Turbine engine shutdown temperature control system

Abstract

A turbine engine shutdown temperature control system configured to foster consistent air temperature within cavities surrounding compressor and turbine blade assemblies to eliminate turbine and compressor blade tip rub during warm restarts of gas turbine engines is disclosed. The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system may include one or more air amplifiers positioned in a turbine case. An exhaust outlet of the air amplifier may extend into a cavity created by a turbine case and may be configured to exhaust air in a generally circumferential direction to entrain air within the cavity to flow circumferentially to establish a consistent air temperature within the cavity thereby preventing uneven cooling of turbine engine components after shutdown and prevent damage to turbine components during a warm restart.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A turbine engine shutdown temperature control system, comprising:
 a turbine engine component positioned within a turbine case such that a cavity is positioned therebetween;   at least one air amplifier having a hollow chamber, wherein the at least one air amplifier extends into the cavity and has a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with a longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the at least one air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case; and   wherein the at least one air amplifier is in fluid communication with an air supply source enabling the at least one air amplifier to exhaust air into the at least one air amplifier.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine case is a turbine exhaust casing forming a forward outer diameter cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine case is a turbine combustion casing forming a turbine combustion casing midframe cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine engine component positioned concentrically within the turbine case is a turbine vane carrier. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air amplifier is offset in the cavity such that the at least one air amplifier is positioned radially outward from the longitudinal axis of the turbine case. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air amplifier comprises a first air amplifier extending into the cavity and having a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the first air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case and a second air amplifier extending into the cavity and having a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the second air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case and in a same circumferential direction as air exhausted from the exhaust outlet of the first air amplifier. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second air amplifiers are positioned on opposite sides of the cavity from each other to entrain a circumferential airflow and maintain a consistent airflow temperature throughout the cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air amplifier is formed from a support engaging extension and an exhaust region housing the exhaust outlet, wherein the support engaging extension extends through the turbine case and the exhaust region is positioned in the cavity, wherein the exhaust region is nonparallel and nonorthogonal with the support engaging extension. 
     
     
         9 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 8 , wherein the exhaust region is aligned tangentially with an inner surface of the turbine case forming the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one air amplifier is formed from a support engaging extension and an exhaust region housing the exhaust outlet, wherein the support engaging extension extends through the turbine case and the exhaust region is positioned in the cavity, wherein the exhaust region is orthogonal with the support engaging extension. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust outlet of the at least one air amplifier is positioned no further than a distance from an inner surface of an outer wall equating to 20 percent of a radially extending distance from the inner surface of the turbine case forming the outer wall of the cavity to an inner surface forming an inner wall of the cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust outlet of the at least one air amplifier, when viewed axially downstream, is offset circumferentially from top dead center, bottom dead center, left side center and right side center. 
     
     
         13 . A turbine engine shutdown temperature control system, comprising:
 a turbine engine component positioned concentrically within a turbine case such that a cavity is positioned therebetween;   at least one air amplifier having a hollow chamber, wherein the at least one air amplifier extends into the cavity and has a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with a longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the at least one air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case;   wherein the at least one air amplifier is in fluid communication with an air supply source enabling the at least one air amplifier to exhaust air into the at least one air amplifier;   wherein the at least one air amplifier comprises a first air amplifier extending into the cavity and having a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the first air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, and a second air amplifier extending into the cavity and having a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the second air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case and in a same circumferential direction as air exhausted from the exhaust outlet of the first air amplifier; and   wherein at least one of the first and second amplifiers are formed from a support engaging extension and an exhaust region housing the exhaust outlet, wherein the support engaging extension extends through the turbine case and the exhaust region is positioned in the cavity, wherein the exhaust region is nonparallel and nonorthogonal with the support engaging extension.   
     
     
         14 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 13 , wherein the turbine case is selected from the group consisting of a turbine exhaust casing forward outer diameter cavity and a turbine combustion casing forming a turbine combustion casing midframe cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second air amplifiers are positioned on opposite sides of the cavity from each other to entrain a circumferential airflow and maintain a consistent airflow temperature throughout the cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust regions of the first and second air amplifiers are aligned tangentially with an inner surface of the turbine case forming the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust outlets of the first and second air amplifiers are positioned no further than a distance from an inner surface of an outer wall equating to 20 percent of a radially extending distance from the inner surface of the turbine case forming the outer wall of the cavity to an inner surface forming an inner wall of the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust outlet at least one of the first and second air amplifiers, when viewed axially downstream, is offset circumferentially from top dead center, bottom dead center, left side center and right side center. 
     
     
         19 . A turbine engine shutdown temperature control system, comprising:
 a turbine engine component positioned concentrically within a turbine case such that a cavity is positioned therebetween;   at least one air amplifier having a hollow chamber, wherein the at least one air amplifier extends into the cavity and has a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with a longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the at least one air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case;   wherein the at least one air amplifier is in fluid communication with an air supply source enabling the at least one air amplifier to exhaust air into the at least one air amplifier;   wherein the at least one air amplifier comprises a first air amplifier extending into the cavity and having a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the first air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, and a second air amplifier extending into the cavity and having a longitudinal axis that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case, wherein an exhaust outlet of the second air amplifier is directed to exhaust air in a direction that is nonparallel with the longitudinal axis of the turbine case and in a same circumferential direction as air exhausted from the exhaust outlet of the first air amplifier;   wherein at least one of the first and second amplifiers are formed from a support engaging extension and an exhaust region housing the exhaust outlet, wherein the support engaging extension extends through the turbine case and the exhaust region is positioned in the cavity, wherein the exhaust region is nonparallel and nonorthogonal with the support engaging extension; and   wherein the exhaust regions of the first and second air amplifiers are aligned tangentially with an inner surface of the turbine case forming the cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The turbine engine shutdown temperature control system of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second air amplifiers are positioned on opposite sides of the cavity from each other to entrain a circumferential airflow and maintain a consistent airflow temperature throughout the cavity and wherein the exhaust outlets of the first and second air amplifiers are positioned no further than a distance from an inner surface of an outer wall equating to 20 percent of a radially extending distance from the inner surface of the turbine case forming the outer wall of the cavity to an inner surface forming an inner wall of the cavity.