Document
United States Patent [I91 [11] Patent Number: 4,552,308
Rogo et a l . [45] Date of Patent: Nov. 12, 1985
[54] TURBINE ENGINE VARIABLE GEOMETRY Primav Examiner-James B. Marbert DEVICE Assistant Examiner-Gene A. Church Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Gifford, VanOphem, [75] Inventors: Casimir Rogo, Mt. Clemens; Herman Sheridan Sprinkle N. Lenz, Lambertville, both of Mich.
[571 ABSTRAm [73] Assignee: Teledyne Industries, Inc., Los A variable geometry device for use with the turbine Angeies, Calif.
nozzle of a turbine engine of the hype having a support [21] Appl. No.: 199,469 housing and a combustion chamber contained within [22] Filed: Oct. 22, 1980 the support housing. A pair of spaced walls in the sup- port housing define an annular and radially extending
[51] Int. Cl.4 .............................................. B05B 15/00
nozzle passageway. The outer end of the nozzle pas-
[52] U.S. C1. ..................................... 239/457; 415/150
sageway is open to the combustion chamber while the [58] Field of Search ....................... 239/456, 457, 458; inner end of the nozzle passageway is open to one or 415/150, 147, 148, 149, 151, 160, 43, 44 more turbine stages. A plurality of circumferentially
m i References Cited
spaced nozzle vanes are mounted to one of the spaced walls and protrude across the nozzle passageway. An U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS annular opening is formed around the opposite spaced
2,739,782 3/1956 White .................................... 253/52
wall and an annular ring is axially slidably mounted
2,763,426 9/1956 Erwin .................................. 230/114
within the opening. A motor is operatively connected
1/1968 Jassniker ............................. 230/114
3,365,120 3,407,740 10/1968 Samerdyke ........................... 103/97 to this ring and, upon actuation, axially displaces the 3,478,391 11/1969 Kunderman ........................ 230/114 ring within the nozzle passageway. In addition, the ring
3,489,391 1/1970 Kanger et a l . ...................... 415/157
includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots 3,829,237 9/1974 Chestnutt ............................ 415/181 which register with the nozzle v.anes so that the vane 3,887,295 6/1975 Yu ....................................... 415A 1 6 geometry remains the same despite axial displacement 3,975,911 SA976 Morgulis et a l . ..................... 60/602 of the ring.
3,994,620 11/1976 Spraker, Jr. et al. ............... 415/145 4,003,675 1/1977 Stevens et al. ...................... 415/150 4,149,826 4/1979 Torstenfelt .......................... 415/127 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent
Nov. 12,1985
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SUMMARY O F THE PRESENT INVENTION ’- TURBINE E N G M VARLhBLE GEOMETRY DEVICE The present invention provides a variable geometry device for use in the nozzle passageway of a turbine The invention described herein was made in the per- 5 engine which overcomes the disadvantages of the previ- formance of work under NASA Contract No. NAS ously known variable geometry devices.
3-22005 and is subject to the provisions of Section 305 In brief, in the present invention two spaced walls in of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (72 the support housing form an annular nozzle passageway Stat. 435; 42 U.S.C. 2457). having its outer end open to the combustion chamber 10 and its inner radial end open to one or more turbine BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION stages. A plurality of circumferentially spaced nozzle I. Field of the Invention vanes are secured to one support housing wall and ex- The present invention relates generally to variable tend transversely or axially across the nozzle passage- geometry devices employed in turbine engines and, way. These nozzle vanes aerodynamically shape the gas more particularly, to such a device for use in the nozzle 15 stream from the combustion chamber and to the turbine passageway between the turbine engine combustion stages in the conventional fashion.
chamber and the turbine stage or stages. An annular opening is formed around the entire cir- 11. Description of the Prior Art cumfery of the other nozzle passageway wall. Thereaf- A conventional turbine engine includes a support ter, a ring is axially slidably mounted within this open- housing, a compressor having an outlet rotatably 20 ing so that one axial end of the ring is exposed to the mounted within the support housing and a diffuser pas- nozzle passageway and axially aligned with the nozzle sageway which fluidly connects the compressor outlet vane. Moving means are also attached to the other end to a combustion chamber also contained within the of the ring for moving the ring between an axially re- support housing. Following combustion within the tracted and extended position.
combustion chamber, the exhaust gases from the com- 25 In its retracted position, the exposed end of the ring is bustion chamber exhaust through a turbine nozzle and spaced from the facing nozzle wall so that the nozzle thereafter through one or more turbine stages. passageway is unrestricted. Conversely, in its extended In many previously known turbine engines, the noz- position, the ring protrudes into and restricts the nozzle zle passageway is generally annular in shape having in passageway.
its outer end open to the combustion chamber so that 30 of In the preferred form of the invention, a plurality the gas stream through the nozzle passageway is di- circumferentially spaced slots are formed in the ring so rected radially inwardly. In addition, many of the previ- that one slot registers with and slidably receives one ously known turbine engines include nozzle vanes ex- nozzle vane therein. Thus, the nozzle vane geometry tending across the nozzle passageway to aerodynami- remains fixed regardless of the position of the ring.
cally control and shape the flow of the gas stream from 35 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING the combustion chamber and to the turbine stages.
Many turbine engine applications require that the A better understanding of the present invention will turbine engine be operated over a broad range of oper- be had upon reference to the following detailed descrip- ating conditions. These different operating conditions tion when read in conjunction with the accompanying have different gas stream flow requirements for maxi- 40 drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like mum engine efficiency. Moreover, it is desirable to parts throughout the several views, and in which: maintain high turbine engine efficiency at all engine FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a operating conditions in order to minimize surge, cavita- portion of the turbine engine utilizing a preferred em- tion and other engine instabilities while maximizing fuel bodiment of the variable geometry device of the present economy. 45 invention; One previously known method of broadening the FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the pre- flow capacity characteristics in the nozzle passageway ferred embodiment of the present invention taken sub- is to use variable geometry engine components. One stantially along line 2-2 in FIG. 1 and enlarged for previously known method of varying the geometry of clarity; and the turbine nozzle has been to pivot the nozzle vanes to 50 FIG. 3 is an axial diagrammatic view of a portion of the support housing and then the angle or pitch of the the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
nozzle vanes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED The previously known pivoted nozzle vanes, how- EMBODIMENT O F THE PRESENT INVENTION ever, have not proven wholly satisfactory in use. One disadvantage of this method results from the leakage 55 With reference first to FIG. 1, a portion of a turbine losses from the nozzle passageway and around the piv- engine 10 is thereshown and comprises a support hous- oted nozzle vanes and into the support housing. These ing 12 in which a combustion chamber 14 is contained.
leakage losses are further amplified due to the large The combustion chamber 14 includes an outlet 16 openings in the nozzle passageway walls which are through which the combustion products or gas stream required to compensate for thermal distortion and rela- 60 from the combustion chamber 14 exhaust.
tive thermal expansion between the nozzle walls and the The support housing 12 includes a first annular nozzle nozzle vanes.
wall 20 and a second annular nozzle wall 22 which, A still further disadvantage of the previously known together, form an annular nozzle passageway 24 within pivoted nozzle vanes is that it is difficult to accurately the support housing 12. The inner radial end 26 of the pivot all of the nozzle vanes to the same angle due to 65 nozzle passageway 24 is open to the inlet for one or mechanical backlash and mechanical play. Unwanted more turbine stages 25 while the outer radial end 28 of and undesired turbulences result when the nozzle vanes the nozzle passageway 24 is open to the outlet 16 from are positioned at different angles. the combustion chamber 14. Thus, in the well known
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z - ring 34. Csnsequently, the axial displacement of the ring fashion, the nozzle passageway 24 fluidly connects the 34 varies the geometry of the turbine nozzle by variably combustion chamber outlet 16 with the turbine stages 25 of the turbine engine 10. restricting the nozzle passage but without variation of With reference still to FIG. 1, a plurality of circum- the vane geometry.
ferentially spaced nozzle vanes 30 (only one illustrated) With reference now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an are fixedly secured to the nozzle wall 20 and extend impingement plate 80 having a plurality of holes 82 entirely transversely across the nozzle passageway 24. formed through it is attached across the rear face 77 of These nozzle vanes 30 are of a fixed geometry and aero- the ring 34. Relatively cool air, preferably bled from the dynamically shape the gas stream from the combustion compressor outlet, is communicated to the the impinge- chamber 14 and to the turbine stages 25. The nozzle 10 ment plate 80 so that this air flow flows through the vanes 30 also extend along an axis parallel to the axis of holes 82 in the impingement plate 80 and against the rotation of the turbine stages 25.
ring 34 to cool the ring 34. The impingement plate 80 Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an annular opening thus minimizes the thermal expansion and thermal dis- 32 is formed around the entire circumfery of the other tortion of the ring 34.
l5 nozzle wall 22. A ring 34 having a front face 36 is then With reference now particularly to FIG. 1, in the axially slidably positioned within the opening 32 so that preferred form of the invention, an annular flexible wall the ring 34 also extends entirely around the nozzle pas- 90 is secured along its radially inner edge 92 to the outer sageway 24 and so that the front face 36 of the ring 34 radial edge of the ring 34 so that the wall 90 is flush with is exposed to the nozzle passageway 24. The ring 34 is 36 of the ring 34. The outer radial edge 94 the front face rigid in construction and is preferably formed by cast- 2o of the flexible wall 90 in turn is attached to the combus- ing. The ring 34 also has a plurality of circumferentially tion chamber housing so that the flexible wall 90 defines spaced slots 36 (FIG. 2) formed through it so that each a portion of the outlet passageway from the combustion slot 36 registers with and slidably receives one nozzle chamber and to the nozzle passageway 24.
vane 30 therein.
The inner edge of the flexible wall 90 thus follows the With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3, a plurality of 25 position of the ring 34 to achieve an aerodynamically circumferentially spaced actuating rods 50 are rotatably smooth and nonturbulent gas flow from the combustion mounted in tubular sleeves 52 formed in the support chamber 14 and through the turbine nozzle.
housing. The actuating rods 50 are substantially parallel From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present to the rotational axis of the turbines 25 and are circum- 3o invention provides a novel construction for varying the ferentially spaced from each other within the support aerodynamic geometry of the nozzle passageway in a housing 12 as is best seen in FIG. 3.
turbine engine without varying the pitch or angle of the A sprocket 54 is attached to one end 56 of each rod 50 turbine vanes. Moreover, the device of the present in- by a retainer 58 so that each sprocket 54 rotates in uni- vention is compact in construction and virtually fail safe son with its rod 50. In addition, a chain 60 (FIG. 3) is 35 in operation.
drivingly connected around all of the sprockets 54 A still further advantage of the present invention is while.suitable motor means 62 (FIG. 3) is drivingly that an aerodynamically smooth and nonturbulent pas- connected with chain 60. The motor means 62 can be of sageway is formed between the combustion chamber any conventional construction, such as a hydraulic or and through the turbine nozzle due to the attachment of electric motor. Upon actuation of the motor 62, all of 4o the flexible wall to the ring 34.
the sprockets 54 with their attached actuating rods 50 Furthermore, the impingement plate maintains the are rotatably driven in the same rotational direction and ring 34 at a relatively cool temperature thus minimizing by the same rotational amount.
the thermal distortion of the ring 34. Consequently, any The other axial end 64 of each actuating rod 50 is distortion of the nozzle geometry from thermal distor- externally threaded at 66. An L-shaped actuating mem- 45 tion is greatly minimized. Likewise, due to the minimi- ber 68 having an internally threadable boss 70 at one zation of thermal distortion of the ring 34, leakage losses end is threaded to the externally end 64 of each actuat- from the turbine nozzle are also either greatly mini- ing rod 50. The opposite end 72 of each actuating mem- mized or all together eliminated.
ber 68 includes a bore 74 formed through it on an axis Having described our invention, however, many parallel to the axis of the rod 50. This bore 74 in turn 50 modifications thereto will become apparent to those registers with an internally threaded boss 76 on the rear skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation face 77 of the ring 34. A bolt 78 then extends through from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope the bore 74 in each actuating member 68 and threadably of the appended claims.
engages the registering boss 76 on the ring 34 to rigidly We claim: secure the actuating members 68 to the ring 34. This I. A turbine nozzle for a turbine engine comprising: attachment between the actuating members 68 and ring 55 a support housing, 34 also holds the actuating members 68 against rotation a combustion chamber contained within the support relative to the actuating rods 50.
housing and having an exhaust outlet, With reference now particularly to FIG. 1, because said support housing having a pair of spaced walls of the threaded connection between the actuating rods which form an annular nozzle passageway having 50 and actuating member 68, rotation of the actuating 60 its outer end open to said exhaust outlet, rods 90 by the motor 62 axially displaces the ring 34 said nozzle passageway having an annular opening between a retracted position, illustrated in solid line, and an extended position, illustrated in phantom line. formed along one nozzle wall, The nozzle passageway 24 is more restricted when the an annular ring slidably mounted in said opening and ring is in its extended position than its retracted position having an axial end exposed to said nozzle passage- 65 and vice versa. Moreover, as the ring 34 is moved be- way, tween its retracted and extended positions, the nozzle means for moving said ring transversely across said vanes 30 are slidably received within the slots 36 on the passageway between a retracted position and an
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extended position in which said ring protrudes into a combustion chamber contained within the support housing end having an exhaust outlet, and restricts said nozzle passageway, and said support housing having .a pair of spaced walls a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes secured t which form an annular nozzle passageway having to the other nozzle wall and protruding into said its outer and open to said exhaust outlet, nozzle passageway and wherein said ring includes said nozzle passageway having an annular opening a plurality of slots which register with and slidably formed along one nozzle wall, receive said vanes.
an annular ring slidably mounted in said opening and 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said having an axial end exposed to said nozzle passage- vanes extend entirely transversely across said nozzle way, passageway and into said slots when said ring is in its means for moving said ring transversely across said retracted position.
passageway between a retracted position and an 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said extended position in which said ring protrudes into moving means further comprises at least one actuating and restricts said nozzle passageway, rod rotatably mounted to the support housing, an actu- 15 an annular impingement plate having a plurality of openings formed through it, said impingement ating member having one end threadably secured to one plate being secured to the other axial end of the end of the actuating rod and its other end secured to ring, and said ring, and motor means for rotatably driving said means for communicating a cooling fluid to the im- actuating rod. .
pingement plate.
4. The invention as defined in claim 3 and further 9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said comprising a plurality of actuating rods rotatably cooling fluid is compressed air.
mounted in said housing, said rods being. Darallel to and 10. A turbine nozzle for a turbine engine comprising: circumferentially spaced from each other, each rod a support housing, being connected to said ring by one actuating member 25 a combustion chamber contained within the support and wherein said motor means rotatably drives said housing and having an exhaust outlet, rods in unison with each other.
said support housing having a pair of spaced walls 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 and further which form an annular nozzle passageway having comprising an annular impingement plate having a plu- its outer end open to said exhaust outlet, rality of openings formed through it, said impingement 30 said nozzle passageway having an annular opening plate being secured to the other axial end of the ring, formed along one nozzle wall, an annular ring slidably mounted in said opening and and means for communicating a cooling fluid to the having an axial end exposed to said nozzle passage- impingement plate.
6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said way, 35 means for moving said ring transversely across said cooling fluid is compressed air.
passageway between a retracted position and an 7. The invention as defined in claim 1 and further extended position in which said ring protrudes into comprising an annular flexible wall attached along its and restricts said nozzle passageway, inner radial edge to the outer radial edge of said ring so an annular flexible wall attached along its inner radial that said flexible wall is flush with said axial end of the edge to the outer radial edge of said ring so that ring, and the outer radial edge of the flexible wall being said flexible wall is flush with said axial end of the attached to the support housing so that said flexible wall ring, and the outer radial edge of the flexible wall forms a portion of the passageway for the exhaust outlet so that said being attached to the support housing from the combustion chamber.
flexible wall forms a portion of the passageway for 8. A turbine nozzle for a turbine engine comprising: 45 the exhaust outlet from the combustion chamber.
* * * * *
a support housing,
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. : 4 , 5 5 2 , 3 0 8
DATED : November 1 2 , 1985
INVENTOR(S) : C a s i m i r Rogo and Herman N. Lenz
It i s certified that error appears i n the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:
Column 6, l i n e 2, c l a i m 8, d e l e t e "end" and i n s e r t
--and--.
Column 6, l i n e 5, claim 8 , d e l e t e "and" and i n s e r t
--end--.
Signed and Sealed this
Eleventh Day of November, 1986
Attest: DONALD 3. QUIGG Atesting Oficer Commissioncr o f pbrenls and Tmdema&