are axially aligned and arranged perpendicularly to a radially outwardly directed heat flux. The cells are layered and are housed by an inner and outer liner. The outer liner and an outer casing form a space between them, the outer casing being located radially outward from the outer liner. The layers of honeycomb cells reduce radiant heat flow to the outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark S. Honkomp, Allewis A. Greninger
  • Patent number: 5174714
    Abstract: A heat shield mechanism for shielding a structure in a turbine engine having a sheet metal backing which is bonded to a plurality of honeycomb cells aligned in a radially outward manner toward a casing. The honeycomb cells and sheet metal backing form a heat shield which acts as a vortex destroyer by eliminating fluid flow around the turbine structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Larry W. Plemmons, John R. Hess
  • Patent number: 5167487
    Abstract: A shroud support includes an annular casing and an annular hanger spaced radially inwardly therefrom. The hanger includes a circumferentially extending flow duct therein and a base for radially supporting a shroud positionable radially over a plurality of circumferentially spaced turbine blades. The hanger is cooled by channeling a cooling fluid circumferentially inside the hanger flow duct for providing more uniform circumferential blade tip clearance and for better matching the thermal movement between the shroud and blade tips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Peter J. Rock
  • Patent number: 5165848
    Abstract: A heat shield device for a vane liner in which a first plurality of honeycomb cells which are axially aligned are attached to a first side of the vane liner. A second plurality of honeycomb cells are axially aligned and attached to a second side of the vane liner. The first and second sides of the vane liner are opposite to each other and are provided with cavities which are filled in by the first and second pluralities of honeycomb cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Larry W. Plemmons
  • Patent number: 5161939
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fully integrated single stage centrifugal air compression system that exhibits a relatively high flow rate at relatively low pressure. The air compression system comprises a single impeller that is driven through a belt drive by a conventional electric motor. A novel parallel wall axially split diffuser converts the high kinetic energy of air leaving the impeller into pressure energy. Cooling of the air compressor is achieved by an integral fan on the motor pulley which draws filtered ambient air into a plenum. Plenum air is ducted through a novel system of heat exchangers which draw heat from the compressor bearings. A passage through the center of the compressor drive shaft conducts pressurized air from the plenum through the drive shaft to cool the bearings, resulting in a bearing running temperature slightly above ambient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Turbo Concepts, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Stadler
  • Patent number: 5161945
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes axially adjacent compressor and turbine rotors which define a groove therebetween. Into the groove between the rotors radially extends an annular interstage seal assembly. The seal assembly includes a thermally insulative cellular wall structure which resists thermal and pressure included distortions. At its radially inner extent the cellular wall defines a seal structure in cooperation with the rotors, and also carries heat shield members on an axial fore disposed toward the turbine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Allied-Signal Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd L. Clevenger, Robert C. Rowan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5156523
    Abstract: A coupling for feeding a heat-exchange fluid between a stationary supply and a rotating body comprises a tubular rotor shaft fixed to the rotating body and rotatable about and centered on an axis and a nonrotatable housing fixed stationarily adjacent and surrounding the body. This housing is provided with an inlet connected to the supply and is formed with a passage permitting fluid communication between the supply and the body through the shaft. At least one roller bearing rotationally supports the shaft in the housing and outer and inner seals axially flanking the bearing define an annular substantially closed chamber containing the bearing and each seal between the housing and the shaft. The inner seal has an inner side exposed to the fluid and the outer seal has an outer side exposed to the surrounding atmosphere. A coolant is circulated through the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Christian Maier GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Erich Maier
  • Patent number: 5154573
    Abstract: A cooling system for centrifugal pump bearings and seals for use with a centrifugal pump having a housing containing a pumping chamber and a rotating impeller within the pumping chamber, a passage being formed in the housing, the passage receiving fluid from the pumping chamber and directing the fluid thereby providing cooling fluid flow, and an arcuate groove formed in the housing in fluid communication with the passage, a first end of the groove being adjacent the passage, a second end of the groove being distal of said passage, the groove having a depth which varies from the first end to the second end, the depth at the first end being greater than the depth at the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventor: Frederic W. Buse
  • Patent number: 5149247
    Abstract: The HP-MP steam turbine body has a single internal stator surrounding both the HP and the MP portions of the rotor. The internal stator co-operates with the external stator to define axial positioning means for the internal stator and to define a thermal screen for an inter-stator space which is swept with steam taken from one of the last stages of the HP stream. The portions of the internal stator which surround all of the expansion of the HP stream and the hot stages of the MP stream are steam-conditioned in optimum manner, thereby making it possible to reduce the temperature gradient which the internal stator has to withstand, and also the temperature of the fastenings for both of the stators. The internal stator is simple in structure, the dimensioning of the HP-MP body is optimized, as are the fastenings, and the temperature control of the stators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom SA
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Gros, Patrick Laffont
  • Patent number: 5135353
    Abstract: A variable pressure and variable flow rate pump in accordance with the invention includes a stationary pump housing (1), a rotating pump housing (10), rotatably mounted with respect to the stationary pump housing including a fluid receiving chamber (12) for receiving fluid to be pumped which is driven by a drive (11); a pitot probe (5) rotatably mounted in the stationary pump housing having a tip (5a) disposed in the fluid receiving chamber radially offset from an axis of rotation of the probe for receiving fluid from the fluid receiving chamber; a brake (15) for selectively braking a rotational speed of the probe to control the rotational speed of the probe independently of a rotational speed of the rotating pump housing to provide a fluid output from the output with a variable pressure and flow rate; a thermal insulator (44) mounted between the brake and the fluid receiving chamber for thermally insulating the fluid receiving chamber from heat generated by the brake; and a control (C) coupled to the brake f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Westhoff, Kent I. M. Weber
  • Patent number: 5133640
    Abstract: A thermal shield for a steam turbine inner cylinder surrounding a plurality of turbine blade stages and having an outer cylinder substantially enclosing the inner cylinder. A steam inlet is connected to the inner cylinder through an outer cylinder for admitting high temperature steam into the inner cylinder to effect rotation of the turbine blade stages and a steam exit emits cooled steam from the inner cylinder into a space between the inner and outer cylinders. The shield reduces thermal stress on the inner cylinder from contact on an inner surface with the high temperature steam and contact on an outer surface with the cooled steam. The thermal shield is attached to the outer surface of the inner cylinder and spaced therefrom by a predetermined spacing. The thermal shield extends about all surfaces of the inner cylinder and forms a substantially closed inner space between the shield and the inner cylinder to prevent the flow of the cooled steam over the outer surface of the inner cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: John C. Groenendaal, Jr., David M. Parker
  • Patent number: 5127795
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine stator and method are disclosed which are effective for controlling non-axisymmetric radial running clearance between a stator flowpath surface and rotor blade tips. A coating of preselected thermal conductivity is predeterminedly disposed along the circumference of the stator to control circumferential thermally induced distortion and thereby control non-axisymmetric radial running clearance. In preferred embodiments of the invention, a high thermal conductivity coating may be applied to an annular flange for reducing temperature gradients therein. In another embodiment of the present invention, low thermal conductivity coatings may be applied to a stator to preferentially insulate the stator for reducing circumferential thermal distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Larry W. Plemmons, William C. Oakes, Ralph A. Kirkpatrick
  • Patent number: 5127794
    Abstract: The thermal environment to which the engine's compressor case is subjected is controlled and the coefficient of expansion selected for the stator and rotor components are suitably matched to improve engine performance by reducing radial clearances during part power engine operations. A thermal barrier around the engine case by virtue of a heat shield attached to the customary case flanges and the coaxially mounted spaced stator vanes forming an inner case defining cavities sandwiching the engine case and holds the metal temperature at a value higher than would otherwise be provided. The thermal barrier serves to isolate the outer case from the engine's fan discharge air and the engine's core gas path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph C. Burge, Richard J. Tiernan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5104289
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for reducing humping in steam turbines, where the steam turbine includes a rotor assembly, rotatably mounted to a foundation, a stator assembly, positioned about said rotor assembly, an outer cylinder, to which the stator assembly is attached, which outer cylinder being divided into a cover half and a base half. The apparatus for reducing humping includes a plurality of support towers attached to the foundation and a plurality of support paws attached to the base half, wherein each support paw is mounted on a support tower. Each of said support paws is shown to include first and second sidewalls, each attached along one end to the base half and a top wall positioned between the side walls. The top wall and the first and second side walls define a cavity, whereby a portion of the support tower fits within the cavity. The division between the cover and base halves defines a joint. The first and second sidewalls are formed such that they extend beyond the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: John A. Moreci