Casing for turbine engine having a cooling unit

Abstract

A turbine inner shell for a turbine engine includes one or more mounting grooves, each of which receives a fluid conduit. A temperature controlling fluid is circulated through fluid conduit to selectively heat or cool surrounding portions of the turbine inner shell, to thereby control the thermal growth of those portions of the turbine inner shell. This makes it possible to selectively control a clearance between the tips of rotating turbine blades and the surrounding shrouds of the turbine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inner shell for the turbine section of a turbine engine, comprising:
 a plurality of arcuate casing portions that are configured to be attached to one another to form a generally cylindrical inner shell, wherein each arcuate casing portion includes:
 at least one shroud hook portion that extends along an interior side of the arcuate casing portion in a circumferential direction, and 
 at least one mounting groove that extends along the arcuate casing portion in the circumferential direction, wherein each at least one mounting groove is located adjacent to one of the at least one shroud hook portions; and 
   at least one conduit having at least one internal passageway for a temperature controlling fluid, each conduit being mounted within one of the at least one mounting grooves, wherein the at least one conduit is configured to be inserted into a mounting groove.   
     
     
         2 . The inner shell of  claim 1 , wherein a radial inner side of the at least one mounting groove has a larger width than a radial outer side of the at least one mounting groove. 
     
     
         3 . The inner shell of  claim 1 , wherein each at least one mounting groove is located on a radially outer side of one of the at least one shroud hook portions. 
     
     
         4 . The inner shell of  claim 1 , wherein the internal passageway of each at least one conduit extends in a length direction of the conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The inner shell of  claim 4 , wherein each at least one conduit includes a plurality of apertures that extend from the interior passageway to an exterior of the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The inner shell of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of apertures are formed on a side of the conduit that faces the at least one shroud hook portion. 
     
     
         7 . The inner shell of  claim 5 , wherein each at least one conduit includes a plurality of protrusions that are formed on an exterior surface of the conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The inner shell of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are configured to space exterior surfaces of the conduit from interior surfaces of the at least one mounting groove. 
     
     
         9 . The inner shell of  claim 1 , wherein each at least one conduit includes:
 a first interior passageway that extends in a length direction of the conduit;   a second interior passageway that extends in a length direction of the conduit, wherein the first interior passageway is located on a radial outer side of the second interior passageway; and   a plurality of radially extending apertures that extend between the first and second interior passageways.   
     
     
         10 . The inner shell of  claim 1 , wherein each at least one conduit further includes at least one inlet aperture that is configured to admit a flow of a temperature controlling fluid into the interior passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The inner shell of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is configured to be slid into a mounting groove in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         12 . A temperature controlling fluid conduit that is configured to be mounted on an arcuate-shaped portion of an inner shell of a turbine section of a turbine engine, comprising:
 an elongated, arcuate-shaped body having an interior passageway for a temperature controlling fluid; and   at least one inlet aperture that is configured to admit a flow of a temperature controlling fluid into the interior passageway.   
     
     
         13 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 12 , wherein a radial inner side of the elongated body has a larger width than a radial outer side of the elongated body. 
     
     
         14 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one inlet aperture is located on a radial outer side of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body. 
     
     
         15 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 12 , wherein the interior passageway extends in a length direction of the elongated arcuate-shaped body. 
     
     
         16 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 15 , wherein a plurality of apertures extend through the elongated, arcuate-shaped body from the interior passageway to an exterior of the body. 
     
     
         17 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of apertures are formed on a radial inner side of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body. 
     
     
         18 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 16 , wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed on at least one exterior surface of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body. 
     
     
         19 . The temperature controlling fluid conduit of  claim 12 , wherein the interior passageway comprises:
 a first interior passageway that extends in a length direction of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body;   a second interior passageway that extends in the length direction of the elongated, arcuate-shaped body, wherein the first interior passageway is located on a radial outer side of the second interior passageway; and   a plurality of radially extending apertures that extend between the first and second interior passageways.