Abstract A gas turbine engine is described, particularly the turbine rotor portion thereof and the bearing for journaling this rotor. Cooling air is directed along passageways extending through the bearing mounting and discharged into an entry chamber at the inner portion of the rotor. The rotor includes an annular plate spaced from a disc on which the rotor blades are mounted. The inner periphery of the plate defines the entrance of a passageway means for the flow of cooling air from the entry chamber to and through the blades to cool them. Cooling air as it is directed into the entry chamber at an angle such that its tangential vector approximates the peripheral speed of the cooling air passageway entrances. Further, vanes are provided on the blades to facilitate flow of cooling air through the rotor passageway means.
A gas turbine engine comprising: a turbine rotor including a disc journaled for rotation and having a plurality of slots across the periphery thereof, a plurality of blades projecting from the periphery of said rotor and having tangs positioned in said slots to removably mount the blades thereon, each of said blades having cooling passages originating in said tangs, an annular plate spaced from the upstream side of said disc and defining in combination therewith a passageway extending radially from a central entrance defined by the inner periphery of said plate, said tangs having vanes projecting from the upstream surface of said rotor and abutting said plate to induce flow of cooling air through cooling passages in said blades, means defining a chamber exiting into said central entrance, and means for directing cooling air into said chamber at a direction and velocity having a tangential vector approximately that of the peripheral speed of said rotor entrance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
A gas turbine engine comprising: a turbine rotor including a disc journaled for rotation and having a plurality of slots across the periphery thereof, a plurality of blades projecting from the periphery of said rotor and having tangs positioned in said slots to removably mount the blades thereon, each of said blades having cooling passages originating in said tangs, an annular plate spaced from the upstream side of said disc and defining in combination therewith a passageway extending radially from a central entrance defined by the inner periphery of said plate, said tangs having vanes projecting from the upstream surface of said rotor and abutting said plate to induce flow of cooling air through cooling passages in said blades, means defining a chamber exiting into said central entrance, and means for directing cooling air into said chamber at a direction and velocity having a tangential vector approximately that of the peripheral speed of said rotor entrance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A gas turbine engine as in claim 1 wherein said plate is secured to said disc by angularly spaced bolts adjacent said central entrance, the outer peripheral portions of said plate sealingly engage said blades and restrain same against axial movement, said tang passageways open toward said plate between the outer peripheral portions thereof and said vanes and said vanes are in the form of a single, radially extending vane projecting from each tang.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A gas turbine engine as in claim 1 further comprising: shaft means extending in an upstream direction and to which said disc is secured, a bearing adjacent said disc for journaling the upstream extending shaft means, bearing housing means supported by structural element of said engine, a sealing member secured to said bearing housing means and defining, in part, said chamber, and sealing means cooperatively formed on said sealing member and said plate for sealing the outer bounds of said chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
A gas turbine engine as in claim 3 wherein said sealing member has angularly spaced pockets therein with a radial distance from the axis of said shaft means approximating the radial distance of the central entrance therefrom and passageway means extending through said bearing mounting means for connecting said pockets with said source of cooling air, said pockets further being characterized by angled outlets for discharging cooling air into said chamber at said direction and velocity.