Gas turbine vane
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsBarton M. Pepperman, Andrew J. Ayoob
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vane for the turbine section of a gas turbine has an airfoil portion with leading edge, center and trailing edge portions. The leading edge portion is attached to the center portion by a dove tail joint that allows the leading edge portion to slide in the radial direction with respect to the center portion while preventing movement in the axial and circumferential directions, thereby eliminating thermal stresses created by differential thermal expansion between the leading edge portion and the remainder of the vane. An opening in the vane inner shroud that is normally sealed by a closure plate allows the leading edge portion to be readily replaced in the event of damage. The leading edge portion may be formed from a ceramic material and need not be supplied with cooling air.
Claims17
A gas turbine, comprising:
- a turbine section having a rotating shaft disposed therein to which a row of rotating blades are attached;
- a row of stationary vanes circumferentially arranged around said shaft, each of said vanes having an airfoil portion, said airfoil having a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, a center portion disposed between said leading edge portion and said trailing edge portion, and means for slidably securing said leading edge portion to said center portion;
- and wherein said vanes further comprise a shroud attached to said airfoil and a radial gap formed between said leading edge portion and said shroud.
A gas turbine, comprising:
- a turbine section having a rotating shaft disposed therein to which a row of rotating blades are attached;
- a row of stationary vanes circumferentially arranged around said shaft, each of said vanes having an airfoil portion, said airfoil having a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, a center portion disposed between said leading edge portion and said trailing edge portion, and means for slidably securing said leading edge portion to said center portion;
- wherein said center portion has a cooling passage formed therein and wherein said trailing edge portion and said center portion have holes leading to said cooling passage for allowing cooling air to flow out of said cooling passage and over said airfoil portion, and
- wherein said vanes further comprise a shroud attached to said airfoil and a radial gap formed between said leading edge portion and said shroud.
In a gas turbine, a stationary vane comprising:
- a) an airfoil having (i) a body portion, (ii) a leading edge portion attached to said body portion and extending axially upstream therefrom, (iii) means for detaching said leading edge portion from said body portion by moving said leading edge portion in the radial direction, and (iv) first and second ends;
- and
- b) first and second shrouds attached to said first and second ends, respectively, of said airfoil, said leading edge and body portions of said airfoil disposed between said first and second shrouds, said first shroud having an opening formed therein larger than said leading edge portion and radially aligned therewith, whereby said leading edge portion detachable from said body portion by moving said leading edge portion radially through said opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.