Turbomachine compressor exit region seal flow circuit
OwnerDebabrata MUKHOPADHYAY, Veerraju CHENNOJUinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbomachine compressor includes a final stage of vanes having tip shrouds in a circumferential groove of an inner casing. Each tip shroud defines a downstream opening with an aft wall of the groove. Under each tip shroud, an exit channel extends to a high pressure packing seal (HPPS) cavity to reduce leakage of fluid from downstream to an area upstream of the final stage of vanes. A first seal in the circumferential groove diverts compressed gas entering the downstream opening into the HPPS cavity. The exit channel can extend axially or radially, and a second seal may be included between the exit channel and the downstream opening for a radial exit channel.
Claims20
A high pressure packing seal (HPPS) circuit apparatus for a turbomachine comprising:
- a circumferential groove in an inner casing of the turbomachine, the circumferential groove extending substantially radially inward from an outer surface of the inner casing and having a bottom wall, a forward wall, and an aft wall;
- an HPPS cavity defined by the inner casing and a rotor of the turbomachine and including an HPPS inlet between the forward portion of the inner casing and an aft end of a compressor portion of the rotor of the turbomachine;
- a vane mounted in an outer casing of the turbomachine and extending to the inner casing, the vane having a tip disposed at the circumferential groove;
- a tip shroud of the vane extending from the tip and having an outer surface substantially coplanar with the outer surface of the inner casing and an inner surface disposed in the circumferential groove, the tip shroud and the forward wall of the circumferential groove defining an upstream opening, and the tip shroud and the aft wall of the circumferential groove defining a downstream opening;
- a first seal mounted in the circumferential groove and extending toward the tip shroud of the vane and having a first clearance therewith;
- and
- an exit channel extending from the circumferential groove through the inner casing to the HPPS cavity,
- wherein the exit channel extends substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the turbomachine from the forward wall of the circumferential groove to the forward portion of the inner casing.
(canceled)
A seal apparatus for a turbomachine, the apparatus comprising:
- a first seal extending between a tip shroud of a vane of the turbomachine and a wall of a circumferential groove in an inner casing of the turbomachine, the first seal disposed between a mount of the tip shroud and a forward wall of the circumferential groove;
- and
- an exit channel extending from the circumferential groove to an HPPS cavity defined by a rotor of the turbomachine and the inner casing, whereby, during operation of the turbomachine, fluid entering a downstream opening of the circumferential groove is directed through the exit channel to the HPPS cavity,
- wherein the exit channel extends substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the turbomachine from the circumferential groove to a forward portion of the inner casing that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the turbomachine.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.