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US 10,240,479 B2Granted
Variable area turbine arrangement for a gas turbine engine
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorRaymond Surace
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable area turbine arrangement according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first turbine section having at least a first variable vane row and a second turbine section downstream from the first turbine section and having at least a second variable vane row. A transition duct is disposed between the first turbine section and the second turbine section.
Claims19
A variable area turbine arrangement, comprising:
- a first turbine section having at least a first variable vane row circumferentially disposed about a centerline longitudinal axis;
- a second turbine section downstream from said first turbine section and having at least a second variable vane row circumferentially disposed about said centerline longitudinal axis, wherein said second variable vane row is positioned at an inlet of said second turbine section;
- a transition duct disposed between said first turbine section and said second turbine section and including a radially outer wall and a radially inner wall, each of the radially outer wall and radially inner wall including sloped portions sloped in the radially outboard direction from the first turbine section to the second turbine section, wherein said inlet is parallel to said centerline longitudinal axis such that said radially inner wall and said radially outer wall immediately downstream of said inlet are parallel to said central longitudinal axis;
- and
- at least one stationary vane positioned within said transition duct.
2 more elements
A gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a first turbine section having at least a first array of variable vanes circumferentially disposed about an engine centerline longitudinal axis;
- a second turbine section having at least a second array of variable vanes circumferentially disposed about said engine centerline axis, wherein said second array of variable vanes is positioned at an inlet of said second turbine section, and said inlet is parallel to said centerline longitudinal axis, such that a radially inner wall and a radially outer wall immediately downstream of said inlet are parallel to said central longitudinal axis;
- a transition duct axially intermediate said first turbine section and said second turbine section;
- and
- at least one stationary vane positioned within said transition duct and configured to turn a core airflow prior to communication of said core airflow to said second array of variable vanes.
2 more elements
A method for reducing incidence angle variation in a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- moving a first variable vane of a first turbine section to alter a turbine flow area;
- communicating core airflow through a transition duct;
- changing a characteristic of the core airflow within the transition duct, including straightening the core airflow such that it enters the second turbine section at an angle aligned within the desired inlet angle range of the second variable vane;
- and
- after the step of changing, communicating the core airflow to a second variable vane of a second turbine section,
- wherein said second variable vane is positioned at an inlet of said second turbine section, and
- wherein said inlet is parallel to a centerline longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine such that a radially inner wall and a radially outer wall immediately downstream of said inlet are parallel to said central longitudinal axis.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.