초록 ▼

A stator structure 88 for supporting a pair of outer air seals 62, 72 and an array of stator vanes 82 from two axial locations A 1, A 2 on a coolable outer case is disclosed. Various construction details which enable the structure to respond to the movement of coolable rails are disclosed. In one em

A stator structure 88 for supporting a pair of outer air seals 62, 72 and an array of stator vanes 82 from two axial locations A 1, A 2 on a coolable outer case is disclosed. Various construction details which enable the structure to respond to the movement of coolable rails are disclosed. In one embodiment, a pair of support rings 96, 100 and a pair of support rings 122, 124 extend between the outer case and the outer air seal and array of stator vanes 82.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In an axial flow gas turbine engine having an annular flow path for working medium gases and a turbine section through which the working medium gases are passed, the turbine section having a rotor assembly which includes a first rotor disk and a first array of rotor blades extending outwardly fro

1. In an axial flow gas turbine engine having an annular flow path for working medium gases and a turbine section through which the working medium gases are passed, the turbine section having a rotor assembly which includes a first rotor disk and a first array of rotor blades extending outwardly from the disk across the working medium flow path, a second rotor disk and a second array of rotor blades extending outwardly from the disk across the working medium flow path, and an inner air seal extending between the disks, the turbine section further having a stator assembly which includes a first outer air seal composed of an array of arcuate segments extending circumferentially about the first array of rotor blades and spaced radially from the first rotor blades leaving a radial gap G 1 therebetween, a second outer air seal composed of an array of arcuate segments extending circumferentially about the second array of rotor blades and spaced radially from the second rotor blades leaving a radial gap G 2 therebetween, an array of stator vanes each of which has an upstream end and a downstream end, the vanes extending axially between the first and second outer air seals and extending radially inwardly across the working medium flow path between the first and second arrays of rotor blades into proximity with the inner seal leaving a radial gap G 3 the rebetween, and means for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes to regulate the gaps G 1, G 2 and G 3 which includes a coolable outer case extending circumferentially about the engine, the improvement which comprises: stator structure means for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and array of vanes from the outer case at only a first axial location and a second axial location on the outer case which includes first means for supporting the upstream end of the array of stator vanes and the first array of outer air seal segments which slidably engages each first segment in the circumferential direction and engages each first segment at two axially spaced locations to trap the first segments in the downstream direction and the upstream direction, the first means being attached to the outer case at one axial location, said location being said first axial location, second means for supporting the downstream end of the array of stator vanes and the second array of outer air seal segments which slidably engages each second segment in the circumferential direction and engages each second segment at two axially spaced locations to trap the second segments in the downstream direction and the upstream direction, the second means being attached to the outer case at one axial location, said location being said second axial location, first means for flowing cooling air to the coolable outer case to adjust the diameter of the outer case at the first axial location, and second means for flowing cooling air to the coolable outer case to adjust the diameter of the outer case at the second axial location, wherein movement of the outer case in the turbine section at the first axial location and the second axial location simultaneously adjusts the clearance gaps G 1, G 2 and G 3 from these two axial locations. 2. The stator structure for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes of claim 1 which further includes a first coolable rail extending circumferentially about the exterior of the outer case for radially positioning the outer case at the first axial location and a second coolable rail extending circumferentially about the outer case for radially positioning the outer case at the second axial location, and wherein the first means for flowing cooling air is in flow communication with the first coolable rail and the second means for flowing cooling air is in flow communication with the second coolable rail. 3. The stator structure for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes of claim 2 wherein the first support means includes a first flange extending inwardly from the outer case which is attached to the outer case at the first location, and wherein the second support means includes a second flange extending inwardly from the outer case which is attached to the outer case at the second location. 4. The stator structure for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes of claim 1 wherein the first support means includes a first flange extending inwardly from the outer case which is attached to the outer case at the first location, and wherein the second support means includes a second flange extending inwardly from the outer case which is attached to the outer case at the second location. 5. The stator structure for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes of claim 1 wherein each outer air seal has a first end and a second end, wherein one of said support means includes a first support ring formed of a plurality of upstream support segments which radially positions and slidably engages in the circumferential direction the first end of the outer air seal and a second support ring which radially positions and slidably engages in the circumferential direction the second end of the outer air seal. 6. The stator structure for positioning the outer air seals and stator vanes of claim 5 wherein the first ring engages the second ring and is circumferentially slidable with respect to the second ring. 7. The stator structure for positioning the outer air seals and stator vanes of claim 5 wherein each segment of the first ring engages and is integral with an associated segment of the second ring. 8. In an axial flow gas turbine engine having an annular flow path for working medium gases and a turbine section through which the working medium gases are passed, the turbine section having a rotor assembly which includes a first rotor disk and a first array of rotor blades extending outwardly from the disk across the working medium flow path, a second rotor disk and a second array of rotor blades extending outwardly from the disk across the working medium flow path, and an inner air seal extending between the disks, the turbine section further having a stator assembly which includes a first outer air seal composed of an array of arcuate segments extending circumferentially about the first array of rotor blades and spaced radially from the first rotor blades leaving a radial gap G 1 therebetween, a second outer air seal composed of an array of arcuate segments extending circumferentially about the second array of rotor blades and spaced radially from the second rotor blades leaving a radial gap G 2 therebetween, an array of stator vanes each of which has an upstream end and a downstream end, the vanes extending axially between the first and second outer air seals and extending radially inwardly across the working medium flow path between the first and second arrays of rotor blades into proximity with the inner air seal leaving a radial gap G 3 therebetween, and means for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes to regulate the gaps G 1, G 2 and G 3 which includes a coolable outer case extending circumferentially about the engine, the improvement which comprises: a stator structure for supporting and positioning the outer air seals and vanes which includes first means for supporting the upstream end of the array of stator vanes and the first array of outer air seal segments which includes an upstream support ring formed of a plurality of upstream support segments which engage the segments of the outer air seal, which are circumferentially slidable with respect to the outer air seal and which trap the first seal segments in the axial direction, a downstream support ring formed of a plurality of downstream support segments which engage the outer air seal, which are circumferentially slidable with respect to the outer air seal and which trap the first seal segments in the axial direction, each of the downstream support segments being integral with the upstream end of the vane, a first flange attached to the outer case at a first location and extending inwardly from the outer case to radially attach and slidably engage in the circumferential direction the segments of at least one of the support rings and to radially attach the segments of both support rings to the outer case, second means for supporting the downstream end of the array of stator vanes and the second array of outer air seal segments which includes a downstream support ring formed of a plurality of downstream support segments which engage the segments of the outer air seal, which are circumferentially slidable with respect to the outer air seal and which trap the second seal segments in the axial direction, an upstream support ring formed of a plurality of upstream support segments which engage the outer air seal, which are circumferentially slidable with respect to the outer air seal and which trap the second seal segments in the axial direction, each of the upstream support segments being integral with the downstream end of the vane, a second flange attached to the outer case at a second location and extending inwardly from the outer case to radially attach and slidably engage in the circumferential direction the segments of at least one of the support rings and to radially attach the segments of both support rings to the outer case, a first coolable rail extending circumferentially about the exterior of the outer case for radially positioning the outer case at the first axial location, a first means for flowing cooling air to cool said first coolable rail, a second coolable rail extending circumferentially about the outer case for radially positioning the outer case at the first axial position, and a second means for flowing cooling air to cool said second coolable rail; wherein movement of the outer case inwardly in response to the flow of cooling air at the first coolable rail and the second coolable rail simultaneously adjusts the gap G 1, G 2, and G 3 between the stator assembly and the rotor assembly from two axial locations. 9. The stator structure as claimed in claim 8 wherein the first rail is at a first flanged casing joint, the second rail is at a second flanged casing joint, and an axially continuous casing extends between the first flanged joint and the second flanged joint which is uninterrupted by coolable rails. 10. The stator structure as claimed in claim 8 wherein a segment of the upstream support ring of the first support means is integral with a segment of the downstream support ring of the second support means.