Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co. Kg

Evan C Landrum

Ching-Pang Lee

Jiping Zhang

Jan H Marsh

Paul A Sanders

An airfoil () includes at least one internal cooling channel (A-F) extending in the radial direction and adjoined on opposite sides by an airfoil pressure sidewall () and an airfoil suction sidewall (). An internal surface () of the airfoil pressure sidewall () and an internal surface () of the airfoil suction sidewall () define heat transfer surfaces in relation to a coolant flowing through the internal cooling channel (A-F). A flow splitter feature () is located in a flow path of the coolant in the internal cooling channel (A-F) between the pressure and suction sidewalls (). The flow splitter feature () is effective to create a flow separation region downstream of the flow splitter feature (), whereby coolant flow velocity is locally increased along the internal surfaces () of the pressure and suction sidewalls ().

Turbine airfoil with internal cooling channels having flow splitter feature

A turbine airfoil () includes a flow displacement element () occupying a space between a pair of adjacent partition walls () in an interior portion () of a generally hollow airfoil body (). The flow displacement element () includes an elongated main body () extending lengthwise in a radial direction and a pair of connector ribs () respectively connecting the main body () to pressure and suction sides () of the airfoil (). A pair of adjacent radial flow passes (--) of symmetrically opposed flow cross-sections are defined on chordally opposite sides of the flow displacement element (). The radial flow passes (--) conduct cooling fluid in opposite radial directions and are connected in series via a chordal passage () defined in the interior portion () between the flow displacement element () and a radial end face () of the airfoil body (), to form a serpentine cooling path ().

Internally cooled turbine airfoil with flow displacement feature

A shell air recirculation system for use in a gas turbine engine includes one or more outlet ports located at a bottom wall section of an engine casing wall and one or more inlet ports located at a top wall section of the engine casing wall. The system further includes a piping system that provides fluid communication between the outlet port(s) and the inlet port(s), a blower for extracting air from a combustor shell through the outlet port(s) and for conveying the extracted air to the inlet port(s), and a valve system for selectively allowing and preventing air from passing through the piping system. The system operates during less than full load operation of the engine to circulate air within the combustor shell but is not operational during full load operation of the engine.

Combustor shell air recirculation system in a gas turbine engine

During full load operation of gas turbine engine operation, a valve system is maintained in a closed position to substantially prevent air from passing through a piping system of a shell air recirculation system. Upon initiation of a turn down operation, which is implemented to transition the engine to a turning gear state or a shut down state, the valve system is opened to allow air to pass through the piping system. A blower is operated to extract air through at least one outlet port of the shell air recirculation system from an interior volume of an engine casing portion associated with the combustion section, to convey the extracted air through the piping system, and to inject the air into the interior volume of the engine casing portion through at least one inlet port of the shell air recirculation system to circulate air within the engine casing portion.

Growing community of inventors

Charlotte, NC, United States of America

Evan C Landrum