Vanes Patents (Class 415/191)
  • Patent number: 8070427
    Abstract: Gas turbine systems having flexible chordal hinge seals are provided. According to an embodiment, a turbine system comprises: a nozzle segment comprising a stator vane extending between an inner band segment and an outer band segment; an inner support ring adjacent to the inner band segment; and an inner chordal hinge seal in operable communication with the nozzle segment, the inner chordal hinge seal comprising a flexible inner rail extending inwardly from the inner band segment, the inner rail having a projection for sealingly engaging the inner support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel D. Snook, Edward D. Benjamin, David J. Humanchuk
  • Patent number: 8070428
    Abstract: An article of manufacture having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in a table. Wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z in inches, the profile sections at the Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Craig A. Bielek, Donald O. Brock, Gerald K. Blow
  • Patent number: 8070429
    Abstract: Embodiments of this invention include a nozzle assembly for a turbine, the nozzle assembly including an airfoil, inner and outer sidewalls, and inner and outer rings. Each of these sidewalls and rings are coupled together at an interface through a combination of a mechanical interconnection on one end and a welded connection on the other end. The mechanical interconnection includes either the sidewalls or the rings having a protruding hook and the other having a corresponding hook recess. The interconnection can also include axial and radial mechanical stops. The configuration may further include one or more surfaces at an interface between a ring and a sidewall angled away from the interface to form a narrow groove. The configuration further may include a ring with a consumable root portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Andrew Paul Greif
  • Patent number: 8061981
    Abstract: In a blade intended to be exposed to a gas flow at high speed during operation of a flow machine comprising the blade, the blade includes a front end designed to face towards the incoming gas flow and a rear end. The front end is provided with a concave area that is such that during operation a stagnation point for the incoming gas flow arises at a distance in front of an outer blade surface that defines the concave area and such that the outer blade surface is thereby at least partially protected from the incoming gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Volvo Aero Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter Groth, Hans Mårtensson
  • Patent number: 8043052
    Abstract: A fluid flow engine (1), in particular a turbo engine, has at least one guide vane row (5) with a plurality of guide vanes (6) and at least one rotor blade row (7) with a plurality of rotor blades (8). One guide vane row (5) and one rotor blade row (7) that follows the former directly downstream with respect to a working gas flow (11), together form a stage (10) of the fluid flow engine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Maxim Konter, Sergey Vorontsov, Alexander Khanin, Alexey Karelin, Alexander Bone
  • Patent number: 8043050
    Abstract: A gap seal (9) radially seals a gap (8) which extends axially and radially between two blades (1, 2) of a turbomachine which are adjacent in the circumferential direction (3). The two blades (1, 2) have, in each case, an axially extending longitudinal slot (10, 11), which is open towards the gap (8), on its respective blade root (6, 7). A band-form or strip-form sealing element (12) engages with its longitudinal sides (13, 14) in the two longitudinal slots (10, 11) and bridges the gap (8). The one blade (1) has a projection (15) on its blade root (6), which projects from the blade root (6) in the circumferential direction (3) and extends in the circumferential direction (3) and radially, at least in the region of the respective longitudinal slot (10), and bridges an axial longitudinal end of the gap (8) in the process. The other blade (2) has a step-shaped recess (16) on its blade root (7), complementary to the projection (15) of the one blade (1) and in which the projection engages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Heinz-Schwarzmaier, Sven Olmes, Ronald Wifling
  • Patent number: 8038410
    Abstract: When cold and in the uncoated state, the aerodynamic airfoil is substantially identical to a nominal airfoil determined by the Cartesian coordinates X, Y, Z? given in Table 1, in which the coordinate Z? is the ratio D/H where D is the distance from the point in question to a reference plane P0, located at the base of the nominal airfoil, and H is the height of this airfoil, measured from said reference plane up to the tip of the blade. The D and H measurements being taken radially with respect to the axis of the turbine whereas the X coordinate is measured in the axial direction of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Gregory Pierre Lafarge, Philippe Picot, Christophe Bernard Texier
  • Patent number: 8037619
    Abstract: An air intake structure is located on an airflow guiding casing of a hand dryer communicating with gaps formed between motor blades in the airflow guiding casing. It includes a flow directing frame located on the airflow guiding casing, an axle located in the center of the flow directing frame and a plurality of flow directing blades located between the flow directing frame and the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Hokwang Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shen-Chen Liu
  • Patent number: 8038390
    Abstract: An article of manufacture having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in TABLE 1. X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z in inches. The profile sections at the Z distances are joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Hudson, Marc E. Blohm
  • Patent number: 8033786
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising an axial loading element disposed between a mounting element of the vane ring and a cooperating portion of the supporting structure, such as to generate a load force therebetween in an axial direction. The axial load force limits unwanted relative movement between the vane ring and the supporting structure during operation of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Durocher, John Pietrobon, Alan Juneau, Dennis English
  • Publication number: 20110229315
    Abstract: A shrouded fluid turbine includes an impeller surrounded by a turbine shroud. The turbine shroud has a plurality of mixing lobes on a trailing edge, resulting in the trailing edge having a circular crenellated shape. An ejector shroud is located downstream of the turbine shroud, an inlet end of the ejector shroud surrounding the mixing lobes of the turbine shroud. The impeller is a rotor/stator assembly. In particular, the rotor comprises a rotor hub formed from a cylindrical sidewall and has seven rotor blades extending radially from the hub. It has been found that seven rotor blades optimizes the total-to-total efficiency of the shrouded fluid turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: Walter M. Presz, JR., Michael J. Werle
  • Publication number: 20110229314
    Abstract: An assembling of a guide vane assembly of a turbomachine turbine, formed by an annular row of stationary flow-stabilizing vanes. An outer edge of the guide vane assembly is axially bearing on a line of an external casing of the turbine and an inner edge of the guide vane assembly is in axial sliding connection with the line of the internal casing of the turbine, the axial sliding connection allowing the inner edge to be free along the motor axis with the axial stop being achieved by the axial bearing of the outer edge of the vane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Mathieu Dakowski, Alain Dominique Gendraud
  • Publication number: 20110229302
    Abstract: A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind/water turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an inlet; a ring of stator vanes; a ring of rotating blades (i.e., an impeller) in line with the stator vanes; and a mixer/ejector pump to increase the flow volume through the turbine while rapidly mixing the low energy turbine exit flow with high energy bypass wind flow. The MEWT can produce three or more time the power of its un-shrouded counterparts for the same frontal area, and can increase the productivity of wind farms by a factor of two or more. The same MEWT is safer and quieter providing improved wind turbine options for populated areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventors: Walter M. Presz, JR., Michael J. Werle
  • Patent number: 8016547
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly for directing cooling fluid in a vane comprising a hollow airfoil containing at least two cooling chambers. The chambers are separated by a generally radial rib. A metering plate mount is attached to the rib. A metering plate, having at least one aperture for tuning the cooling fluid flow within the airfoil, is adjacent the metering plate mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Patent number: 8011881
    Abstract: A stator vane for a gas turbine engine having a cooling circuit that passes through the airfoil and both of the inner and the outer diameter endwalls to provide cooling for the airfoil and endwalls. Each endwall includes an intricate cooling circuit and is connected to the serpentine flow circuit within the airfoil to pass cooling air back and fourth from one endwall to the other through one of the legs in the serpentine flow circuit of the airfoil. A row of exit cooling holes is located in one or both of the endwalls and is connected to the last leg of the serpentine circuit to discharge cooling air. The airfoil and endwalls cooling circuit forms a series of passages that meander through the vane before discharging out through the exit holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8007229
    Abstract: A ring vane nozzle for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a multiple of fixed turbine vanes between an inner vane ring and an outer vane ring and a multiple of rotational turbine vanes between the inner vane ring and the outer vane ring, each of the rotational turbine vanes rotatable about an axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, John R. Farris, Eric A. Hudson, George T. Suljak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8002521
    Abstract: A flow machine is described having a first space adapted to contain a hot fluid and delimited by a wall. The wall having a first wall surface facing the first space and a second wall surface turned away from the first space. Cooling is provided for a region of the wall by supplying a relatively cool fluid onto the second wall surface. The cooling means includes a supply chamber containing the second fluid, a cavity adjacent the second wall surface, at least one duct, which has an inlet opening at the supply chamber and an outlet opening at the cavity for conveying the cool fluid to the cavity, and a deflection surface facing the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: John David Maltson
  • Publication number: 20110200429
    Abstract: An impeller includes a substantially cylindrical cup portion arranged to rotate about a center axis, a plurality of blades fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the cup portion for unitary rotation with the cup portion to draw air from one axial side and discharge the air to the other axial side, and an annular connector portion arranged to interconnect the blades. The connector portion has a substantially cylindrical shape in a position spaced apart about 70% to about 90% of the radial length of the blades from the base of each of the blades on the outer circumferential surface of the cup portion, and the ratio of a total axial height of the connector portion to a total radial gap between the outer circumferential surface of the cup portion and the inner circumferential surface of the connector portion is equal to or smaller than about 0.9.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: NIDEC SERVO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Asahi HIGO, Seung-Sin YOO, Osamu SEKIGUCHI, Taro TANNO
  • Patent number: 7997861
    Abstract: An article of manufacture having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in TABLE 1. X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z in inches. The profile sections at the Z distances are joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Hudson, Marc E. Blohm
  • Patent number: 7997860
    Abstract: A nozzle blade comprising radially inner and outer walls with an airfoil portion extending therebetween; the inner and outer walls formed with alignment features on respective oppositely-facing surfaces aligned with a longitudinal center axis through the nozzle blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven S. Burdgick, Thomas P. Russo
  • Patent number: 7993100
    Abstract: An article of manufacture having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in TABLE 1. X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z in inches. The profile sections at the Z distances are joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric R. Bonini, Christopher E. LaMaster
  • Publication number: 20110189002
    Abstract: A turbine guide vane (10) has a platform (12) from which at least a guide vane blade (13) extends. The platform (12) has a front rail (18) and a rear rail (20) arranged to be housed in guide vane carrier seats (19, 21). The front and rear rails (18, 20) have projecting pads (23, 24) arranged to rest against the guide vane carrier seats (19, 21). The front and rear rails (18, 20) have at least two pads (23) extending from one side of the front and rear rails (18, 20) and at least two further pads (24) extending from an opposite side of the front and rear rails (18, 20). The pads (23, 24) extend from opposite circumferential portions (26) of the front and rear rails (18, 20). The pads (23, 24) extending from the same circumferential portion (26) of the front and rear rails (18, 20) are at least partly staggered with respect to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Georgeta-Ileana Panaite, Igor Tsypkaykin, Beat Von Arx, Andre Saxer
  • Patent number: 7985046
    Abstract: A technique for refurbishing nozzle diaphragm sections of a gas turbine replaces an eroded section of the nozzle diaphragm with a replacement part designed to engage a slot machined in the nozzle diaphragm. The replacement part is formed of a material with capable of sustained exposure to higher temperature than the original eroded section, and with a similar coefficient of expansion as the material used for manufacture the original nozzle diaphragm. The combination of the nozzle diaphragm and the replacement part conform to the original manufacturer's dimensional specifications for the nozzle diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Dresser-Rarel Company
    Inventors: Gregory R. Gaul, Gary O'Connor
  • Patent number: 7980813
    Abstract: A method of repairing a turbine engine component that contains a series of lined apertures. The component is removed from the engine, and then at least one of the aperture liners is also removed. The area adjacent the aperture is machined to remove a portion of the parent material of the component. An insert which replaces the material removed by machining is secured adjacent the aperture. The liner about the aperture is then replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew W. Medynski, Ronald N. Zappone
  • Patent number: 7980817
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine vane has first and second members. The first member has a first surface section forming a suction side of an airfoil of the vane. The second surface section forms leading and trailing portions of a pressure side of the airfoil. The third surface section forms a recess between the leading and trailing portions. The second member is secured to the first member and has a first surface section forming an intermediate portion of the pressure side a leading protrusion of the second member may be captured by a recess below a lip of the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew S. Foose, Jennifer L. Grudnoski
  • Publication number: 20110158795
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump impeller includes front and back shrouds and a plurality of pumping vanes therebetween, each pumping vane having a leading edge in the region of an impeller inlet and a trailing edge, the front shroud has an arcuate inner face in the region of the impeller inlet, the arcuate inner face having a radius of curvature (RS) in the range from 0.05 to 0.16 of the outer diameter of the impeller (D2) The back shroud includes an inner main face and a nose having a curved profile with a nose apex in the region of the central axis which extends towards the front shroud, there being a curved transition region between the inner main face and the nose. Fr is the radius of curvature of the transition region and the ratio Fr/D2 is from 0.32 to 0.65. Other ratios of various dimensions of the impeller are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin Edward Burgess, Wen-Jie Liu, Luis Moscoso Lavagna
  • Publication number: 20110150640
    Abstract: A segmented inner ring for holding guide blades is provided. A lateral wall opposing the front side of the inner ring and pertaining to a shaft shoulder formed on the rotor shaft extends radially. Also a stationary gas turbine comprising a segmented inner ring is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Peter Tiemann, Christel Tiemann
  • Publication number: 20110150641
    Abstract: A steam turbine 3 includes: a turbine rotor 4; a rotor blade 5 implanted to the turbine rotor 4; a stator blade 6 provided at an upstream side of the rotor blade 5; and a turbine casing 13 supporting the stator blade 6 and including the turbine rotor 4, the rotor blade 5 and the stator blade 6, and have a constitution in which a stage 7 is formed by a pair of the rotor blade 5 and the stator blade 6, and a steam passage 8 is formed by arranging plural stages 7 in an axial direction of the turbine rotor 4. A surface treatment to suppress an increase of a surface roughness caused by oxidation is performed for at least a part of a surface of the stator blade 6 and a surface of the rotor blade 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akio SAYANO, Masashi Takahashi, Masahiro Saito, Kazuyoshi Nakajima, Tadashi Tanuma, Satoru Asai, Kenji Kamimura
  • Patent number: 7963742
    Abstract: An example variable stator vane assembly includes at least one button, a vane airfoil adjacent to the button, and a fillet defined between the button and the airfoil. In one example, the fillet defines a constant radius and extends beyond the button at least greater than a distance of 60% of a length of an overhang portion of the vane airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian E. Clouse, Paul W. Baumann, Becky E. Rose, Mark E. Simonds
  • Patent number: 7958735
    Abstract: A turbine static structure having reduced leakage air is disclosed. A static structure turbine support ring having few segments is disclosed in which the segments have improved thermal expansion capability with reduced air leakage. A plurality of radially extending slots are placed in the segments to reduce stiffness. In order to minimize air leakage through the support ring, generally circumferential slots are placed in the ring and connect with the generally radially extending slots. Positioned in each of the generally radially extending slots and generally circumferential slots, and in contact with each other, are two sheet metal plates. The plates are staked to the support ring structure so as to provide a seal member, yet compensate for thermal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Power Systems Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Charlie Ellis, J. Page Strohl, Matt Thomas
  • Patent number: 7950900
    Abstract: A stage for a gas turbine engine, having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart radially extending aerofoils, includes a plurality of annulus fillers to bridge the spaces between adjacent aerofoils to define an inner wall of a flow annulus through the stage. Each annulus filler has opposing side faces which are spaced circumferentially from the adjacent blades and which correspond in profile therewith, and resilient seal strips each including a stiffener are mounted adjacent the opposing side faces of the annulus fillers to seal the gaps between the annulus fillers and the aerofoils. The stiffeners have three-dimensional curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mulcaire, Samantha Gormley
  • Publication number: 20110123322
    Abstract: Inefficiencies associated with the formation of horseshoe vortices in a gas turbine engine having a row of radially extending airfoils, are mitigated with an improved flow passage defined by the suction and pressure surface of two adjacent airfoils and endwalls (disposed proximal to the radially inner and outer ends of the airfoils). The flow passage includes a ridge disposed in one of the endwalls adjacent a suction surface of one of the airfoils, the ridge extending longitudinally from a location at or near the maximum circumferential extent of the airfoil suction side to a downstream location proximal to the trailing edge of the suction surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eunice Allen-Bradley, Thomas J. Praisner, Eric A. Grover
  • Patent number: 7946811
    Abstract: An assembly of sectorized fixed compressors for a turbomachine compressor is disclosed. The assembly is a single piece and includes two coaxial rings connected by radial airfoils. The outer ring includes two annular mounting lugs on a casing of the compressor. At least one of these annular lugs is connected to the outer ring in a zone axially separate from the zone for connecting the leading edges or trailing edges of the airfoils to the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Olivier Abgrall, Yvon Cloarec
  • Patent number: 7946806
    Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems and related methods involving heat exchange are provided. In this regard, a representative heat exchange system for a gas turbine engine includes: a heat exchanger; and a flow restrictor operative to selectively restrict a flow of gas flowing along an annular gas flow path; in an open position, the flow restrictor enabling gas to flow along the gas flow path and, in a closed position, the flow restrictor restricting the flow of gas such that at least a portion of the gas is provided to the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being located radially outboard of the flow restrictor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Joseph Murphy
  • Patent number: 7942071
    Abstract: Turbine comprising a tubular body that receives an upstream stator, a rotor including a propeller and a downstream stator. The trailing edge of the blades of the upstream stator is inclined through a negative angle relative to a normal relative to the axis, and the leading edge of the blades of the propeller is inclined and rounded in an incline directed downstream. The rotational mounting of the propeller in the turbine involves a fixed shaft installed in the upstream and downstream stators, and which carries an upstream bearing bush and a downstream bearing bush, close to the end of the location of the propeller, and a stop formed by a crown of support pins in an upstream and downstream direction. The propeller comprises a tubular hub through which the fixed shaft extends and which has a bearing bush at each end in order to co-operate at the same time with the corresponding bearing bush of the fixed shaft and with the corresponding peripheral stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Inventors: Laurent Claisse, David DuPuis
  • Publication number: 20110110773
    Abstract: Turbomachine compressor comprising variable-pitch vanes comprising an aerofoil section connected by a mounting plate (17) of circular outline to a pivot (18) guided in rotation in an orifice in a casing (14), the mounting plate of the vane comprising at least one notch (60) for bleeding air from the compressor stream, this notch being intended to communicate with a hole (62) in the casing in order to remove the air bled off when the vanes are in a first position, and to be closed off by this casing when the vanes are in a second position, so that the flow rate of bled air depends on the pitch angle of the vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Olivier Stephane Domercq, Vincent Paul Gabriel Perrot
  • Publication number: 20110103943
    Abstract: A guide disc segment for a horizontally split turbomachine housing is provided. The guide disc segment includes a plurality of guide blades and an outer ring segment. The guide blades are fixed to the outer ring segment along an inner circumference. The outer ring segment can be rolled into or out of a guide blade carrier of the turbomachine housing. The outer ring segment has, along an outer circumference, a toothing into which a drive device engages. A tangential force can be applied to the outer ring segment by the toothing such that the guide disc segment can be driven during the rolling into or rolling out of the outer ring segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Alexandra Küpper, Walter Loch
  • Patent number: 7931437
    Abstract: A one piece axial flow turbine case with an inlet volute and an outlet volute with an axial flow turbine positioned between the inlet and outlet volutes, in which the turbine vanes and blades can be installed or removed from one side of the case without disassembling the two volutes. The one piece turbine case eliminates the mating flange, the flange seal, and the flange bolts required in the two piece turbine volute case. The one piece axial flow turbine case reduces the part count, reduces the weight of the turbine, improves the reliability of the turbine, and improved the performance of the turbine. The annular guide vane assembly with an annular outer shroud having guide vanes extending from the shroud is inserted through an opening of the turbine case. The vane outer shroud extends aft to form an outer shroud for the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20110085899
    Abstract: A turbine shroud assembly is disclosed, the shroud assembly including an outer shroud, at least one inner shroud attached to the outer shroud, and at least one discourager enclosed within the inner shroud. The discourager prevents the hot gas or steam in the turbine from having a direct line of access to the outer shroud. In one embodiment, one inner shroud is provided for the shroud assembly, with one discourager enclosed within the inner shroud, the discourager positioned offset from the inner shroud so as to extend past the inner shroud and into an inner shroud of a neighboring shroud assembly. In another embodiment, a plurality of inner shrouds are provided, each inner shroud enclosing a discourager, the discouragers being adjacent to each other within the inner shrouds and positioned offset from the inner shrouds so as to cover a gap between the inner shrouds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Thomas Foster, Andres Jose Garcia Crespo, Herbert Chidsey Roberts
  • Patent number: 7922444
    Abstract: A shroud rail for retaining a feather seal in a vane shroud of a gas turbine engine comprises a slot for, receiving the feather seal, and a chamfer rail pocket for lightening the shroud rail. The slot traverses the vane shroud and includes a slot base extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the shroud rail, and a slot wall extending generally perpendicularly from the slot base. The chamfer rail pocket comprises a pocket wall extending along the slot wall, and a chamfer wall extending from the pocket wall at an angle oblique to the slot base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
  • Publication number: 20110058937
    Abstract: A shrouded wind turbine comprises a shroud disposed about an impeller. The impeller surrounds a nacelle body which is shaped to enhance smooth flow of wind through the impeller. Some embodiments include an inlet and an outlet in the nacelle body, allowing airflow through an interior cavity. Other nacelle bodies may be tapered, flared, include mixing lobes around a trailing edge, or may have other shapes that enhance fluid flow. Some nacelle bodies include an annular groove that promotes flow attachment. Maintaining airflow attachment to the nacelle body within the turbine increases the energy generation capacity of the wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: FLODESIGN WIND TURBINE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Walter M. Presz, JR., Michael J. Werle, Thomas J. Kennedy, III, William Scott Keeley
  • Publication number: 20110052381
    Abstract: A turbine vane downstream of a combustor section includes an arcuate outer vane platform defined about an axis, the arcuate outer vane platform includes a segment of the arcuate outer vane platform along the axis which follows an outer combustor liner panel structure and an arcuate inner vane platform defined about the axis, the arcuate inner vane platform includes a segment of the arcuate inner vane platform along the axis which follows an inner combustor liner panel structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: James B. Hoke, Philip J. Kirsopp
  • Publication number: 20110046322
    Abstract: The pump assembly includes an impeller rotatably mounted in a pipe of the reactor having blades that generate a flow of fluid slurry through the pipe, a nosecone protruding in an upstream direction in front of the impeller blades that rotates along with the blades, and a plurality of stationary guide vanes connected to the housing upstream of the impeller blades and having free ends that are radially spaced apart from the nosecone. The leading edges of the stationary vanes are shaped to direct any stringy material into the radial gaps between the free ends of the stationary vanes and the rotating nose cone to be shredded and thus prevent fouling and clogging of the pump assembly when such stringy material is generated during the polymerization process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Robert G. DePierri, Norman F. Cook, III
  • Publication number: 20110020118
    Abstract: Embodiments of a turbine nozzle assembly are provided for deployment within a gas turbine engine (GTE) including a first GTE-nozzle mounting interface. In one embodiment, the turbine nozzle assembly includes a turbine nozzle flowbody, a first mounting flange configured to be mounted to the first GTE-nozzle mounting interface, and a first radially-compliant spring member coupled between the turbine nozzle flowbody and the first mounting flange. The turbine nozzle flowbody has an inner nozzle endwall and an outer nozzle endwall, which is fixedly coupled to the inner nozzle endwall and which cooperates therewith to define a flow passage through the turbine nozzle flowbody. The first radially-compliant spring member accommodates relative thermal movement between the turbine nozzle flowbody and the first mounting flange to alleviate thermomechanical stress during operation of the GTE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Smoke, Stony Kujala, Gregory O. Woodcock, Bradley Reed Tucker
  • Patent number: 7874794
    Abstract: A blade row for a rotary machine includes a radially inner endwall, a radially outer endwall having a radially inner surface, and an airfoil including a root section coupled to the inner endwall and a tip section coupled to the outer endwall such that the airfoil extends radially between the inner and outer endwalls. The radially outer endwall includes a projection extending radially inward from the outer endwall inner surface such that the outer endwall inner surface includes a non-axisymmetric shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William J. Solomon, Daniel A. Wilkin, II, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Kevin S. Hansell
  • Patent number: 7874795
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly for a turbine that may include: (1) a nozzle blade having inner and outer sidewalls and, in part, defining a flowpath upon assembly into the turbine; (2) an outer ring; (3) a flowsplitter having a horizontal extension; (4) an interface between the outer ring and the outer sidewall having at least one of (i) a male/female interface or (ii) a radial interlock; and (5) an interface between the horizontal extension and the inner sidewall having at least one of (i) the male/female interface or (ii) the radial interlock. In some embodiments, one of the interface between the outer ring and the outer sidewall and the interface between the horizontal extension and the inner sidewall comprises a weld and one of the interface between the outer ring and the outer sidewall and the interface between the horizontal extension and the inner sidewall is weld free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven S. Burdgick, Thomas W. Crall
  • Patent number: 7862295
    Abstract: A device for guiding a stream of air entering a combustion chamber of a turbomachine is disclosed. The device includes a flow straightener followed by a diffuser. One of the flow straightener shrouds is formed as one with one wall of revolution of the diffuser. The other flow straightener shroud is added and attached to the other wall of revolution of the diffuser. The vanes of the flow straightener are secured by one end to one shroud of the flow straightener and separated by a small clearance from the other shroud at their other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Luc Henri Claude Daguenet
  • Patent number: 7854583
    Abstract: A compressor having a plurality of vane units each having at least one airfoil projecting from the base. Each base has a groove, so that when the vane units are disposed circumferentially adjacent, the grooves of the respective vane units are circumferentially aligned. A metal strip is disposed in the groove of a plurality of adjacent vane units to link the vane units forming a more rigid ring of vanes that are less susceptible to vane motion, e.g., caused by pressure fluctuations within the compressor of a gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Genral Electric Company
    Inventors: Lisa Wichmann, Nick Martin
  • Publication number: 20100316493
    Abstract: A Mixer/Ejector Wind Turbine (“MEWT”) system is disclosed which routinely exceeds the efficiencies of prior wind turbines. Unique ejector concepts are used to fluid-dynamically improve many operational characteristics of conventional wind turbines for potential power generation improvements of 50% and above. Applicants' preferred MEWT embodiment comprises: an aerodynamically contoured turbine shroud with an inlet; a ring of stator vanes; a ring of rotating blades (i.e., an impeller) in line with the stator vanes; and a mixer/ejector pump to increase the flow volume through the turbine while rapidly mixing the low energy turbine exit flow with high energy bypass fluid flow. The MEWT can produce three or more time the power of its un-shrouded counterparts for the same frontal area, and can increase the productivity of wind farms by a factor of two or more. The same MEWT is safer and quieter providing improved wind turbine options for populated areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: FLODESIGN WIND TURBINE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Walter M. Presz, JR., Michael J. Werle
  • Patent number: RE42370
    Abstract: A transonic turbine blade. Expansion waves are generated by a lifting surface on the blade. The expansion waves extend downstream, through a shock generated at the trailing edge of an adjacent blade. The invention increases the strength of the shock, thereby attenuating the expansion waves passing through the shock. One stratagem for increasing the shock is to reduce the aerodynamic load of the trailing edge generating the shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Craig Miller Kuhne