Gas Turbine Rotor Component Sealing and Anti-Rotation Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rotor designs for gas turbines face challenges in preventing relative movement between the rotor component and rotor disks, which can compromise the sealing effectiveness and service life, especially under operating conditions where the interference fit is inadequate.

Innovation Solution

A rotor component with a circumferential, radially extending disk section and strategically positioned recesses and shoulders is used to ensure secure centering and fastening, preventing relative displacement through a press fit or slight gap, and providing enhanced shielding against hot gas, while maintaining structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a simple annular shoulder engagement is used to mount the rotor component, then the mounting is kept simple and easy to manufacture, but the press fit becomes insufficient under certain operating conditions, allowing relative rotation between the rotor component and rotor disks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting simplicityVSAvoidpress fit sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor component is segmented into functional zones: an annular shoulder for basic mounting, axially extending support sections for centering and additional support, and radially extending disk sections for sealing. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally while working together to prevent relative rotation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution transitions from a simple annular shoulder (one-dimensional engagement) to a three-dimensional mounting structure with axially extending support sections and radially extending disk sections. This multi-dimensional engagement provides both centering and anti-rotation functionality, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the rotor component is designed to provide tight sealing against hot gas, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but relative movement between the rotor component and rotor disks can compromise this tightness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidrelative movement prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the rotor component are given different qualities: the annular shoulder provides structural mounting, the axially extending support sections provide centering and stability, and the radially extending disk sections provide sealing surfaces. This local differentiation ensures that sealing effectiveness is maintained while preventing relative movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If engagement features such as recesses and shoulders are added to prevent relative displacement, then the connection stability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidengagement feature complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor component's annular shoulder, axially extending support sections, and radially extending disk sections serve multiple functions simultaneously: mounting, centering, sealing, and preventing relative rotation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate engagement features, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while improving connection stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively seals the area between rotor disks, stabilizes the rotor component, and secures the connection, preventing relative movement and ensuring increased service life by maintaining tightness without causing friction, thus enhancing the rotor's operational reliability.

Implementation Method 1

The rotor component essentially serves only to prevent the ingress of hot gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing: Physical Containment

Implementation Method 2

at least at one point there is an interference fit between the rotor component and one of the rotor disks in the engagement of the annular shoulder in the annular groove

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInterference fit: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3788236B1Rotor comprising a rotor component arranged between two rotor disks
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3788236B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3788236B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3788236B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a rotor of a gas turbine, comprising two adjacent rotor disks (01, 06) having a plurality of blade-holding grooves (02) for receiving rotor blades, distributed around the periphery thereof, and comprising an axially extending peripheral ring projection (03, 08) radially beneath the blade-holding grooves (02). A peripheral rotor component (11) is fixed to the ring projections (03, 08), between the rotor disks (01,06). In order to protect the periphery, the rotor disk (01) or the rotor component (11) comprises at least two recesses (14) arranged on the periphery in a distributed manner, in each of which engaging shoulders (15) of the rotor component (11) or the rotor disk (01) engage.