초록 ▼

A gas turbine engine includes a diffuser section supplying cooling fluid, a rotatable shaft, shaft cover structure disposed about the rotatable shaft, support structure, and a cooling fluid channel between the shaft cover structure and the support structure. The support structure provides structural

A gas turbine engine includes a diffuser section supplying cooling fluid, a rotatable shaft, shaft cover structure disposed about the rotatable shaft, support structure, and a cooling fluid channel between the shaft cover structure and the support structure. The support structure provides structural support for the shaft cover structure and receives cooling fluid from the diffuser section. One of the diffuser section and the support structure comprises a plurality of apertures through which at least a portion of the cooling fluid passes. The cooling fluid channel is in fluid communication with the apertures in the one of the diffuser section and the support structure for supplying cooling fluid to a blade disc structure located in a turbine section of the engine.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A gas turbine engine comprising: a diffuser section supplying cooling fluid and including an inner diffuser wall that at least partially defines an inner boundary of said diffuser section;a rotatable shaft;shaft cover structure disposed about said rotatable shaft;support structure providing struc

1. A gas turbine engine comprising: a diffuser section supplying cooling fluid and including an inner diffuser wall that at least partially defines an inner boundary of said diffuser section;a rotatable shaft;shaft cover structure disposed about said rotatable shaft;support structure providing structural support for said shaft cover structure, said support structure receiving cooling fluid from said diffuser section and comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts;said inner diffuser wall comprising a plurality of apertures through which at least a portion of said cooling fluid passes, at least one of said apertures extending through an axially forward portion of said inner diffuser wall upstream from said support structure; anda cooling fluid channel between said shaft cover structure and said support structure, said cooling fluid channel in fluid communication with said apertures in said inner diffuser wall for supplying cooling fluid to a blade disc structure located in a turbine section of the engine. 2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein said diffuser section is in fluid communication with a compressor section of the engine, said cooling fluid being provided to said diffuser section from the compressor section. 3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein at least one of said apertures is located upstream from said support structure and axially downstream from said at least one aperture extending through said axially forward portion of said inner diffuser wall. 4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein said circumferentially spaced apart struts are coupled at radially outer ends thereof to a main engine casing of the engine. 5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4, wherein said struts include passageways that receive cooling fluid from said diffuser section and supply the cooling fluid to a first row vane assembly in the turbine section of the engine, wherein the cooling fluid supplied to the first row vane assembly by said struts does not enter said cooling fluid channel. 6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising a pre-swirl structure located in said cooling fluid channel for swirling the cooling fluid flowing through said cooling fluid channel prior to the cooling fluid reaching the blade disc structure in the turbine section of the engine. 7. The gas turbine engine of claim 5, wherein said cooling fluid channel is bounded by said shaft cover structure and said support structure. 8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein said cooling fluid channel is bounded by said shaft cover structure and said support structure. 9. A gas turbine engine comprising: a rotatable shaft;shaft cover structure disposed about said rotatable shaft;a diffuser section supplying cooling fluid, said diffuser section comprising an inner diffuser wall including a plurality of apertures extending therethrough such that at least a portion of said cooling fluid passes through said apertures, wherein at least one of said apertures is located axially downstream from another of said apertures;support structure providing structural support for said shaft cover structure, said support structure comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts coupled at radially outer ends thereof to a main engine casing of the engine, wherein said struts include passageways that receive cooling fluid from said diffuser section and supply the cooling fluid to a first row vane assembly in the turbine section of the engine; anda cooling fluid channel bounded by said shaft cover structure and said support structure and in fluid communication with said apertures in said inner diffuser wall for supplying cooling fluid to a blade disc structure located in a turbine section of the engine. 10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein said diffuser section is in fluid communication with a compressor section of the engine, said cooling fluid being provided to said diffuser section from the compressor section. 11. The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein said inner diffuser wall at least partially defines an inner boundary of said diffuser section. 12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11, wherein at least one of said apertures extends through an axially forward portion of said inner diffuser wall. 13. The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein the cooling fluid supplied to the first row vane assembly by said struts does not enter said cooling fluid channel. 14. A gas turbine engine comprising: a diffuser section supplying cooling fluid;a rotatable shaft;shaft cover structure disposed about said rotatable shaft;support structure comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts providing structural support for said shaft cover structure, said struts comprising respective passageways formed therein receiving cooling fluid from said diffuser section and comprising a plurality of apertures in communication with said passageways through which a first portion of said cooling fluid from said passageways passes;a cooling fluid channel between said rotatable shaft and said support structure, said cooling fluid channel in fluid communication with said apertures in said struts for supplying the first portion of cooling fluid from said passageways to a blade disc structure located in a turbine section of the engine; andwherein a second portion of said cooling fluid from said passageways does not enter said cooling fluid channel and is provided to a first row vane assembly in the turbine section of the engine. 15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein said diffuser section is in fluid communication with a compressor section of the engine, said cooling fluid being provided to said diffuser section from the compressor section. 16. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein radially outer ends of said struts are coupled to a main engine casing of the engine and radially inner ends of said struts are coupled to an axially downstream wall portion of said support structure. 17. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein each of said apertures is located on a radial axis with a combustor apparatus of the engine. 18. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein said cooling fluid channel is bounded by said shaft cover structure and said support structure.