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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Modulated gas turbine cooling air

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6313284
In an axial flow gas turbine engine in an aircraft, the engine having an annular flow of hot working fluid passing sequentially through a first bladed rotor stage, a vaned stator assembly having a plurality of hollow vanes, and a second bladed rotor stage; a flow resistant labyrinth seal comprised of an annular seal runner sealingly secured to the first and second rotor stages and a seal shroud surrounding and secured to the seal runner, forming a labyrinth flow passage therebetween; an upstream plenum in restricted fluid communication with the annular flow upstream of the vaned stator assembly and with the labyrinth flow passage; a downstream plenum in fluid communication with the labyrinth flow passage and in restricted flow communication with the annular flow downstream of the vaned stator assembly; a compressor; a conduit network connected to deliver a cooling airflow from the compressor to the upstream plenum, and a modulatable control valve means located in the conduit network, the method of operation comprising: measuring the temperature of gas passing through the labyrinth flow passage; sensing aircraft speed and comparing the sensed speed to a preselected air craft speed range; holding the valves open any item the sensed aircraft speed is less than the preselected aircraft speed range; and modulating he quantity of the cooling airflow in response to the measurement of the temperature of the gas passing through the labyrinth flow passage to keep the temperature at a substantially constant maximum value when the sensed aircraft speed is greater than the aircraft speed range.
Assignee:
IMS; EDB-93-105785
Patent Number(s):
US 5224332; A
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-870069
OSTI ID:
6313284
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English