Vapor tube structure of gas turbine

Details Vapor tube structure of gas turbine Vapor tube structure of gas turbine

2002-04-08

2004-05-11

Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)

Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps

With changing state confined heat exchange mass

C415S135000, C285S300000, C165S083000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06733231

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vapor tube structure in a gas turbine disposed between a casing and a member-to-be-supported such as a blade ring supported by the casing. More particularly, this invention relates to a vapor tube structure in a gas turbine capable of absorbing and following thermal expansion/contraction difference between a casing and a member-to-be-supported.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In gas turbines of recent years, a structure f or cooling stationary blades is employed for enhancing efficiency. As a refrigerant for cooling the stationary blades, vapor is used. As a gas turbine of this kind, there is one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-182205 filed by the present applicant. The gas turbine described in this publication will be explained below with reference to FIG.
12
and FIG.
13
.
In
FIG. 12
, a reference number
100
represents a blade ring. The blade ring
100
is supported by a casing (not shown). The blade ring
100
comprises semi-annular shaped members which are combined with each other into an annular shape such that they can be detached in the vertical direction. In the blade ring
100
, a plurality of (e.g., 32) front stage stationary blades (e.g., first stage stationary blades)
101
and rear stage stationary blades (e.g., second stage stationary blades)
102
which are arranged in a form of a ring. In some of the vapor tube structures in the gas turbine, third stage stationary blades, fourth stage stationary blades, fifth stage stationary blades, and so on are arranged in a form of a ring.
The blade ring
100
is of an integral structure integrally comprising a portion where the front stage stationary blades
101
are arranged and a portion where the rear stage stationary blades
102
are arranged. In addition to the blade ring integral structure, as a vapor tube structure in the gas turbine, there exists a blade ring separate type structure in which a blade ring having front stage stationary blades and a blade ring having rear stage stationary blades are separately formed and the blade ring on the side of the first stage stationary blade and the blade ring on the side of the rear stage stationary blade are connected to each other through a separate member.
The blade ring
100
is provided therein with a vapor supply passage
103
, a vapor communication passage
104
and a vapor recovery passage
105
. Vapor tubes (not shown) are respectively connected to the vapor supply passage
103
and the vapor recovery passage
105
. On the other hand, the vapor tube is fixed to the casing. As a result, the vapor tube is disposed between the casing and the blade ring
100
as the member-to-be-supported. The vapor supply passage
103
, the vapor communication passage
104
and the vapor recovery passage
105
are provided at least one each for the semi-annular shaped blade ring
100
. On the other hand, in the plurality of front stage stationary blades
101
and the rear stage stationary blades
102
, cooling vapor passages
106
and
107
are provided, respectively.
A first branch tube
108
, a second branch tube
109
, a third branch tube
110
, a fourth branch tube
111
are respectively disposed between the vapor supply passage
103
and the cooling vapor passage
106
of the plurality of front stage stationary blades
101
, between the vapor communication passage
104
and the cooling vapor passage
106
of the plurality of front stage stationary blades
101
, between the vapor communication passage
104
and the cooling vapor passage
107
of the plurality of rear stage stationary blades
102
, and between the vapor recovery passage
105
and the cooling vapor passage
107
of the plurality of the rear stage stationary blade
102
.
A rotor (not shown) is rotatably mounted to the casing, and rotor blades (e.g., first stage rotor blades)
112
are annularly arranged.
The rotor blade
112
is arranged downstream from the stationary blades
101
and
102
. The rotor blade
112
is arranged between the front stage stationary blade
101
and the rear stage stationary blade
102
. A chip of the rotation side rotor blade
112
is opposed to the fixed side blade ring
100
through a clearance
113
. It is important maintain the clearance
113
uniformly so as to enhance the efficiency of the gas turbine.
If the gas turbine is actuated, high temperature and high pressure combustion gas (not shown) passes through the front stage stationary blade
101
, the rotor blade
112
and the rear stage stationary blade
102
to rotate the rotor blade
112
and the rotor side, thereby obtaining motive power.
Cooling vapor shown with solid arrows in
FIG. 12
is supplied to the vapor supply passage
103
through the vapor tube. Then, the cooling vapor is distributed to cooling vapor passages
106
of the plurality of front stage stationary blades
101
from the vapor supply passage
103
through the first branch tube
108
. The distributed cooling vapors passes through the cooling vapor passages
106
to cool the plurality of front stage stationary blades
101
.
The cooling vapors which cooled the front stage stationary blades
101
pass through the second branch tube
109
and are collected into the vapor communication passage
104
, and from the vapor communication passage
104
, the vapors pass the third branch tube
110
and are again distributed into the cooling vapor passages
107
of the plurality of rear stage stationary blades
102
. The distributed cooling vapors pass through the cooling vapor passages
107
to cool the plurality of rear stage stationary blades
102
.
The cooling vapors which cooled the rear stage stationary blades
102
pass the fourth branch tube
111
and are again collected into the vapor recovery passage
105
, and from the vapor recovery passage
105
, the vapors are recovered through the vapor tube. The recovered vapors are reused.
In the above-described prior art gas turbine, the combustion gas tends to be heated to high temperature for enhancing the efficiency. Thus, there is thermal expansion/contraction difference between the casing and the member-to-be-supported.
In the vapor tube in the above-described prior art gas turbine, however, there is no means which absorbs and follows the thermal expansion/contraction difference between the casing and the member-to-be-supported. Therefore, there is an adverse possibility that vapor may leak from the conventional vapor tube.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vapor tube structure in the gas turbine capable of absorbing and following the thermal expansion/contraction difference between the casing and the member-to-be-supported.
The vapor tube structure according to the present invention is disposed between a casing and a member-to-be-supported supported by the casing. This vapor tube structure comprises at least one first connecting tube fixed to the casing, at least one second connecting tube fixed to the member-to-be-supported, and a flexible structure provided between the first connecting tube and the second connecting tube.
As a result, it is possible to absorb and follow the thermal expansion/contraction difference between the member-to-be-supported and the casing by the flexible structure. Thus, it is possible to prevent vapor from leaking from the vapor tube disposed between the member-to-be-supported and the casing.
Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3864056 (1975-02-01), Gabriel et al.
patent: 4317646 (1982-03-01), Steel et al.
patent: 4596116 (1986-06-01), Mandet et al.
patent: 6105363 (2000-08-01), Hultgren et al.
patent: 6224328 (2001-05-01), Weigand et al.
patent: 10-306702 (1998-11-01), None
patent: 10-317904 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 11-182205 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 2000-353944 (2000-11-01), None
patent: 2001-329857 (2001-11-01), None

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