INTERNAL TURBOMACHINE CASING HAVING IMPROVED THERMAL INSULATION

Abstract

An internal casing ferrule for a turbomachine, centered on a longitudinal central axis, which includes: a main body centered on this axis, with two ends, delimited by surfaces that are radially inner and outer relative to this axis; a thermal porous-structure insulation envelope having a volumetric porosity ≥50%, which includes: a lateral portion entirely covering the two ends; when viewed in section transversely to this axis, exterior and interior portions entirely covering, respectively, the radially outer and inner surfaces of the main body; and a protective envelope which at least partially covers the envelope and which includes, when viewed in section transversely to this axis, radially outer and inner protective portions, respectively covering, at least in part, the exterior and interior portions.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. Internal casing ferrule for a turbomachine, the ferrule being centred on a longitudinal central axis, wherein the internal casing ferrule includes: a main body, that is centred on the longitudinal central axis, that includes two longitudinal ends and that is delimited by a radially internal surface and a radially external surface relative to the longitudinal central axis; a thermal insulation envelope, that includes: a lateral covering portion entirely covering the longitudinal ends of the main body; along a section transversal to the longitudinal central axis, an exterior covering portion entirely covering the radially external surface of the main body; along a section transversal to the longitudinal central axis, an interior covering portion entirely covering the radially internal surface of the main body; the lateral portion connecting the interior and exterior portions; and a protective envelope, that at least partially covers the thermal insulation envelope and that includes, along a section transversal to the longitudinal central axis: a radially external protective portion at least partially covering the exterior covering portion; and a radially internal protective portion at least partially covering the interior covering portion; and wherein the thermal insulation envelope has a porous structure with a volumetric porosity greater than or equal to 50%.

15. Ferrule according to claim 14, wherein the main body and the exterior and interior covering portions each extend over 360° around the longitudinal central axis.

16. Ferrule according to claim 14, wherein the main body and the exterior and interior covering portions each extend around the longitudinal central axis over an identical angular sector less than 360°.

17. Ferrule according to claim 16, wherein the main body has two opposite circumferential ends and the thermal insulation envelope further includes an intermediate covering portion that connects the exterior and interior covering portions and that entirely covers each opposite circumferential end of the main body.

18. Ferrule according to claim 17, wherein the protective envelope further comprises an intermediate protective portion that connects the radially external and internal protective portions and that entirely covers the intermediate covering portion.

19. Ferrule according to claim 14, wherein the radially external and internal protective portions of the protective envelope entirely cover, respectively, the exterior covering portion and the interior covering portion of the thermal insulation envelope.

20. Ferrule according to claim 14, wherein the protective envelope has a volumetric porosity of less than 5%.

21. Ferrule according to claim 14, wherein the thermal insulation envelope has a cellular structure, preferably a honeycomb cellular structure, or a lattice structure.

22. Ferrule according to claim 14, wherein the main body, the thermal insulation envelope and the protective envelope are made in a single piece by additive manufacturing to form a single-block and monolithic part.

23. Ferrule according to claim 14, comprising a strip of abradable material that is integrated into the ferrule by being made directly in the protective envelope.

24. Internal turbomachine casing, comprising at least two ferrules according to claim 14, arranged axially adjacent to one another.

25. Turbomachine equipped with an internal casing according to claim 24.

26. Turbomachine according to claim 25, comprising movable blades and wherein at least one ferrule comprises a strip of abradable material that is added onto said at least one ferrule in line with the movable blades.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Other aspects, purposes, advantages and characteristics of the invention shall appear better when reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the latter, given as a non-limiting example, and given in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view as an axial cross-section of an aircraft turbomachine;

[0053] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the high-pressure compressor of FIG. 1;

[0054] FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively an enlarged view of the upstream portion (FIG. 3) and of the downstream portion (FIG. 4) of the stator of the compressor of FIG. 2, having a thermal insulation of the internal casing by airgaps according to the prior art;

[0055] FIG. 5 is a schematic view as a transverse cross-section of an embodiment of a ferrule according to the invention;

[0056] FIG. 6 is a schematic view as a transverse cross-section of another embodiment of a ferrule according to the invention;

[0057] FIG. 7 shows, as a cross-section view, an example of a porous structure for the thermal insulation envelope;

[0058] FIGS. 8a and 8b show examples of a lattice structure;

[0059] FIG. 9 shows an example of a cellular structure;

[0060] FIG. 10a is a view of the upstream portion of the stator of the compressor having a thermal insulation of the internal casing according to the invention;

[0061] FIG. 10b is an exploded view of parts of FIG. 10a;

[0062] FIG. 11a is a view of the downstream portion of the stator of the compressor having a thermal insulation of the internal casing according to the invention;

[0063] FIG. 11b is an exploded view of parts of FIG. 11a.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

[0064] In reference first of all to FIG. 1, an aircraft turbomachine 1 is shown, of the bypass turbine engine type. This turbine engine 1 includes, from upstream to downstream along the main direction of flow of the gases shown schematically by the arrow 11, a low-pressure compressor 12, a high-pressure compressor 14, a combustion chamber 16, a high-pressure turbine 18 and a low-pressure turbine 20, with these elements defining a primary duct 21 passed through by a primary flow of gas 22. The fan 28 is faired by a nacelle 30 to generate a secondary flow 32 through a secondary duct 31.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a general view of the high-pressure compressor 14 of FIG. 1. The compressor 14 comprises a central rotor 26 driven by a line of shafts 2 and comprised of a set 3 of streamlined shape comprised of rings 4 juxtaposed and separated by discs 5 in line with stages of movable blades 6. A stator 7 surrounds the rotor 26 and comprises an external casing 8 and an internal casing 10, formed of axially juxtaposed annular ferrules 40, turned towards the rotor 1. The internal casing 10 is used to delimit an annular duct 15 of the flow of gases wherein the primary flow of gas 22 flows and wherein the stages of movable blades 6 extend and stages of fixed blades 13 for guiding the flow extend, which are attached to the annular ferrules 40 and alternate with the stages mentioned hereinabove.

[0066] FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively an enlarged view of the upstream portion (FIG. 3) and of the downstream portion (FIG. 4) of the stator of the compressor shown in FIG. 2, with these views showing an insulation solution of the inner wall of the internal casing 10 by airgaps according to the prior art.

[0067] In FIG. 3, the internal casing 10 is comprised of annular ferrules 40, connected together by bolts 42 clamping the flanges 41 that terminate them. These annular ferrules 40 include protrusions 43 radially inside, that open onto the duct 15 for air flow and are therefore exposed to the temperature thereof.

[0068] Support rings 44 of the fixed blades 13 make it possible to attach the fixed blades 13 to the annular ferrules 40 and to create an airgap 45. A layer of abradable material 46 is disposed on the ferrules 40 in line with the rotors 6.

[0069] In FIG. 4, the internal casing 10 is comprised of annular ferrules 40 which are in particular connected by separated seals 37 with staple section. Elements 8′, 47 are attached to the annular ferrules 40 to form airgaps 45.

[0070] As can be observed, these solutions of the prior art do not allow for an optimum insulation of the internal casing (FIG. 3) and/or require many assembly parts (FIG. 4).

[0071] According to the invention, the conventional system of insulation of the internal casing obtained by airgaps is replaced with a more effective system. According to the invention, the internal casing 100 is formed from a plurality of annular parts 400 disposed axially adjacent to one another along the longitudinal axis 24 of the part (that coincides with the longitudinal axis of the turbomachine). The annular part 400 can be an annular ferrule 50 (such as shown in FIG. 5) or result from the circumferential assemblage of two or more than two ferrules 50 with an angular segment. By way of example, in FIG. 6, two ferrules with an angular segment of 180° are assembled according to their circumference in order to form an annular ferrule.

[0072] Each ferrule is a part, preferably monolithic, that has a variable porosity by zones. Thus, the ferrule 50 includes a main body 51, of which the surface is entirely covered with a layer forming a thermal insulation envelope 52, which has a porous structure and of which the function is to thermally insulate the main body 51. This thermal insulation envelope 52 thus forms around the main body 51 a porous interface that thermally insulates from the outside environment.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, which show a cross-section view transverse to the longitudinal central axis 24 of a ferrule, the thermal insulation envelope 52 includes an exterior covering portion 52a, that entirely covers the radially external surface of the main body 51, as well as an interior covering portion 52b, that entirely covers the radially internal surface of the main body 51. A lateral covering portion (not visible in this cross-section view) entirely covers the longitudinal ends of the main body 51 and connects the interior and exterior portions.

[0074] The ferrule 50 also includes a protective envelope 53, that at least partially covers the thermal insulation envelope.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the protective envelope 53 includes a radially external protective portion 53a, that covers the exterior covering portion 52a, as well as a radially internal protective portion 53b, that covers the interior covering portion 52b. The protective envelope can be a coating layer deposited on the thermal insulation envelope.

[0076] When the ferrule is a ferrule with an angular segment, as shown in FIG. 6, the ferrule includes two opposite circumferential ends 49; the thermal insulation envelope 52 further includes an intermediate covering portion 52c, that entirely covers the circumferential ends 49 of the main body 51, and that connects the exterior 52a and interior 52b covering portions. As shown in FIG. 6, the covering envelope 53 includes an intermediate protective portion 53c, that connects the radially external 53a and internal 53b protective portions, and that entirely covers the intermediate covering portion 52c of the thermal insulation envelope 52.

[0077] The protective envelope 53 is preferably dense, with a volumetric porosity of at most 5% (limit excluded).

[0078] Preferably, the thermal insulation envelope 52 is located close to the interfaces with the air and is therefore close to the skin of the ferrule.

[0079] The thermal insulation envelope 52 has to have a good compromise between volumetric porosity, mechanical resistance and expansion coefficient. The inventors have observed that the lattice structures and the honeycomb cellular structures were able to provide all these functions.

[0080] The thermal insulation envelope 52 can thus have a lattice structure, i.e. a rigid structure that consists in an open skeleton or framework, formed of connection members, for example of the bar, beam or similar type, which can be straight or curved and which are in contact, intersect or overlap according to a repetitive pattern in three dimensions. The repetitive pattern can for example be a cube, a hexagon, a pyramid, a sphere, etc. and the lattice will then be formed of interconnected cubes, interconnected hexagons, interconnected pyramids, interconnected spheres, etc.

[0081] FIGS. 8a and 8b show possible examples of lattice structures: with a cubic pattern (FIG. 8a) and with a hexagonal pattern (FIG. 8b).

[0082] The thermal insulation envelope 52 can also have a cellular structure, of which the repetitive pattern can have a polygonal shape, for example triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal etc. FIG. 9 shows an example of a honeycomb structure with hexagonal-shaped cells. The cells form empty cavities 55 and the walls 54 of these cells form the solid material of the porous structure.

[0083] In thermodynamics, the role of the main body 51 is to provide a thermal inertia to the skin of the internal casing, allowing it to react more slowly during a change in the thermal conditions in the duct. In mechanics, its role is to guarantee a rigidity of all the skin of the internal casing under the effects of pressure (duct in particular) and forces due to thermodynamics to guarantee low displacements.

[0084] In thermodynamics, the function of the thermal insulation envelope 52 is to thermally insulate the main body 51 from the exterior surface of the internal casing. It therefore has a porosity less than that of the main body. Preferably, the main body has a dense structure, i.e. has little to no porosity, preferably with a volumetric porosity of less than 5%.

[0085] In mechanics, the role of the thermal insulation envelope 52 is to render integral the various elements of the ferrule, namely the inner (the main body 51) and the outer (i.e. the skin, that can be formed by the protective envelope 53). It must therefore respect certain constraints of rigidity (an excessive deformation would be detrimental for the clearances). The choice of the type and of the extent of the porosity of the thermal insulation envelope 52 is therefore a compromise between thermal and mechanical performance.

[0086] The thermal insulation envelope 52 is at least partially physically separated from the exterior surface (i.e. of the skin) of the internal casing by the protective envelope 53, at least on the portions of the thermal insulation envelope intended to be in contact with a fluid flow of the turbomachine. This protective envelope 53 is thus used as a physical barrier between the thermal insulation envelope 52 and the exterior surface of the ferrule; preferably, this protective envelope 53 has little to no porosity (preferably a volumetric porosity of less than 5%). Indeed, a porous surface would be rough, which is detrimental for the aerodynamics (and the yield), in particular regarding the interface with the duct, but also for the losses of loads in the casing cavities of which the air is often used, in the case of the compressor, for sampling to the rest of the engine and of the aircraft (cooling of turbines, pressurisation of the cabin of the aircraft, etc.).

[0087] A portion of the protective envelope 53 can be intended to be facing an upper blade platform, possibly through an abradable.

[0088] The main body 51, the thermal insulation envelope 52 (that entirely covers the surface of the main body) and the protective envelope 53 (that partially or totally covers the thermal insulation envelope) can be made in a single piece so as to obtain a single-block and monolithic part, which has the advantage of avoiding assembly steps. This is possible by using the technique of additive manufacturing. This makes it possible to replace a complex solution of insulating the skin of the internal casing by airgaps with a simple more effective solution with simplified mounting, that has a reduced number of required parts and possibly with a reduced size.

[0089] The techniques of additive manufacturing make it possible to manufacture three-dimensional parts, with complex geometries, from resistant materials, while still setting up a porosity zone that is optimised for searching for an optimum in mechanical behaviour. The manufacturing technique is well known and will not be described in detail. It groups together in particular the methods of stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused wire deposition, laser fusion, etc.

[0090] Selective laser sintering uses a high-power laser to sinter small particles of plastic, metal or ceramic until the three-dimensional part to be formed is obtained. In the scope of the invention, metallic materials (metal or alloy) or ceramic materials will be used.

[0091] Fused wire deposition makes use of a temporary transition from a solid material to a liquid state, generally by heating; the material is generally applied to a desired location using an extrusion nozzle.

[0092] The different zones of the ferrule 50 according to the invention can be made from any material compatible with additive manufacturing, that is able to provide sufficient rigidity at the zone concerned and compatible with the expected use of the ferrule (in particular in terms of mechanical resistance and heat). These different zones of the ferrule (main body, thermal insulation envelope and protective envelope) can thus be made of metallic and/or ceramic materials. For example, stainless steel, nickel alloys, titanium alloys, etc. can be used. These zones can be made from different or identical materials.

[0093] Two examples of internal casing of which the skin is insulated according to the invention are shown in FIGS. 10a and 11a. As can be seen in FIGS. 10b and 11b, which are exploded views of FIGS. 10a and 11a, annular parts (which are annular ferrules 50 or ferrules 50 with an angular segment) are connected to one another by seals 37 or are provided with flanges and connect to one another by bolts 42. The ferrules can be formed from a single part (annular ferrule, as shown in FIG. 6) or from the assembly of several ferrules with an angular segment circumferentially connected (FIG. 7).

[0094] In FIGS. 10a and 10b, a circular strip of abradable material 46 is added onto the ferrules 50 in line with the movable blades 6. This strip 46 can be added onto, or be integrated into, the ferrule by being made directly in the protective envelope 53.

[0095] In FIGS. 11a and 11b, a sealing tab 48 is added onto the protective envelope 53 over the entire inner surface of the ferrules 50 in order to ensure the seal.

[0096] According to an alternative shown by the reference 56 in FIGS. 10a and 10b, the protective envelope 53 can partially cover the thermal insulation envelope 52. This is possible when the non-covered surface of the thermal insulation envelope 52 is intended to be covered by another part (here by the hook 44 used as an attachment of the fixed blades 13), which allows the thermal insulation envelope 52 even so to exert its thermal insulation function of the main body 51.

REFERENCE MENTIONED

[0097] [1] EP 1 059 420