Compressor diffuser with diffuser pipes varying in natural vibration frequencies
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsIgnatius THERATIL, Krishna Prasad BALIKE, Aldo ABATE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The diffuser pipe assembly for a compressor of a gas turbine engine includes diffuser pipes circumferentially distributed around a central axis and configured for distributing a flow of compressed air from the compressor to the combustor. Each of the diffuser pipes curving between an inlet end and an outlet end. A first subset of the diffuser pipes has a natural vibration frequency different than a natural vibration frequency of at least a second subset of the diffuser pipes. A method of operating a compressor including the diffuser pipe assembly is also disclosed.
Claims20
A diffuser pipe assembly for a centrifugal compressor of a gas turbine engine defining a central axis extending longitudinally through the diffuser pipe assembly, the diffuser pipe assembly comprising:
- a plurality of diffuser pipes circumferentially distributed around the central axis and configured for diffusing a flow of compressed air received from an impeller, the diffuser pipes curving between an inlet end and an outlet end, and a first subset of the diffuser pipes configured to have a natural vibration frequency different than a natural vibration frequency of at least a second subset of the diffuser pipes.
A gas turbine engine comprising a centrifugal compressor rotatable about a central axis and a combustor downstream of the centrifugal compressor relative to a flow of compressed air exiting the centrifugal compressor, the centrifugal compressor including an impeller and a diffuser pipe assembly downstream of the impeller, the diffuser pipe assembly configured for redirecting the flow of compressed air from a radial direction to an axial direction relative to the central axis, the diffuser pipe assembly including diffuser pipes circumferentially distributed around the central axis, the diffuser pipes defining diffuser conduits fluidly connected to the impeller and to the combustor, and a first subset of the diffuser pipes configured to have a natural vibration frequency different than a natural vibration frequency of at least a second subset of the diffuser pipes.
A method of operating a centrifugal compressor of a gas turbine engine, the centrifugal compressor having an impeller and a diffuser pipe assembly downstream thereof, the method comprising:
- separating a flow of air exiting the impeller in sub-flows of air, and feeding the sub-flows of air to diffuser pipes of the diffuser pipe assembly and directing the fed sub-flows through the diffuser pipes toward the combustor;
- and
- limiting a transfer of vibrations from at least one of the diffuser pipes to adjacent diffuser pipes by providing the at least one of the diffuser pipes with a natural vibration frequency that is different from that the adjacent diffuser pipes to generate a natural vibration frequency offset between the at least one of the diffuser pipes and the adjacent diffuser pipes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.