Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps – Working fluid passage or distributing means associated with... – Plural distributing means immediately upstream of runner
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2002-04-02
Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)
Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps
Working fluid passage or distributing means associated with...
Plural distributing means immediately upstream of runner
C415S213100, C415S214100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06364606
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally pertains to a high temperature capable flange. In particular, various embodiments of the present invention relate to a boltless flange for use in turbo-machinery at the compressor discharge.
A gas turbine engine is typical of turbo-machinery in which the concept described herein may be advantageously employed. It is well known that a gas turbine engine conventionally comprises a compressor for compressing inlet air to an increased pressure for combustion in a combustion chamber. A mixture of fuel and the increased pressure air is burned in the combustion chamber to generate a high temperature gaseous flow stream for causing rotation of turbine blades within the turbine. The turbine blades convert the energy from the high temperature gaseous flow stream into kinetic energy, which is utilized to turn a propeller, fan, or other device. Further, the high temperature gaseous flow stream may be used directly as thrust for providing motive power, such as in a turbine jet engine.
A long recognized need by many gas turbine engine designers is to attain higher operating temperatures in order to achieve both a greater thermodynamic efficiency and an increase in power output per unit of engine weight. Theoretically, a gas turbine engine would operate at stoichiometric combustion in order to extract the greatest possible energy value from the fuel consumed. However, temperatures at stoichiometric and even near stoichiometric combustion are generally beyond the endurance capabilities of traditional metallic gas turbine engine components. Similarly, improvements to efficiency may result from increased pressure ratios in the compressor of the gas turbine engine. These increased pressure ratios result in higher compressor discharge temperatures which can be beyond the endurance capabilities of traditional metallic gas turbine engine components, such as bolts, found at the compressor discharge.
Many of the traditional flange designs for use in gas turbine engines make use of threaded fasteners such as screws and bolts. Such designs present difficulties in the high temperature environment encountered in gas turbine engines. As temperatures grow higher because of the desire for increased efficiency or because of increasing inlet temperatures associated with higher speed aircraft, existing bolt materials are found to be unsuitable. In particular, the compressor discharge temperatures are becoming greater than that allowed by traditional bolt materials. In the hostile environment of the gas turbine engine the bolt threading can seize up making disassembly, as may be necessary for repair, difficult if not impossible. Even more importantly, each thread of a bolt may act as a stress riser where fatigue and consequent fracture is more likely to occur.
Referring to
FIG. 1
there is illustrated a configuration of an inner combustor case flange design. The illustrated inner combustor case flange design configuration comprises an inner case
110
, hanger
120
, outlet guide vane (“OGV”) hanger
104
, and OGV assembly
100
held together by a first series of bolts
170
spaced around the circumference of a first bolt circle. It should be understood that bolt
170
is actually one bolt in a larger bolt circle that is centered around a central axis. When the flange illustrated in
FIG. 1
is used at the compressor discharge location, there will often be a compressor discharge pressure (“CDP”) seal
140
that is attached to the OGV hanger
104
by a second series of bolts, such as bolts
180
, spaced around the circumference of a second bolt circle.
Each of the bolts
170
in the first bolt circle has a shank
173
extending between a threaded end
171
and a head end
172
having head
172
a
. The shank
173
has a threaded portion
174
extending to the right of inner case
110
and is held in place by a locking nut
175
that has internal threading matching the external threading
174
on bolt
170
. Similarly, each bolt
180
that is part of the second bolt circle has a shank
183
extending between a threaded end
181
and a head end
182
with a head
182
a
. The shank
183
has a threaded portion
184
that extends through the compressor discharge pressure seal
140
and the OGV hanger
104
. Each bolt
180
is held in place by a locking nut
185
having an internal threading that matches the external threading of threaded portion
184
of bolt
180
.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
the bolts
170
,
180
engage locking nuts
175
,
185
respectively which are attached to the right most flange of the assembly. Diametral locations of the five pieces (flanges) are controlled through a total of eight close tolerance pilot diameters and ten flange faces. Tangential orientation of the OGV assembly
100
is provided by a locating pin or a non-uniform bolt pattern in the flange.
There remains a need for flange designs capable of operating in high temperature environments. The present invention satisfies this need in a novel and nonobvious way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a high temperature capable boltless flange for use in turbo-machinery. Instead of bolts, a plurality of substantially radially extending pins are used in the high temperature capable flange.
One embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for use in a gas turbine engine. The apparatus comprises a hanger, an inner case and a first pin. The hanger has a ring shaped portion substantially centered around an axis. The ring shaped portion of the hanger includes a first plurality of passages. Each of the first plurality of passages extends substantially radially with respect to the axis. The inner case has a ring shaped portion substantially centered around the axis. The ring shaped portion of the inner case is positioned radially outward from the ring shaped portion of the hanger. The ring shaped portion of the inner case includes a plurality of openings, each of the plurality of openings extending substantially radially with respect to the axis. At least one of the plurality of openings is substantially aligned with at least one of the first plurality of passages. A first pin extends between a first end and a second end. A first portion of the first pin and the first end are both positioned within said at least one of the plurality of openings. A second portion of the first pin is positioned within said at least one of the first plurality of passages to couple the hanger to the inner case.
Another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for use in a gas turbine engine comprising a hanger, a seal and a first pin. The hanger has a ring shaped portion substantially centered around an axis. The ring shaped portion of the hanger includes a first plurality of passages, each of the first plurality of passages extending substantially radially with respect to the axis. The seal has a ring shaped portion substantially centered around the axis, the ring shaped portion of the seal being positioned radially inward of the ring shaped portion of the hanger. The ring shaped portion of the seal includes a first plurality of orifices extending substantially radially with respect to the axis. At least one of the first plurality of orifices is substantially aligned with at least one of the first plurality of passages. A first pin extends between a first end and a second end. The first end and a first portion of the first pin are positioned within said at least one of the first plurality of passages. Also, a second portion of the first pin is positioned within said at least one of the first plurality of orifices to couple the hanger to the seal.
A third embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for use in a gas turbine engine comprising a hanger, an inner case, a seal, means for coupling the hanger to the inner case and means for coupling the hanger to the seal. The hanger has a ring shaped portion substantially centered around an axis. The inner case has a ring shaped portion substantially centered around the axis. The ring shaped portion of the inner case is positio
Petty Jack D.
Rice Edward C.
Allison Advanced Development Company
Look Edward K.
Nguyen Ninh
Woodard Emhardt Naughton Moriarty & McNett
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