System for cooling a hot gas component for a combustor of a gas turbine

Abstract

A system for cooling a hot gas path component for a combustor generally includes an impingement sleeve that circumferentially surrounds an outer surface of the hot gas path component. A first cooling chamber is defined between the impingement sleeve and a first portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component. A second cooling chamber is disposed downstream from the first cooling chamber. The second cooling chamber is defined between the impingement sleeve and a second portion of the outer surface of hot gas path component. An inlet extends through the impingement sleeve so as to define a first flow path into the first cooling chamber. An outlet defines a second flow path between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for cooling a hot gas path component for a combustor, comprising:
 a. an impingement sleeve that circumferentially surrounds an outer surface of the hot gas path component;   b. a first cooling chamber defined between the impingement sleeve and a first portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component;   c. a second cooling chamber downstream from the first cooling chamber, the second cooling chamber being defined between the impingement sleeve and a second portion of the outer surface of hot gas path component; and   d. an inlet that extends through the impingement sleeve to define a first flow path into the first cooling chamber, and an outlet that defines a second flow path between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the hot gas path component is one of a combustion liner or a transition duct. 
     
     
         3 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet is configured to impinge a cooling medium onto the first portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component. 
     
     
         4 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is configured to re-impinge the cooling medium from the first cooling chamber onto the second portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component. 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the impingement sleeve includes an upper portion radially separated from a lower portion. 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 5 , further comprising a cooling channel defined between the upper and the lower portions of the impingement sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 5 , wherein the inlet extends through the upper portion of the impingement sleeve and the outlet extends through the lower portion of the impingement sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a transversely extending rail member disposed along the outer surface of the hot gas path component, the rail member at least partially separating the first cooling chamber from the second cooling chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The system as in  claim 8 , further comprising an exhaust passage downstream from the outlet, the exhaust passage being defined between the impingement sleeve and the second portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component. 
     
     
         10 . A combustor for a gas turbine, comprising:
 a. an outer casing; and   b. an annular hot gas path component circumferentially surrounded by the casing, the hot gas path component being radially separated from the casing so as to define a flow passage therebetween, the hot gas path component comprising:
 i. a main body defining a first cooling chamber and a second cooling chamber along an outer surface of the main body, the second cooling chamber being downstream from the first cooling chamber; 
 ii. an impingement sleeve circumferentially surrounding the first and the second cooling chambers; 
 iii. an inlet extending through the impingement sleeve, the inlet defining a first flow path between the flow passage and the first cooling chamber; and 
 iv. an outlet extending through the impingement sleeve downstream from the inlet, the outlet defining a second flow path between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber. 
   
     
     
         11 . The combustor as in  claim 10 , wherein the hot gas component is one of a combustion liner or a transition duct. 
     
     
         12 . The combustor as in  claim 10 , wherein the inlet is configured to impinge a cooling medium from the flow passage of the combustor onto a first portion of the outer surface of the main body. 
     
     
         13 . The combustor as in  claim 12 , wherein the outlet is configured to impinge the cooling medium from the first cooling chamber onto a second portion of the outer surface of the main body. 
     
     
         14 . The combustor as in  claim 10 , further comprising a transversely extending rail member disposed along an outer surface of the main body of the hot gas path component, the rail member at least partially separating the first cooling chamber from the second cooling chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The combustor as in  claim 10 , further comprising an exhaust flow path defined between the impingement sleeve and the second cooling chamber, the exhaust flow path being downstream from the second cooling passage of the impingement sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The combustor as in  claim 10 , wherein the impingement sleeve includes an upper portion radially separated from a lower portion, and a cooling channel defined therebetween. 
     
     
         17 . The combustor as in  claim 16 , wherein the inlet extends through the upper portion of the impingement sleeve and the outlet extends through the second portion of the impingement sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . A method for cooling a portion of an outer surface of a hot gas path component disposed within a combustor of a gas turbine, the method comprising:
 a. routing a cooling medium through an inlet extending through an impingement sleeve;   b. impinging the cooling medium onto a first portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component;   c. routing the cooling medium through an outlet that extends through the impingement sleeve; and   d. re-impinging the cooling medium onto a second portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component.   
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 18 , further comprising routing the cooling medium through an exhaust passage of the hot gas path component onto an inner surface of a second hot gas path component. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 18 , further comprising routing the cooling medium from the second portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component into a hot gas path defined within the combustor.