# US 12,215,606 B2 · Turbine engine with TOBI supporting vanes

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- Number: US 12,215,606 B2
- Document ID: US12215606B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/302,976
- Filed: 2023-04-19
- Published: 2023-11-30
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-05-27
- Assignees: Rtx Corporation
- Applicants: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Howard J. Liles
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215606B2

## CPC

- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 5/082: {on the side of the rotor disc}
- F01D 9/065: {Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26)}
- F05D 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
- F05D 2260/20: Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a circumferential row of vanes arranged about a central engine axis. The vanes include respective internal cavities and vane outlet ports for conveying cooling air. A tangential onboard injector (TOBI) radially supports the vanes at an inner diameter of the circumferential row. The TOBI includes fore and aft annular walls and an outer diameter annular wall. The fore and aft annular walls and the outer diameter annular wall define an annular plenum. The outer diameter annular wall includes TOBI inlet ports that are connected, respectively, with the vane outlet ports to receive the cooling air from each of the vanes into the plenum. The TOBI includes axially-oriented nozzles for discharging the cooling air from the plenum in an aft direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas turbine engine comprising:
a circumferential row of vanes arranged about a central engine axis, each of the vanes including an airfoil section that has an internal through-cavity, inner and outer platforms between which the airfoil section extends, and a vane outlet port for conveying cooling air; and
a tangential onboard injector (TOBI) radially supporting the vanes at an inner diameter of the circumferential row, the TOBI including fore and aft annular walls and an outer diameter annular wall, the fore and aft annular walls and the outer diameter annular wall defining there between an annular plenum, the outer diameter annular wall including TOBI inlet ports that are connected, respectively, with the vane outlet ports to receive the cooling air from each of the vanes into the plenum, the TOBI including a plurality of axially-oriented nozzles for discharging the cooling air from the plenum in an aft direction, and the outer diameter annular wall of the TOBI has an outer diameter surface that is in full interfacial contact with an inner diameter surface of each of the inner platforms.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer diameter annular wall radially supports the vanes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the vane outlet ports are radially aligned with, respectively, the TOBI inlet ports.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3, wherein vane outlet ports and the TOBI inlet ports are circular in cross-section.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the vane outlet ports and the TOBI inlet ports include upstanding lips.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, where the vanes have, respectively, inner diameter platforms, the inner diameter platforms having radial tabs extending therefrom, the outer diameter annular wall of the TOBI includes a radially-open slot, and the radial tabs are disposed in the radially-open slot and limit relative axial movement between the TOBI and the vanes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising seals between the vanes and the outer diameter annular wall that seal around the vane outlet ports and the TOBI inlet ports.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 7, wherein the seals are rope seals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the vanes are in a turbine section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer diameter surface is annular about the central engine axis.