US3584458A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Turbine cooling
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
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Filing: 1969-11-25
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Granted: 1971-06-15
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Expires: 1989-11-25
Abstract
Abstract A turbine of a gas turbine engine which operates at high temperatures is supplied with cooling air from the compressor of the engine. To reduce flow of cooling air and increase the efficiency of the engine at lower temperatures where less cooling is required, the flow of cooling air is modulated, without reducing pressure, by increasing the temperature of the cooling air. This is accomplished by circulating part of the cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus of the engine and mixing the cooling air taken directly from the compressor with cooling air thus heated as required. Valves to vary the ratio of the two cooling air streams may be structurally independent of the turbine and controlled by fuel flow or turbine temperature. Alternatively, the cooling air modulation valves may be part of a variable turbine nozzle the setting of which is varied in accordance with engine operating temperature.
Inventors
- 👤 John M Wetzler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:21
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01D; F01D17/00; F01D17/10; F01D17/12; F01D17/14; F01D17/16; F01D17/162; F02; F02C; F02C7/00; F02C7/12; F02C7/16; F02C7/18; F02C9/00; F02C9/16; F02C9/20; F02C9/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor; heating the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in varying relative quantities so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor; heating the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in varying relative quantities so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor; circulating the second supply of cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus so as to heat the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in varying relative quantities so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor; circulating the second supply of cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus so as to heat the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in varying relative quantities so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor; circulating the second supply of cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus so as to heat the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in relative quantities varying inversely in response to a condition indicative of turbine temperature so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine as a function of the said condition.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor; circulating the second supply of cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus so as to heat the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in relative quantities varying inversely in response to a condition indicative of turbine temperature so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine as a function of the said condition.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor, circulating the second supply of cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus so as to heat the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in relative quantities so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine, in which the turbine is cooled from the second supply in a low temperature range, from both supplies in a middle temperature range, and from the first supply in a high temperature range.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of cooling the turbine of a gas turbine engine including a compressor, combustion apparatus, and a turbine, the method comprising providing a first supply of turbine cooling air derived from the compressor; providing a second supply of cooling air derived from the compressor, circulating the second supply of cooling air in heat exchange relation to the combustion apparatus so as to heat the second supply to a temperature higher than that of the first supply; and conducting cooling air from the two said supplies to the turbine in relative quantities so as to modulate the cooling air flow to the turbine, in which the turbine is cooled from the second supply in a low temperature range, from both supplies in a middle temperature range, and from the first supply in a high temperature range.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
A gas turbine engine comprising air compressor means; combustion apparatus supplied by the compressor means; and turbine means supplied with motive fluid by the combustion apparatus, the turbine means being coupled to drive the compressor means; and means for supplying cooling air from the compressor means to the turbine means comprising, in combination first conduit means defining a substantially direct path from the compressor means to the turbine means for supplying relatively cool cooling air; second conduit means defining a cooling air path from the compressor means to the turbine means in heat exchange relationship with a source of heat for supplying relatively warm cooling air; and controllable mixing valve means operable to direct the cooling air from the said conduit means to the turbine means and to vary the ratio of the relatively cool to the relatively warm air.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
A gas turbine engine comprising air compressor means; combustion apparatus supplied by the compressor means; and turbine means supplied with motive fluid by the combustion apparatus, the turbine means being coupled to drive the compressor means; and means for supplying cooling air from the compressor means to the turbine means comprising, in combination first conduit means defining a substantially direct path from the compressor means to the turbine means for supplying relatively cool cooling air; second conduit means defining a cooling air path from the compressor means to the turbine means in heat exchange relationship with a source of heat for supplying relatively warm cooling air; and controllable mixing valve means operable to direct the cooling air from the said conduit means to the turbine means and to vary the ratio of the relatively cool to the relatively warm air.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
139 words
A gas turbine engine comprising air compressor means; combustion apparatus supplied by the compressor means; and turbine means supplied with motive fluid by the combustion apparatus, the turbine means being coupled to drive the compressor means; and means for supplying cooling air from the compressor means to the turbine means comprising, in combination, first conduit means defining a substantially direct path from the compressor means to the turbine means for supplying relatively cool cooling air; second conduit means defining a cooling air path from the compressor means to the turbine means in heat exchange relationship with the combustion apparatus for supplying relatively warm cooling air; and controllable mixing valve means operable to direct the cooling air from the said conduit means to the turbine means and to vary the ratio of the relatively cool to the relatively warm air.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
139 words
A gas turbine engine comprising air compressor means; combustion apparatus supplied by the compressor means; and turbine means supplied with motive fluid by the combustion apparatus, the turbine means being coupled to drive the compressor means; and means for supplying cooling air from the compressor means to the turbine means comprising, in combination, first conduit means defining a substantially direct path from the compressor means to the turbine means for supplying relatively cool cooling air; second conduit means defining a cooling air path from the compressor means to the turbine means in heat exchange relationship with the combustion apparatus for supplying relatively warm cooling air; and controllable mixing valve means operable to direct the cooling air from the said conduit means to the turbine means and to vary the ratio of the relatively cool to the relatively warm air.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
An engine as defined in claim 6 in which the valve means is disposed upstream of the conduit means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
An engine as defined in claim 6 in which the valve means is disposed downstream of the conduit means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
162 words
A gas turbine engine comprising air compressor means; combustion apparatus supplied by the compressor means; and turbine means supplied with motive fluid by the combustion apparatus, the turbine means including variable-setting nozzle vanes and being coupled to drive the compressor means; and means for supplying cooling air from the compressor means to the turbine means comprising, in combination, first conduit means defining a substantially direct path from the compressor means to the turbine means for supplying relatively cool cooling air; second conduit means defining a cooling air path from the compressor means to the turbine means in heat exchange relationship with a source of heat for supplying relatively warm cooling air; and controllable mixing valve means operable to direct the cooling air from the said conduit means to the turbine means and to vary the ratio of the relatively cool to the relatively warm air, the mixing valve means including movable valve means coupled to and moved by the variable-setting nozzle vanes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
162 words
A gas turbine engine comprising air compressor means; combustion apparatus supplied by the compressor means; and turbine means supplied with motive fluid by the combustion apparatus, the turbine means including variable-setting nozzle vanes and being coupled to drive the compressor means; and means for supplying cooling air from the compressor means to the turbine means comprising, in combination, first conduit means defining a substantially direct path from the compressor means to the turbine means for supplying relatively cool cooling air; second conduit means defining a cooling air path from the compressor means to the turbine means in heat exchange relationship with a source of heat for supplying relatively warm cooling air; and controllable mixing valve means operable to direct the cooling air from the said conduit means to the turbine means and to vary the ratio of the relatively cool to the relatively warm air, the mixing valve means including movable valve means coupled to and moved by the variable-setting nozzle vanes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-14 | 1974-12-14 | 1975-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-14 | 1978-12-14 | 1979-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-14 | 1982-12-14 | 1983-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |