Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Rotor having flow confining or deflecting web – shroud or... – Axially extending shroud ring or casing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-05
2001-08-14
Verdier, Christopher (Department: 3745)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Rotor having flow confining or deflecting web, shroud or...
Axially extending shroud ring or casing
C416S190000, C416S248000, C416S500000, C277S421000, C277S643000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273683
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of turbo-machines, and more particularly to the field of gas or combustion turbines, and specifically to an apparatus for sealing the gap between adjacent platforms in a row of rotating blades in a combustion turbine engine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Turbo-machines such as compressors and turbines generally include a rotating assembly having a centrally located rotor shaft and a plurality of rows of rotating blades attached thereto, and a corresponding plurality of rows of stationary vanes connected to the casing of the turbo-machine and interposed between the rows of rotating blades. A working fluid such as air or combustion gas flows through the rows of rotating blades and stationary vanes to transfer energy between the working fluid and the turbo-machine.
A rotating blade of a turbo-machine typically includes a root section attached to the rotor, a platform section connected to the root section, and an airfoil section connected to the platform section on a side opposite from the root section. The edges of platform sections of adjacent blades in a row of blades abut each other to form a portion of the boundary defining the flow path for the working fluid. While it would be desirable to have adjacent platforms abut in a perfect sealing relationship, the necessity to accommodate thermal growth and machining tolerances results in a small gap being maintained between adjacent platforms.
Prior art turbo-machines have incorporated many types of devices to seal the gap between the platforms of adjacent blades, and also to provide a mechanical damping therebetween. For low temperature applications such as a compressor, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,422,827 and 4,580,946 teach the use of an elastomeric material to seal the gap between adjacent blade platforms. For high temperature applications such as a combustion turbine, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,326,835 and 5,281,097 teach the use of a metal plate affixed under the platforms of adjacent blades to seal the gap. Furthermore, it is known to provide sealing and damping functions in one device installed under the blade platforms, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,751,183; 4,872,812; 5,785,499; and 5,803,710. Each of the above cited patents is incorporated by reference herein. The prior art devices are either expensive to manufacture, complicated to install, or lack sufficient sealing effectiveness for modern combustion turbine applications.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved device for sealing and damping between the platforms of adjacent rotating blades in a turbo-machine. It is a further object to provide a device for sealing and damping that can be manufactured by simple, known manufacturing techniques, that is easy to install and to remove, and that provides improved sealing effectiveness.
SUMMARY
In order to achieve these and other objects of the invention, a blade group for a turbo-machine is provided having a first blade having a first platform section with a first edge; a second blade having a second platform section with a second edge located adjacent the first edge and forming a gap therebetween; a first groove formed in the first edge; a second groove formed in the second edge; and a first seal plate inserted into the first groove and the second groove and spanning a first portion of the gap.
The blade group of this invention may further have a third groove formed in the first edge; a fourth groove formed in the second edge; a second seal plate inserted into the third groove and the fourth groove and spanning a second portion of the gap.
The blade group of this invention may further have a fifth groove formed in the first edge, the fifth groove having a first end proximate a first end of the first groove and a second end proximate a first end of the third groove; a seal pin inserted into the fifth groove, said seal pin having a first end proximate a first end of the first seal plate and a second end proximate a first end of the second seal plate, the seal pin operable to make contact with the second edge and to span a third portion of the gap.
The blade group of this invention may further have a first end plate covering an end of the first groove and an end of the second groove and operable to retain the first seal plate within the first groove and the second groove, and a chamfer formed on a second end of the first seal plate adjacent the first end plate.
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Research Disclosure No. 10621, disclosed anonymously, Feb. 1973.
Schiavo Anthony L.
Zagar Thomas W.
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot LLC
Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
Verdier Christopher
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