Impingement manifold

Claim 2

An impingement manifold, comprising: a plurality of generally arcuate manifold segments having cooling passages through an inner wall thereof for flowing cooling air therefrom in a generally radially inward direction to impinge on a generally circular surface to be cooled; a plurality of feed pipes for supplying cooling airflow into a center portion of each respective one of said arcuate manifold segments; and mounting means disposed at the ends of said segments for flexibly securing said plurality of segments into a generally circular cooling manifold.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a heat shield disposed radially inside said arcuate manifold segments for thermally shielding said segments from heat radiated outward from the surface being cooled and for preventing external air from impinging on said surface to be cooled; and a baffle means surrounding said heat shield for providing a controlled immediate exhaust passage for exhausting spent impingement cooling air.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein each of said arcuate segments extends through an arc having a circumferential angle of about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 wherein said baffle means comprises: a plurality of exit passages through said heat shield offset from and immediately adjacent said cooling passages to allow passage of air from a space adjacent the surface to be cooled radially outward through said exit passages; and hat section baffles extending circumferentially along and radially outside the exterior surface of said heat shield and having exhaust passages therethrough offset from and immediately adjacent the exit passages through said heat shield.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4 wherein each of said arcuate segments comprises; a plurality of arcuate spray bars arranged in generally parallel relationship and spaced to provide cooling air spray respectively onto a plurality of surfaces adjacent respective ones of said spray bars.

Claim 7

A cooling system for supplying cooling air to the exterior surface of casing components of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of generally arcuate tubular segments disposed in end-to-end relationship to each other to form a segmented cooling ring surrounding a selected portion of a turbine stator casing; a plurality of generally axially extending feed pipes each connected near a center portion of a respective one of said segments; a plurality of cooling passages penetrating a radially inner surface of each respective one of said arcuate segments for providing a cooling airflow to said selected portion of said casing; and a cooling air supply means for supplying a flow of cooling air to each of said feed pipes, said cooling air supply means comprising a generally circumferential supply pipe for providing a supply of cooling air to each respective one of said axially extending feed pipes.

Claim 8

A cooling system for supplying cooling air to the exterior surface of casing components of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of generally arcuate tubular segments disposed in end-to-end relationship to each other to form a segmented cooling ring surrounding a selected portion of a turbine stator casing; a plurality of generally axially extending feed pipes each connected near a center portion of a respective one of said segments; a plurality of cooling passages penetrating a radially inner surface of each respective one of said arcuate segments for providing a cooling airflow to said selected portion of said casing; and a cooling air supply means for supplying a flow of cooling air to each of said feed pipes, said cooling air supply means comprising a generally circumferential supply pipe for providing a supply of cooling air to each respective one of said axially extending feed pipes.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6 further comprising: slipjoint mounts disposed at the ends of said segments for flexibly securing said plurality of segments to said casing.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 7 wherein each of said arcuate segments comprises; a plurality of arcuate spray bars arranged in generally parallel relationship and spaced to provide cooling air spray onto the surfaces of respective selected stator components of said turbine.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 7, further comprising: a heat shield disposed radially inside said segments for thermally shielding said segments from heat radiated outward from the surface of said turbine stator and for preventing external air from impinging on said surfaces of said stator components; and a baffle means surrounding said heat shield for providing controlled immediate exhaust passage for exhausting spent impingement cooling air.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 6 wherein each of said arcuate segments extends through an arc having a circumferential angle of about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 9 wherein said baffle means comprises: a plurality of exit passages through said heat shield offset from and immediately adjacent said cooling passages to allow passage of air from the space adjacent the surfaces to be cooled radially outward through said exit passages; and hat section baffles extending circumferentially along and radially outside the exterior surface of said heat shield and having exhaust passages therethrough offset from and immediately adjacent the exit passages through said heat shield.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 11 wherein each of said arcuate segments comprises; a plurality of arcuate spray bars arranged in generally parallel relationship and spaced to provide cooling air spray respectively onto a plurality of radially outer surfaces of respective selected stator components of said turbine.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 12 wherein each of said arcuate segments extends through an arc having a circumferential angle of about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees.