Combustor basket cooling ring

Abstract

A cooling ring ( 102 ) of a combustor basket system ( 110 ) has a transition zone 108 that extends to a cooling channel ( 106 ) at a cooling channel entrance ( 104 ). The transition zone ( 108 ) has the substantially the same material strength throughout the length of the transition zone ( 108 ). By having the same material strength throughout the length of the transition zone ( 108 ), the cooling ring ( 102 ) is able to withstand greater stresses than previously used cooling rings. One way in which this is accomplished is by having a uniform thickness.

1 . A combustor basket system comprising:
 a cooling ring comprising a transition zone, wherein the transition zone extends from a transition zone start to a cooling channel entrance; and   wherein the transition zone comprises a cross-section profile configured to provide a substantially uniform material strength.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transition zone has a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling ring is conical shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the cooling ring can withstand temperatures substantially above 700 C.° without failure. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein an outer diameter of the cooling ring is larger at a first location of the transition zone than at another location of the transition zone. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the outer diameter of the cooling ring is greatest closest to the cooling channel entrance. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the basket cooling system has a transition zone that is 75% of an active combustion length. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transition zone has a step-like feature at the cooling channel entrance. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein there is an angle α that is between about 3 to 10°. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the transition zone ( 108 ) is between 5-8 mm. 
     
     
         11 . A cooling ring for use with a basket cooling system comprising:
 a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface; wherein the wall forms a transition zone that extends to a cooling channel entrance of the basket cooling system;   wherein the wall has a thickness which is the distance between the outer surface and the inner surface, and   wherein the material strength of the wall is substantially uniform throughout the transition zone.   
     
     
         12 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein the wall has a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling ring ( 102 ) is conical shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling ring can withstand temperatures substantially above 700 C.° without failure. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein an outer diameter of the cooling ring is larger at a transition zone end than at transition zone start. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling ring of  claim 15 , wherein the outer diameter of the cooling ring is greatest closest to a cooling channel entrance. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein the basket cooling system has a transition zone that is 75% of an active combustion length. 
     
     
         18 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein the transition zone has a step-like feature located proximate to a cooling channel entrance. 
     
     
         19 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein there is an angle α that is between about 3 to 10°. 
     
     
         20 . The cooling ring of  claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the transition zone is between 5-8 mm.