Arrangement and method for closed flow cooling of a gas turbine engine component

Abstract

An arrangement for cooling a gas turbine engine component includes a gas turbine engine component provided with at least one cooling channel through which a cooling medium is intended to flow during operation of the arrangement, a feeding system configured to supply cooling medium to the cooling channel, a cooling channel inlet, and a cooling channel outlet. The feeding system is arranged in flow communication with both the inlet and the outlet of the cooling channel such as to form a closed flow system. A gas turbine engine provided with such a component and a method for cooling such a component are also provided.

1 . Arrangement for cooling a gas turbine engine component, the arrangement comprising:
 a gas turbine engine component provided with at least one cooling channel through which a cooling medium is intended to flow during operation of the arrangement,   a feeding system configured to supply cooling medium to the cooling channel,   a cooling channel inlet, and   a cooling channel outlet,   wherein the feeding system is arranged in flow communication with both the inlet and the outlet of the cooling channel such as to form a closed flow system.   
     
     
         2 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , the comprising a heat extraction device configured to extract thermal energy from the cooling medium. 
     
     
         3 . Arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat extraction device is a heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from the cooling medium to a second medium. 
     
     
         4 . Arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the second medium is arranged to form a second closed flow system, wherein the second medium is allowed to evaporate in the heat exchanger when the heat is transferred from the cooling medium, wherein the second closed flow system comprises a steam engine arranged to be driven by the evaporated second medium. 
     
     
         5 . Arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the second closed flow system comprises, in flow order from an inlet to an outlet of the heat exchanger:
 a turbine in which second medium that has evaporated during or after its transport through the heat exchanger is allowed to expand and thereby drive the turbine,   a condenser in which the second medium is condensed to a liquid form, and   a pump for feeding second medium in liquid form to the heat exchanger inlet, wherein the turbine is operatively connected to a generator capable of generating electricity.   
     
     
         6 . Arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the heat extraction device is a steam engine configured to be driven by evaporated cooling medium. 
     
     
         7 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the feeding system comprises, in flow order from cooling channel outlet to inlet:
 a cooling medium turbine in which cooling medium that has evaporated during or after its transport through the cooling channel is allowed to expand and thereby drive the cooling medium turbine,   a condenser in which the cooling medium is condensed to a liquid form, and   a pump for feeding cooling medium in liquid form to the cooling channel inlet,   
       wherein the cooling medium turbine is operatively connected to a generator capable of generating electricity. 
     
     
         8 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine component is provided with a plurality of cooling channels and that the arrangement comprises an inlet manifold provided with the cooling channel inlet wherein the inlet manifold is arranged to provide a fluid communication between the cooling channel inlet and the plurality of cooling channels. 
     
     
         9 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine component is provided with a plurality of cooling channels and that the arrangement comprises an outlet manifold provided with the cooling channel outlet, wherein the outlet manifold is arranged to provide a fluid communication between the cooling channel outlet and the plurality of cooling channels. 
     
     
         10 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine component comprises an inner ring element and an outer ring element connected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced elements extending in a radial direction of the ring elements. 
     
     
         11 . Arrangement according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one cooling channel is arranged in at least one of the inner or outer ring element and/or in at least one of the circumferentially spaced elements. 
     
     
         12 . Arrangement according to  claim 10 , wherein the outer ring element comprises an outer annular part and an inner annular part which outer and inner parts are connected by, in relation to the gas turbine engine component, radially and axially extending load-carrying wall elements, wherein axially extending cooling channels are formed between the wall elements. 
     
     
         13 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine component is arranged to transmit load or thrust from a main shaft to a casing of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         14 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine component defines a gas channel for a main gas flow through a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         15 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine component is arranged an a turbine region of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         16 . Arrangement according to  claim 5 , wherein the cooling arrangement is arranged in association with a gas turbine engine that, during operation of the engine, generates i) a first main gas flow that passes at an inside of an annular inner casing through e.g. a turbine of the engine and ii) a second main gas flow that passes at an outside of the annular casing, such as a turbojet engine, wherein the condenser is arranged in relation to the second main gas flow in such a way that the second main gas flow is allowed to cool and condense the second medium or the cooling medium. 
     
     
         17 . Gas turbine engine, comprising a cooling arrangement according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . Method for cooling a gas turbine engine component, comprising the step of:
 supplying cooling medium to an inlet of a cooling channel arranged in the gas turbine engine component,   
       characterized in that the method further comprises the steps of:
 re-circulating the cooling medium from an outlet of the cooling channel to the inlet such as to form a closed flow system, and 
 cooling the cooling medium by extracting thermal energy from the cooling medium. 
 
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 18 , comprising:
 using the extracted thermal energy for driving a steam machine.   
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 18 , comprising:
 using the extracted thermal energy for producing electricity.   
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , comprising:
 evaporating a medium using heat absorbed by the cooling medium,   expanding the evaporated medium in a turbine, and   generating electricity by a generator operatively connected to the turbine.   
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 21 , comprising:
 condensing evaporated medium in a condenser, and   feeding medium in liquid form from the condenser.   
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 22 , wherein the medium evaporated is the cooling medium. 
     
     
         24 . Method according to  claim 22 , comprising:
 evaporating a second medium by transferring thermal energy from the cooling medium to the second medium using a heat exchanger, wherein the second medium is arranged to form a second closed flow system.