Turbine seal guards

Abstract

The application may further describe a seal guard in a turbine where the turbine include a plurality of circumferentially spaced nozzles, a plurality of circumferentially spaced turbine blades that each include a blade cover, and an opening defined by a trailing edge of the nozzles and a leading edge of the blade covers. The seal guard may include an upstream axial fin positioned at the trailing edge of the nozzles that extends in a downstream direction across at least part of the opening or a downstream axial fin positioned at a leading edge of a blade cover that extends in an upstream direction across at least part of the opening.

1 . A system for preventing solid particle erosion in a turbine, the turbine including turbine blades that include a blade cover and an opening defined by a trailing edge of a nozzle and a leading edge of the blade cover, the system comprising at least one of an upstream axial fin positioned at the trailing edge of the nozzle and a downstream axial fin positioned at the leading edge of the blade cover. 
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge of the nozzle comprises an outer sidewall. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the upstream axial fin comprises a fin that protrudes from the outer sidewall in a downstream direction. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the upstream axial fin extends in a substantially continuous circumferential manner. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the upstream axial fin comprises a fin that extends in an axial manner across at least part of the opening. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the downstream axial fin comprises a fin that protrudes from the blade cover in an upstream direction. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the downstream axial fin comprises a fin that extends in an axial manner across at least part of the opening. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the downstream axial fin extends in a substantially continuous circumferential manner. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system includes both an upstream axial fin and a downstream axial fin. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the upstream axial fin and the downstream axial fin comprise approximately the same radial position and substantially span the axial distance of the opening. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the downstream axial fin is positioned slightly more outward radially than the upstream axial fin; and
 wherein the downstream axial fin and the upstream axial fin overlap axially.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the upstream axial fin comprises an integral part of the outer sidewall. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the upstream axial fin is attached to the outer sidewall by welding or peening. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a downstream groove positioned in the leading edge of the blade cover;
 wherein the upstream axial fin spans the opening and terminates within the downstream groove.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an upstream groove positioned in the trailing edge of the nozzle;
 wherein the downstream axial fin spans the opening and terminates within the downstream groove.   
   
   
       16 . A seal guard in a turbine, the turbine including a plurality of circumferentially spaced nozzles, a plurality of circumferentially spaced turbine blades that each include a blade cover, and an opening defined by a trailing edge of the nozzles and a leading edge of the blade covers, the seal guard comprising:
 an upstream axial fin positioned at the trailing edge of the nozzles that extends in a downstream direction across at least part of the opening or a downstream axial fin positioned at a leading edge of a blade cover that extends in an upstream direction across at least part of the opening.   
   
   
       17 . The seal guard of  claim 16 , wherein the system includes both the upstream axial fin and the downstream axial fin, and the upstream axial fin and the downstream axial fin comprise approximately the same radial position and substantially span the axial distance of the opening. 
   
   
       18 . The seal guard of  claim 16 , wherein the system includes both an upstream axial fin and a downstream axial fin;
 the downstream axial fin is positioned slightly more outward radially than the upstream axial fin; and   the upstream axial fin and the downstream axial fin overlap axially.   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a downstream groove positioned in the leading edge of the blade cover;
 wherein the upstream axial fin spans the opening and terminates within the downstream groove.   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising an upstream groove positioned the trailing edge of the nozzle;
 wherein the downstream axial fin spans the opening and terminates within the upstream groove.