Cyclone Particle Separator

Abstract

Cyclone Particle Separator [Solution] The cyclone particle separator includes a housing including a cylindrical sidewall having a plurality of inlets. A cover member blocks a first end of the cylindrical sidewall and a mounting member having an outlet opening defined therein is at a second end of the cylindrical sidewall. One or more particle outlet passages are defined within the housing. Each of the plurality of inlets includes an angled flow guide surface that directs a gas flow from upstream of the housing to enter the housing tangentially relative to the cylindrical sidewall and creates a cyclonic vortex. The cyclonic vortex acts to separate particles from the gas flow.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to particle separators, and more particularly to a cyclone particle separator including a housing having a cylindrical sidewall with a plurality of inlets defined therein. Related turbine vanes and turbine systems are also provided. [Background technology]

[0002] A wide range of industrial machinery uses airflows that require the removal of particles, such as dust, dirt, and soot. Industrial machinery that uses purified airflows includes turbine systems, such as gas turbine (GT) systems. In GT systems, airflow from a compressor is used for combustion and cooling purposes. For example, the airflow may be routed through cooling circuits in the airfoils of the turbine vanes or blades of a GT system to prevent the airfoils from overheating due to the hot combustion gases passing through the vanes or blades. The cooling circuits typically contain many very small cooling passages that follow complex paths within the airfoils. Particles can clog the cooling passages if they are not removed before entering the cooling circuit. Current approaches use various particle separators or collectors that are an integral part of the turbine vanes or blades. As a result, these separators or collectors cannot be retrofitted to older turbine vanes or blades, nor can they be customized for specific vanes or blades.

[0003] Centrifugal separators or cyclone separators are traditionally used to purify air streams. These separators are unsuitable for use in sensitive industrial machines such as GT systems because they are too large and create too much pressure loss. If the stream is used for cooling, the high pressure loss limits the cooling effectiveness of the stream downstream of the separator. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 066294 Summary of the Invention

[0005] All aspects, embodiments and features listed below may be combined in any technically possible manner.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a cyclone particle separator comprising: a housing including a cylindrical sidewall defining a plurality of inlets; a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical sidewall; a mounting member at a second end of the cylindrical sidewall, the mounting member defining an outlet opening; and one or more particle outlet passages defined within the housing, each of the plurality of inlets including an angled flow guide surface that directs a gas flow from upstream of the housing to enter the housing tangentially relative to the cylindrical sidewall to create a cyclone vortex.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, and further includes an annular body disposed within the cylindrical side wall, the annular body defining a cyclone separation chamber between the interior of the cylindrical side wall and the annular body.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular body has a smaller diameter end proximate the cover member and a larger diameter end proximate the attachment member.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular body has a frustoconical shape with a smaller diameter end proximate the cover member and a larger diameter end proximate the mounting member.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, further including a wall extending between the outlet opening and one of the large diameter end of the annulus and the cylindrical sidewall, the wall together with the cylindrical sidewall defining an annular particle trap, and the one or more particle outlet passages including a first particle outlet passage in fluid communication with the annular particle trap.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular particle trap has a torus shape.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above-described aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages include a first particle exit passage defined in the cylindrical side wall of the housing adjacent the cover member and a second particle exit passage defined in the cylindrical side wall of the housing adjacent the mounting member.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages includes a single particle exit passage adjacent to the mounting member.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the housing is operably attached to one of the inner end wall and the outer end wall of the turbine vane by a mounting member, the outlet opening being defined in the wall of the mounting member and in fluid communication with a cooling circuit within the airfoil of the turbine vane downstream of the housing.

[0015] One aspect of the disclosure relates to a turbine vane including an inner end wall, an outer end wall, an airfoil connecting the inner and outer end walls, and a cyclonic particle separator, the cyclonic particle separator including a housing including a cylindrical side wall having a plurality of inlet ports defined therein, a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical side wall, and a mounting member at a second end of the cylindrical side wall configured to couple the housing to one of the inner and outer end walls, the mounting member defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with a cooling circuit inside the airfoil downstream of the housing; and one or more particle outlet passages defined within the housing, each of the plurality of inlet ports including an angled flow guide surface that directs a gas flow from upstream of the housing to enter the housing tangentially relative to the cylindrical side wall to create a cyclonic vortex.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, and further includes an annular body disposed within the cylindrical side wall, the annular body defining a cyclone separation chamber between the interior of the cylindrical side wall and the annular body.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular body has a smaller diameter end proximate the cover member and a larger diameter end proximate the attachment member.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular body has a frustoconical shape with a smaller diameter end proximate the cover member and a larger diameter end proximate the mounting member.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, further including a wall extending between the outlet opening and one of the large diameter end of the annulus and the cylindrical side wall, the annular wall defining an annular particle trap, and the one or more particle outlet passages including a first particle outlet passage in fluid communication with the annular particle trap.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular particle trap has a torus shape.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above-described aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages include a first particle exit passage defined in the cylindrical side wall adjacent the first end blocked by the cover member, and a second particle exit passage defined in the cylindrical side wall adjacent the mounting member.

[0022] One aspect of the disclosure includes a turbine system comprising: an engine core having a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine operatively coupled to one another, the turbine including a plurality of stator vanes in one turbine stage, each stator vane including an inner end wall, an outer end wall, and an airfoil connecting the inner end wall and the outer end wall; a cyclone particle separator attached to one of the inner end wall and the outer end wall of each stator vane, the cyclone particle separator comprising: a housing including a cylindrical side wall having a plurality of inlet ports defined therein, a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical side wall, and a mounting member at a second end of the cylindrical side wall configured to couple the housing to one of the inner end wall and the outer end wall, the mounting member defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with a cooling circuit inside the airfoil downstream of the housing; and one or more particle outlet passages defined within the housing.

[0023] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, and further includes an annular body disposed within the cylindrical side wall of the cyclone particle separator, the annular body defining a cyclone separation chamber between the interior of the cylindrical side wall and the annular body.

[0024] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular body has a smaller diameter end proximate the cover member and a larger diameter end proximate the attachment member.

[0025] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the annular body has a frustoconical shape with a smaller diameter end proximate the cover member and a larger diameter end proximate the mounting member.

[0026] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, further including an annular wall extending between the outlet opening and one of the large diameter end of the annulus and the cylindrical side wall, the annular wall defining an annular particle trap, and the one or more particle outlet passages including a first particle outlet passage in fluid communication with the annular particle trap.

[0027] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, wherein the one or more particle exit passages include a first particle exit passage defined in the cylindrical side wall adjacent the cover member and a second particle exit passage defined in the cylindrical side wall adjacent the mounting member.

[0028] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, further including a conduit fluidly coupling the one or more particle outlet passages to a hot gas path of the turbine.

[0029] One aspect of the present disclosure encompasses a cyclone particle separator comprising: a housing including a cylindrical side wall having a first diameter and defining a plurality of inlets; a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical side wall; a mounting member at a second end of the cylindrical side wall, the mounting member defining an outlet opening having a second diameter; and one or more particle outlet passages defined within the housing, wherein the difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is greater than 12.5 mm.

[0030] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes any of the above embodiments, wherein the one or more particle exit passages defined in the cylindrical side wall have a diameter of 0.76 mm or greater.

[0031] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages extend tangentially to the cylindrical sidewall.

[0032] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages extend to a location at a lower pressure than the housing.

[0033] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes any of the above embodiments, wherein the area of ​​the inner annulus of the cylindrical side wall is at least 1.5 times the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0034] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, further including an annular body disposed within the cylindrical side wall, the annular body defining an annular cyclone separation chamber between an interior of the cylindrical side wall and the annular body, and an annular area between a radially outer end of the annular body and the interior of the cylindrical side wall that is at least as large as a sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0035] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the area of ​​the central opening defined in the annulus is at least as large as the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0036] One aspect of the disclosure includes a turbine vane comprising: an inner end wall; an outer end wall; an airfoil connecting the inner end wall and the outer end wall; and a cyclone particle separator attached to one of the inner end wall and the outer end wall, the cyclone particle separator comprising: a housing including a cylindrical side wall having a first diameter and having a plurality of inlets defined therein; a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical side wall; and a mounting member at a second end of the cylindrical side wall configured to couple the housing to one of the inner end wall and the outer end wall, the mounting member defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with a cooling circuit inside the airfoil downstream of the housing, the outlet opening having a second diameter; and one or more particle outlet passages defined in the housing, wherein a difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is greater than 12.5 mm.

[0037] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes any of the above embodiments, wherein the one or more particle exit passages defined in the cylindrical side wall have a diameter of 0.76 mm or greater.

[0038] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages extend tangentially to the cylindrical sidewall.

[0039] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the one or more particle exit passages extend through the mounting member.

[0040] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes any of the above embodiments, wherein the area of ​​the inner annulus of the cylindrical side wall is at least 1.5 times the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0041] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, further including an annular body disposed within the cylindrical side wall, the annular body defining an annular cyclone separation chamber between an interior of the cylindrical side wall and the annular body, and an annular area between a radially outer end of the annular body and the interior of the cylindrical side wall that is at least as large as a sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0042] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the area of ​​the central opening defined in the annulus is at least as large as the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0043] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a gas turbine system, the gas turbine system including an engine core having a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine operatively coupled to one another, the turbine including a plurality of stator vanes in a turbine stage, each stator vane including an inner endwall, an outer endwall, and an airfoil connecting the inner endwall and the outer endwall; and a cyclone particle separator attached to one of the inner endwall and the outer endwall of each stator vane, the cyclone particle separator comprising a housing having a plurality of inlets defined therein and a housing including a cylindrical sidewall having a first diameter, a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical sidewall, and an attachment member at a second end of the cylindrical sidewall configured to couple the housing to one of the inner end wall and the outer end wall, the attachment member defining an outlet opening having a second diameter in fluid communication with a cooling circuit inside the airfoil downstream of the housing; and a cyclone particle separator having one or more particle outlet passages defined within the housing, wherein the difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is greater than 12.5 mm.

[0044] Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes any of the above embodiments, wherein the area of ​​the inner annulus of the cylindrical side wall is at least 1.5 times the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0045] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the aspects described above, and further includes an annular body disposed within the cylindrical side wall of the cyclone particle separator, the annular body defining an annular cyclone separation chamber between the interior of the cylindrical side wall and the annular body, and an annular area between the radially outer end of the annular body and the interior of the cylindrical side wall that is at least as large as the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0046] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the above aspects, wherein the area of ​​the central opening defined in the annulus is at least as large as the sum of the areas of the plurality of inlets.

[0047] Two or more aspects described in this disclosure, including aspects described in the Summary of the Invention, may be combined to form an embodiment not specifically described herein.

[0048] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0049] These and other features of the present disclosure may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary turbine system in which embodiments of the present disclosure may be used; [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary turbine assembly having three turbine stages that may be used in the turbine system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 is a perspective view of a turbine vane including a cyclone particle separator that may be used in the turbine assembly of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cyclone particle separator and turbine vane of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cyclone particle separator of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cyclone particle separator of FIG. 4 taken along line 6-6. [Figure 7] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a housing of a cyclone particle separator including a number of alternative features. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cyclone particle separator and turbine vane according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an annular particle trap according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an annular particle trap according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cyclone particle separator and turbine vane according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of two cyclone particle separators and a turbine vane according to an additional embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the separator with some dimensions exaggerated for illustrative purposes. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a cyclone particle separator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] It should be noted that the drawings in this disclosure are not necessarily to scale. The drawings merely illustrate exemplary aspects of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings, like reference numerals represent like elements between multiple drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] First, to clearly explain the subject matter of this disclosure, it is necessary to select terminology when referring to and describing relevant machine components within industrial machinery that utilizes cyclone separators, such as turbine systems. Wherever possible, terms common in the art will be used consistent with their ordinary meaning. Unless otherwise noted, such terms should be interpreted broadly within the context of this application and the accompanying claims. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a component will often be referred to using several different or overlapping terms. What may be described as a single component in this specification may be described as consisting of multiple components in another context. Alternatively, what may be described as including multiple components in one place in this specification may be described as a single component in another place.

[0052] Additionally, several descriptive terms are used repeatedly in this specification, and it may be helpful to define these terms at the beginning of this section. These terms and their definitions are as follows, unless otherwise specified: As used herein, the terms "downstream" and "upstream" refer to directions with respect to fluid flow (e.g., the flow of working fluid through a turbine, or the flow of air through a combustor or coolant through one of the turbine's subsystems). The term "downstream" corresponds to the direction in which the fluid is flowing, and the term "upstream" refers to the direction opposite to the flow (i.e., the direction from which it is flowing). The terms "forward" and "aft" refer to directions not further specified, with "forward" referring to the forward or compressor end of the engine and "aft" referring to the aft section of the turbomachine.

[0053] It is often necessary to describe components located at different radial positions relative to the central axis. The term "radial" refers to movement or position perpendicular to the axis. For example, if a first component is closer to the axis than a second component, the first component will be described herein as being "radially inward" of the second component or "proximal to the central axis." Conversely, if a first component is located farther from the axis than the second component, the first component will be described herein as being "radially outward" of the second component or "distal to the central axis." The term "axial" refers to movement or position parallel to the axis. Finally, the term "circumferential" refers to movement or position about the axis. As will be apparent, such terms are applied relative to the central axis of the gas turbine.

[0054] Furthermore, certain descriptive terms are used repeatedly in this specification, as described below: The terms "first," "second," and "third" are used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another, and do not denote the location or importance of the individual components.

[0055] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, the singular "a," "an," or "an" refers to the plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the terms "comprises" and / or "includes" refer to the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, components, and / or parts, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts, and / or groups thereof. The terms "optional" or "optionally" mean that the event or circumstance described following the term may or may not occur, or that the part or component described following the term may or may not be present, and such a description encompasses both the occurrence and non-occurrence of the event or circumstance, and the presence and absence of the part.

[0056] When a component or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged with," "connected to," or "coupled to" another component or layer, it may be directly on, directly engaged with, connected to, or coupled to that other component or layer, or there may be intervening components or layers. In contrast, when a component is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged with," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another component or layer, there are no intervening components or layers. Other terms used to describe relationships between components (e.g., "between" and "directly between," "adjacent" and "directly adjacent," etc.) are to be interpreted similarly. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed items.

[0057] As described above, the present disclosure provides a cyclone particle separator. The cyclone particle separator includes a housing including a cylindrical sidewall with a plurality of inlets defined therein. The housing also includes a cover member closing a first end of the cylindrical sidewall and a mounting member at a second end of the cylindrical sidewall. An outlet opening is defined in the mounting member. One or more particle outlet passages are defined within the housing. Each of the plurality of inlets includes an angled flow guide surface that directs a gas flow from upstream of the housing to enter the housing tangentially relative to the cylindrical sidewall, creating a cyclone vortex. The cyclone vortex acts to separate particles from the gas flow.

[0058] In one embodiment, the cylindrical sidewall has a first diameter and the outlet opening has a second diameter, the difference between the first and second diameters being greater than 12.5 mm (approximately 0.5 inches). While cyclone particle separators can be used in nearly any industrial machine where a clean gas flow is required, this application describes their application to turbine vanes in turbine systems. The cyclone particle separator provides a small profile for application to small areas, such as the end walls of turbine vanes. The cylindrical sidewall inlet, among other configurations described herein, allows for particle separation without significant pressure losses that would adversely affect use in later stages of the compressed gas flow (e.g., for cooling in a turbine vane cooling circuit downstream of the separator).

[0059] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary turbine system 100 in the form of a gas turbine (GT) system. The turbine system 100 includes an engine core 101 operatively coupled to a compressor 102, a combustor 104, and a turbine 108. The combustor 104 includes a combustion section 105 and a fuel nozzle assembly 106. The turbine system 100 also includes a common compressor / turbine shaft 110 (also referred to as a "rotor 110"). In one embodiment, the turbine system 100 is a 7HA.03 engine commercially available from General Electric (Greenville, South Carolina, USA). The present disclosure is not limited to any particular GT system and may be used with other turbine engines, including, for example, other General Electric HA, F, B, LM, GT, TM, and E-class engine models, as well as engine models from other manufacturers. As noted above, the cyclone particle separators described herein may be used in various industrial machines other than turbine systems. In turbine systems, the gas cleaned in the cyclone particle separator is air, but in other industrial machines the gas may be other than air.

[0060] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary turbine 108 with three stages of rotor blades and nozzles that may be used in the turbine system 100 of FIG. 1 . The turbine 108 may include more or fewer stages than shown. The turbine 108 includes a plurality of stator vanes 112 arranged in a turbine stage (inside and outside the plane of the page). Each stator vane 112 includes a (radially) outer endwall 114, a (radially) inner endwall 116, and an airfoil 120 connecting the outer endwall 114 and the inner endwall 116. The stator vanes 112 are retained within a casing 122 of the turbine 108 by the outer endwall 114. As will be apparent, a compressed gas (air) flow 124 passes from the compressor 102 ( FIG. 1 ) through the casing 122 and into a cooling circuit (not shown in FIG. 2 ) within the stator vanes 112 to cool the stator vanes. The turbine 108 also includes a plurality of rotor blades 123 (inside and outside the plane of the page), which, together with adjacent upstream stator vanes 112, define a turbine stage. Each rotor blade 123 includes a base 125 that is coupled to the rotor 110 and an airfoil portion 127 that extends from the base 125. As will be apparent, a compressed airflow 129 passes from the compressor 102 (FIG. 1) through the base 125 and into cooling circuits (not shown in FIG. 2) within the rotor blades 123 to cool the blades.

[0061] 1 and 2 , during operation, air flows through the compressor 102, and the compressed air is supplied to the combustor 104. Specifically, the compressed air is supplied to a fuel nozzle assembly 106 housed within the combustor 104. The fuel nozzle assembly 106 is in fluid communication with a combustion zone 105. The fuel nozzle assembly 106 is also in fluid communication with a fuel source (not shown in FIG. 1 ) and directs fuel and air to the combustion zone 105. The combustor 104 ignites and burns the fuel to generate combustion gases. The combustor 104 is in fluid communication with a turbine 108, and thermal energy of the gas flow is converted to mechanical rotational energy through a hot gas path 180 of the turbine 108. The turbine 108 is rotatably coupled to and drives a rotor 110. The combustion gases, directed by the stator vanes 112, rotate the rotor blades 123 and the rotor 110. The compressor 102 may also be rotatably coupled to the shaft 110. In the illustrated embodiment, there are multiple combustors 104 and fuel nozzle assemblies 106 .

[0062] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary stator vane 112 including a cyclone particle separator 126 (hereinafter "separator 126") on its outer end wall 114. In one embodiment, the separator 126 may be attached to one of the inner end wall 116 (see FIG. 11) and the outer end wall 114 (FIG. 3) of one or more stator vanes 112 of the turbine system 100. In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 12, the separator 126 may be attached to both the inner end wall 116 and the outer end wall 114 of one or more stator vanes 112 of the turbine system 100. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the separator 126 on the outer end wall 114 of a turbine stator vane 112. FIG. 5 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the separator 126 on the outer end wall 114.

[0063] The separator 126 includes a housing 130. As shown most clearly in Figures 4 and 5, the housing 130 includes a cylindrical sidewall 132 having a plurality of inlets 134 defined therein. The gas stream 124 (see, e.g., Figure 2) flows from the exterior of the cylindrical housing 132 (e.g., from the interior of the casing 122 (Figure 2)) through the inlets 134 into the interior of the cylindrical housing 132. The housing 130 includes a cover member 136 that closes a first end 138 of the cylindrical sidewall 132. The housing 130 also includes a mounting member 140 at a second end 142 of the cylindrical sidewall 132.

[0064] The housing 130 may be made of a material that can withstand the environment in which it will be used. The cylindrical side wall 132 may have a slight deviation from a perfect cylinder, but has sufficient curvature to create a cyclone vortex 170 (FIG. 6) of the gas flow 124 entering through a plurality of inlets 134 (also referred to simply as "inlets 134"). The inlets 134 may be arranged in various ways. In FIG. 4, one row of inlets 134 extends from the height H of the cylindrical wall 132. s 13, the inlets 134 are arranged in a pair of radially spaced rows 230A, 230B. Various arrangements of the inlets 134 are possible.

[0065] The cover member 136 may be any structural member capable of fluidly occluding the first end 138 of the cylindrical side wall 132. In the illustrated example, the cover member 136 is a flat plate coupled to the first end of the cylindrical side wall 132. However, in other embodiments, the cover member 136 may have an inner surface (not shown) configured to favorably influence a cyclonic vortex 170 ( FIG. 6 ) formed within the cylindrical side wall 132 to improve particle separation and / or pressure drop.

[0066] The mounting member 140 may include structure that can fluidly couple the housing 130 to, for example, the outer end wall 114, such that the cleaned gas flow 144 ( FIG. 4 ) (e.g., air) exiting the housing 130 is in fluid communication with a downstream application, such as a cooling circuit 148 ( FIG. 4 ) within the airfoil 120 of the turbine vane 112. In the illustrated non-limiting example, the mounting member 140 includes a wall 150 (e.g., a plate element) and any number of connecting walls 152 ( FIG. 5 ) that couple to the outer end wall 114 to form a manifold 154. The mounting member 140 can take a variety of forms depending on the structure to which the separator 126 will be coupled. In any event, the mounting member 140 includes an outlet opening 160 defined through the mounting member (e.g., the walls 150, 152 of the mounting member 140). The outlet openings 160 are in fluid communication with, for example, one or more openings 156 in the airfoil 120 (and possibly the outer endwall 114) via the manifold 154, such that the purge gas flow 144 (air) passing through the outlet openings 160 enters a cooling circuit 148 in at least the airfoil 120. The cooling circuit 148 in the airfoil 120 and / or outer endwall 114 may take any now known or later developed form, but typically includes one or more openings 156 in the outer endwall 114 in fluid communication with the manifold 154, through which the purge gas flow 144 can enter.

[0067] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the separator 126, specifically a view of the housing 130 of FIG. 4 taken along line 6-6. FIG. 6 shows that each of the multiple inlets 134 includes an angled flow guide surface 166 that directs the gas flow 124 (arrows) from upstream of the housing 130 to enter the housing 130 tangentially relative to the cylindrical sidewall 132, creating a cyclonic vortex 170. In the application of the turbine system 100 (FIG. 1), the gas flow 124 includes compressed air from the compressor 102 (FIG. 1), but in other applications, the gas flow 124 may include other gases. As described below, features of the separator 126 can be selected to optimize the efficiency of the cyclonic vortex 170 and other operating aspects to efficiently separate particles from the gas flow 124 with minimal pressure loss.

[0068] As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the separator 126 also includes one or more particle outlet passages 176 defined within the housing 130 through which particles separated from the gas stream 124 by the cyclone vortex 170 exit the housing 130. The one or more outlet passages 176 thus provide a path for particles to leave the housing 130 prior to use in the purified gas stream 144 ( FIG. 4 ). The one or more particle outlet passages 176 extend tangentially to the cylindrical sidewall 132 so that particle momentum from the cyclone vortex 170 is not impeded. Any number of outlet passages 176 may be used. In FIGS. 4 and 5 , a single outlet passage 176 is shown, which is preferably, but not necessarily, located adjacent the mounting member 140.

[0069] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a housing 130 including a number of alternative features. For example, in other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7, the housing 130 may include a first particle outlet passage 176A (shown in dashed lines) defined in the cylindrical sidewall 132 of the housing 130 adjacent the cover member 136 and a second particle outlet passage 176B (shown in partial dashed lines) defined in the cylindrical sidewall 132 of the housing 130 adjacent the mounting member 140. The one or more outlet passages 176 may direct particles to a desired location at a lower pressure than the housing 130 for removing particles from the gas flow 124 (FIG. 4). For example, in an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the one or more particle outlet passages 176 may direct particles to a hot gas path 180 (FIGS. 2-5) of the turbine 108 (FIG. 1). In this case, the one or more outlet passages 176 may form a path through the mounting member 140 (e.g., wall 150 of the mounting member 140), for example, through the outer end wall 114, and into the hot gas path 180. In this manner, particles are removed from the gas flow 124 and removed via the hot gas path 180. In other embodiments, the one or more outlet passages 176 may direct the particles to a collection cavity (not shown).

[0070] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a separator 126 and a turbine vane 112 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In certain embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , one or more separators 126 may include an annulus 190 positioned within the cylindrical sidewall 132. In other words, the annulus 190 may be positioned within the cylindrical sidewall 132 of one or more of the separators 126 of the turbine system 100 ( FIG. 1 ). The annulus 190 defines a cyclone separation chamber 192 between an inner side 194 of the cylindrical sidewall 132 and an outer side 196 of the annulus 190. The annulus 190 also defines a cyclone separation chamber 195 between an inner diameter 197 of the annulus 190 and the mounting member 140. The annulus 190 is generally circular, but may have a slight deviation from a perfect circle, such as an elliptical shape.

[0071] The annulus 190 may be positioned in a number of ways. In one example, the annulus 190 is coupled to the cylindrical sidewall 132 near the second end 142 of the cylindrical sidewall 132, and they are either bonded to one another or formed as a single unit. However, other configurations are possible. For example, in another arrangement (not shown), the annulus 190 may be coupled to or formed integrally with the mounting member 140 and / or the cover member 136. The annulus 190 may be sized and shaped to provide a customized cyclone separation chamber 192 and / or cyclone separation chamber 195, each of which operates to efficiently improve particle removal without significant pressure loss. The annulus 190 may be positioned within the cylindrical sidewall 132 of a particular separator 126 of the turbine system 100 ( FIG. 1 ). In one non-limiting example, the separator 126 may be provided in a turbine vane 112 in the lower half of the turbine 108 ( FIG. 1 ). However, the annulus 190 may be used in any desired separator 126.

[0072] In one embodiment, the annulus 190 has a smaller diameter end 200 adjacent the cover member 136 and a larger diameter end 202 adjacent the mounting member 140. When the separator 126 is coupled to the outer end wall 114, the smaller diameter end 200 is radially outer and the larger diameter end 202 is radially inner relative to the rotor 110 (FIG. 2). The annulus 190 defines a central opening 206 at the smaller diameter end 200. In one embodiment, the central opening 206 is sized to have a diameter D of the outlet opening 160. cool Diameter D is slightly larger than that of (Fig. 13) cone(FIG. 13), although this is not required in all cases. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, for example, the annular body 190 has a frusto-conical shape with a smaller diameter end 200 near the cover member 136 and a larger diameter end 202 near the mounting member 140. Here, the annular body 190 has a generally straight wall in cross section (i.e., a wall with a constant slope) from the larger diameter end 202 to the smaller diameter end 200. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 7, the annular body 190 may have a generally frusto-conical shape with a curved wall in cross section (i.e., creating a volcano-like shape), where a line defined between a point on the smaller diameter end 200 near the cover member 136 and a corresponding point on the larger diameter end 202 near the mounting member 140 defines a convex curve. In other words, the cross-sectional diameter of the annular body 190 has a portion having a first slope connected to a portion having a second slope different from the first slope. The annulus 190 can have any shape, for example, an L-shape, that directs flow radially outward and then radially inward over the wall.

[0073] Continuing with FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the separator 126 may include an annular wall 210 extending between the outlet opening 160 and one of the large diameter end 202 of the annular body 190 and the cylindrical side wall 132 of the housing 130. The annular wall 210 is generally circular, but may have a slight deviation from a perfect circle (e.g., elliptical) or may have some discontinuities. The wall 210, together with the cylindrical side wall 132 or the large diameter end 202 of the annular body 190, defines an annular particle trap 212. FIGS. 9 and 10 show enlarged cross-sectional views of the housing 130 and the wall 210. In FIGS. 7 and 9 , the wall 210 extends between the outlet opening 160 and the cylindrical side wall 132 of the housing 130. In this case, the large diameter end 202 of the annular body 190 is above the wall 210 and is not interposed between the outlet opening 160 and the cylindrical side wall 132. The cyclone separation chamber 192 is above (radially outward from) the annular particle trap 212. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10 , the wall 210 may extend between the outlet opening 160 and the large diameter end 202 of the annular body 190, with the cylindrical sidewall 132 not immediately adjacent to the wall 210. In this embodiment, the cyclone separation chamber 192 is adjacent to the annular particle trap 212. In either case, the wall 210, together with the cylindrical sidewall 132 or the large diameter end 202 of the annular body 190, defines the annular particle trap 212. The annular particle trap 212 acts to collect particles from the cyclone flow and direct them to the particle outlet passage 176.

[0074] One or more particle exit passages 176 may be in fluid communication with the annular particle trap 212. Figure 9 shows a single particle exit passage 176 (dashed line within the annular particle trap 212). In some embodiments, one or more particle exit passages 176B may be in fluid communication with the annular particle trap 212, and one or more other particle exit passages 176A may be defined in the cylindrical side wall 132 of the housing 130 adjacent the cover member 136, as shown in Figure 7.

[0075] Wall 210 can have any shape that results in a desired shape of annular particle trap 212. In one example, as shown in Figures 7 and 10, wall 210 has an outwardly curved surface 214 that, together with a mating surface 216 of large diameter end 202 of annulus 190 or cylindrical sidewall 132, results in a torus-shaped particle trap 212. Other shapes of annular particle trap 212 are possible, such as a torus with a triangular or rectangular cross section.

[0076] As mentioned above, in one embodiment, the housing 130 of the separator 126 may be operably attached to the outer end wall 114 of the turbine stator vane 112 by a mounting member 140. As shown in FIG. 11 , in another embodiment, the housing 130 of the separator 126 may be operably attached to the inner end wall 116 of the turbine stator vane 112 by a mounting member 140. An outlet opening 160 is defined in a wall 150 and / or 152 of the mounting member 140 and is in fluid communication with a cooling circuit 148 within the airfoil portion 120 of the turbine stator vane 112 downstream of the cylindrical side wall 132. As shown in FIG. 12 , in another embodiment, the housing 130 of the separator 126 may be operably attached to each of the outer end wall 114 and inner end wall 116 of the turbine stator vane 112 by a respective mounting member 140. An outlet opening 160 of each separator 126 is defined in the wall 150 and / or 152 of its mounting member 140 and is in fluid communication with a cooling circuit 148 within the airfoil portion 120 of the turbine vane 112 downstream of the cylindrical sidewall 132. A clean gas flow 144 is provided to both ends of the airfoil portion 120 of the turbine vane 112.

[0077] During operation, a compressed gas stream 124, such as air from the compressor 102 (FIG. 1), enters an inlet 134 in the cylindrical sidewall 132 of the separator 126. The gas stream 124 contains particles that are too large for efficient use in, for example, the cooling circuits 148 of the turbine vanes 112 and that should be removed. The flow guide surfaces 166 of the inlet 134 direct the gas stream 124 tangentially relative to the cylindrical sidewall 132 toward the central opening 206 of the annulus 190 (if provided) and the outlet openings 160, generating a cyclonic vortex 170. Particles contained in the gas stream 124 are forced outward by centrifugal force toward the interior 194 of the cylindrical sidewall 132, where the particles are discharged through one or more particle outlet passages 176. The purified gas flow 144 travels inward at the second end 142 of the cylindrical sidewall 132 and exits through the outlet opening 160 for delivery to a cooling circuit 148, for example, within the airfoil 120 of the turbine vane 112. When the annulus 190 is provided, it acts as a hollow flow deflecting feature within the cylindrical sidewall 132, directing the flow radially outward and beyond the annulus 190. The annulus 190 thus extends the flow path through which particles travel, restricting the line of sight from the inlet 134 to the outlet opening 160 and increasing the centrifugal inertial forces that accelerate the particles circumferentially due to aerodynamic drag, resulting in separation of the particles from the flow. The cyclonic flow travels beyond the first radially outer end 200 of the annulus 190, through a central opening 206 in the radially outer end 200, and then outward toward the second end 142 of the cylindrical sidewall 132. The particles are thus centrifuged to the outside of the cylindrical side wall 132 near the second end 142 of the cylindrical side wall 132. One or more particle outlet passages 176 allow for particle removal, e.g., tangentially so as not to impede flow. The purge gas flow 144 exits through the outlet opening 160.

[0078] 13 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of separator 126, with many dimensions of separator 126 exaggerated for illustrative purposes. As described above, separator 126 includes a housing 130 including a cylindrical side wall 132 having a plurality of inlet ports 134 defined therein, a cover member 136 closing a first end 138 of cylindrical side wall 132, and a mounting member 140 at a second end 142 of cylindrical side wall 132. An outlet opening 160 may be defined in mounting member 140 (e.g., in a wall 150 thereof). One or more particle outlet passages 176 are defined within housing 130. Controlling the specific dimensions of separator 126 can provide advantages in terms of optimizing particle separation efficiency and reducing pressure loss.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 13, the cylindrical side wall 132 has a diameter D sep and the outlet opening 160 has a diameter D cool To provide efficient particle separation with low pressure drop, the one-dimensional aspect of separator 126 has a diameter D sep and diameter D cool The difference between the diameter D and the diameter D is controlled to be greater than 12.5 mm (about 0.5 inches). In one embodiment, the difference can be greater than 25 mm (about 1.0 inches). In another embodiment, the difference can be greater than 37.5 mm (about 1.5 inches). Generally, the diameter D sep and diameter D cool The greater the difference between the diameters D of the outlet openings 160, the more time the particles have to accelerate within the cyclone vortex 170 and move radially outward toward the cylindrical side wall 132 and the outlet passage 176. cool can be determined based on the amount of purge gas flow 144 required in the cooling circuit 148 and the allowable pressure drop. In various embodiments, the diameter D of the cylindrical side wall 132 sep is the diameter D of the outlet opening 160 cool It is significantly larger than the original, more than twice the size.

[0080] Diameter D of separator 126 sep and D cool and height H s It is also advantageous to maximize the diameter D within the allowable design range. sep and height H sis the area of ​​the inner annulus A, which is the area of ​​the inside 194 (inner surface) of the cylindrical side wall 132 including the area of ​​the inlet 134 (i.e., the cylindrical area). ann In other words, the inner ring area A ann The larger the inner annular area A, the larger the circumferential velocity component of the cyclone vortex 170 becomes compared to the radial velocity component of the cyclone vortex 170, and the higher the particle separation efficiency becomes. ann Higher ρ has a beneficial impact on separation efficiency while minimizing pressure loss. In one example, over 75% of particles are removed, increasing the durability of cooling circuits 148 in airfoils 120 and other structures by a factor of four, for example.

[0081] The total area of ​​the plurality of inlets 134 (A vent Controlling the inner annulus area A ) can also beneficially affect particle separation efficiency. ann is the area A of the inlet 134 vent In one embodiment, the inner annulus area A ann is the area A of the inlet 134 vent The height H of the inlet 134 is at least 2.0 times the sum of vent Ideally, the allowable housing height H s The number of inlets 134, their individual heights H port , width W, and eccentricity offset (angle of flow guide surface 166 (FIG. 6)) can be based on the required flow area specific to the application. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, these parameters can be preferably controlled to reduce the line of sight of gas flow 124 to outlet opening 160 to create flow tangential to cylindrical sidewall 132 and create cyclonic vortices 170 with a strong circumferential velocity component.

[0082] Controlling the size and orientation of the one or more particle exit passages 176 can also aid in efficient particle separation. In this regard, in one embodiment, the one or more particle exit passages defined in the cylindrical side wall 132 each have a diameter D of 0.76 mm (approximately 0.030 inches) or greater. exit In one non-limiting example, the one or more particle exit passages 176 defined in the cylindrical side wall 132 each have a diameter D of 5.59 mm (about 0.22 inches) or greater. exit It has.

[0083] In embodiments where the annular body 190 is disposed within the cylindrical sidewall 132 to define the annular cyclone separation chamber 192 between the interior 194 of the cylindrical sidewall 132 and the exterior 196 of the annular body 190, certain dimensions of the separator 126 can be designed to further reduce pressure loss through the separator 126. For example, in one embodiment, the annular area A1 between the radially outer end 200 of the annular body 190 and the interior 194 of the cylindrical sidewall 132 is less than the area A1 of the inlet 134. vent In one non-limiting example, the annular area A1 can be at least as large as the sum of the area A of the inlet 134. vent The annular area A1 controls the size of the cyclone separation chamber 192 and the resulting pressure loss. As another example, in one embodiment, the radial area A2 (cylindrical area) between the radially outer end 200 of the annulus 190 and the inner side 232 of the cover member 136 is four times the sum of the area A of the inlet 134. vent In one non-limiting example, the radial area A2 can be at least as large as the sum of the area A of the inlet 134. vent The radial area A2 controls the radial extent of the cyclonic separation chamber 192, and therefore control of this area controls the extent to which the cyclonic vortex 170 can extend radially and the allowable pressure loss through this space. As another example, in one embodiment, the area A3 of the central opening 206 defined in the annulus 190 (i.e., at the radially outer end 200) is 4 to 6 times the sum of the area A3 of the inlet 134. vent In one non-limiting example, the area A3 is at least as large as the sum of the area A of the inlet 134. ventThe area A3 is the size of the central opening 206 of the annulus 190 and controls the pressure drop caused by the central opening 206 in the separator 126.

[0084] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a separator 126 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the separator 126 extends radially outwardly of the outer end wall 114 to a greater extent than shown in FIGS. 4-13. The attachment member 140 includes an extension conduit 240 from an outlet opening (not shown, inner wall 150). Because wall 150 is not immediately adjacent to the outer end wall 114, the particle exit passage 176 has a dedicated conduit 242 that reaches the outer end wall 114. As noted above, the attachment member 140 can take a variety of forms to accommodate the use of the separator 126 in various configurations and applications.

[0085] The separator 126 may be manufactured using any now known or later developed technique. Preferably, the separator 126 may be additively manufactured, for example, using direct metal laser melting (DMLM) techniques.

[0086] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cyclone particle separator 126 that can minimize contamination and reduce maintenance costs, extend life, and increase reliability and durability of, for example, turbine stator vanes 112 ( FIG. 3 ) or turbine rotor blades 123 ( FIG. 14 ). The separator 126 can advantageously be easily retrofitted to older stator vanes and rotor blades to extend their life. The separator 126 is sized to fit into tight spacings in many industrial machines, such as, but not limited to, the gas turbine system 100.

[0087] Approximate expressions used in this specification and claims are used to describe quantitative modifiers that can vary within acceptable limits without causing a change in the basic function to which the quantity relates. Thus, values ​​modified by terms such as "about," "approximately," and "substantially" are not limited to their exact numerical values. In some cases, approximations correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. In this specification and claims, ranges of numerical limitations are combinable and / or interchangeable, and such ranges specify and encompass all subranges within the range, unless otherwise clear from the context. The term "about" used in connection with a particular value in a range applies to both the upper and lower limits and may indicate ±10% of the stated numerical value, except where dependent on the precision of the instrument used to measure the value.

[0088] Corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of elements identified by functional descriptions in the following claims encompass any structures, materials, or acts that perform the function in combination with other elements specifically recited in the claims. The description of the present disclosure has been provided for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed form. Numerous modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The embodiments of the present disclosure have been selected and described to best explain the principles and practical applications of the present disclosure and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the disclosure regarding various embodiments and various modifications suitable for particular applications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 100 Turbine System 101 Engine Core 102 Compressor 104 Combustor 108 Turbine 112 Stator blade 114 Outer end wall 116 Inner end wall 120 Airfoil 123 Moving blade 124 Gas Flow 126 Cyclone particle separator 130 Housing 132 Cylindrical side wall 134 Inlet 136 Cover member 140 Mounting material 144 Purified gas flow 148 Cooling circuit 154 Manifold 160 Outlet opening 166 Flow guide surface 170 Cyclone Vortex 176 Particle exit passage 190 Annular 192 Cyclone Separation Chamber 195 Cyclone Separation Chamber

Claims

1. A turbine vane (112), comprising: an inner end wall (116); an outer end wall (114); an airfoil (120) connecting said inner end wall (116) and said outer end wall (114); a cyclone particle separator (126) coupled to one of the inner end wall (116) and the outer end wall (114); wherein the cyclone particle separator (126) comprises: a housing (130) including a cylindrical sidewall (132) having a plurality of inlet openings (134) defined therein; a cover member (136) closing a first end of the cylindrical sidewall (132); and an attachment member (140) at a second end of the cylindrical sidewall (132) configured to couple the housing (130) to one of the inner end wall (116) and the outer end wall (114), the attachment member (140) having an outlet opening (160) defined therein in fluid communication with a cooling circuit within the airfoil (120) downstream from the housing (130); one or more particle exit passages (176) defined within said housing (130); each of the plurality of inlets (134) includes an angled flow guide surface (166) that causes a gas flow from upstream of the housing (130) to enter the housing (130) in a direction tangential to the cylindrical side wall (132) and generate a cyclonic vortex (170) within the housing (130).

2. 2. The turbine vane (112) of claim 1, wherein the outlet opening (160) is defined in a wall (150, 152) of the mounting member (140) and is in fluid communication with a cooling circuit (148) inside an airfoil of the turbine vane (112) downstream from the housing (130).

3. 2. The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein the cyclone particle separator further comprises an annulus disposed within the cylindrical sidewall, the annulus defining a cyclone separation chamber between an interior sidewall and the annulus.

4. 4. The turbine vane (112) of claim 3, wherein the annular body (190) has an oriented frustoconical shape with a smaller diameter end (200) proximate the cover member (136) and a larger diameter end (202) proximate the mounting member (140).

5. 4. The turbine vane of claim 3, further comprising an annular wall extending between the outlet opening and one of the large diameter end of the annulus and the cylindrical side wall, the annular wall defining an annular particle trap, and the one or more particle outlet passages including a first particle outlet passage in fluid communication with the annular particle trap.

6. The turbine vane (112) of claim 5, wherein the annular particle trap (212) has a torus shape.

7. The turbine vane (112) of claim 1, wherein the one or more particle exit passages (176) comprises a single particle exit passage adjacent the mounting member (140).

8. 2. The turbine vane of claim 1, wherein the one or more particle outlet passages include a first particle outlet passage defined in the cylindrical side wall of the housing adjacent the cover member and a second particle outlet passage defined in the cylindrical side wall of the housing adjacent the mounting member.

9. A turbine system (100), comprising: An engine core (101) having a compressor (102), a combustor (104), and a turbine (108) operably coupled to one another, the turbine (108) including a turbine stage having a plurality of stator vanes. and wherein at least one vane of a plurality of vanes of the turbine stage is a turbine vane according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. 10. The turbine system of claim 9, further comprising a conduit fluidly coupling one or more particle outlet passages of the cyclone particle separator to a hot gas path of the turbine.

Images