초록 ▼

A stator assembly 18 for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The stator assembly includes an engine case 24 and a wall 26, such as a wall that includes an array of stator vanes 42. A high pressure region 74 (cooling chambers) extends between the wall and the engine case. The cooling chambers 74 are i

A stator assembly 18 for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The stator assembly includes an engine case 24 and a wall 26, such as a wall that includes an array of stator vanes 42. A high pressure region 74 (cooling chambers) extends between the wall and the engine case. The cooling chambers 74 are in flow communication through a leak path with a working medium flow path 14. An annular outer support 56 bounding the chambers beneath the vanes forms with the vanes an intermediate chamber 132 through which the leak path for cooling fluid passes. The annular support further includes a plurality of orifices 94 for diverting flow away from the leak path to lower the pressure of the intermediate chamber. In one embodiment, the chamber is formed in part by an annular groove 84 in the support and a plurality of flanges 124 associated with the vanes. The flanges are urged rearwardly into sealing contact with the annular support.

대표청구항 ▼

A stator assembly for an axial flow rotary machine having an annular flow path for working medium gases, an outer case which extends about the working medium flow path and a flow path for cooling fluid which extends axially through the engine between the outer case and the working medium flow path,

A stator assembly for an axial flow rotary machine having an annular flow path for working medium gases, an outer case which extends about the working medium flow path and a flow path for cooling fluid which extends axially through the engine between the outer case and the working medium flow path, which comprises: a one-piece annular support for an array of wall segments which is adapted by a first surface to bound the flow path for cooling fluid and by a second surface to bound an adjacent region of the engine having a fluid at a lower pressure, the annular support having a groove which extends circumferentially about the support; an array of wall segments which extend from the support adjacent to the working medium flow path, leaving a first chamber for cooling air which extends circumferentially between the wall segments and the support and which is in flow communication with the flow path for cooling fluid, each of the segments having a flange which extends circumferentially within the groove to abuttingly engage the support in the axially rearward direction in response to operative forces acting on the segment, the flanges of the array of segments in the groove being spaced radially from the support to leave an annular intermediate chamber therebetween; wherein a leak path for cooling fluid extends from the first chamber past the flanges to the intermediate chamber, and thence between the flanges and the support to the working medium flow path and wherein a plurality of orifices in the support extend between the intermediate chamber and the adjacent region to lower the pressure of the intermediate chamber and to divert a portion of the leakage of cooling fluid to the adjacent region. A method for controlling the leakage of cooling air from a cavity which extends circumferentially between an array of stator vanes and a stator support, each of the vanes being adapted by a circumferentially extending flange to engage a support for the stator vanes, the leak path extending from the cavity and between the flange and the support, comprising: disposing a one-piece annular support about the stator vane which is adapted by an annular groove to receive the flanges of an array of stator vanes; forming an intermediate chamber which extends circumferentially in the groove between the flanges and the support through which the leak path is passed; urging the flanges in the groove axially into abutting contact with the support to provide sealing contact between the flanges and the support to block the flow of cooling air from the chamber and cause the pressure of cooling air in the chamber to rise, placing the intermediate chamber in flow communication with a region of the engine having a pressure lower than the pressure in the intermediate chamber to bleed off a portion of the cooling air and lower the pressure in the chamber.