Thermally expandable transition piece

Abstract

A gas turbine engine (GTE) including a thermally expandable transition piece is disclosed. The GTE includes at least a combustor section having a combustor sleeve, also known as top hat, and a transition piece. The transition piece includes a transition duct having an upstream end, a downstream end, a outer surface and a forward end face. The transition piece also includes one or more struts selectively attached to the transition duct proximate to the upstream end. The strut extends radially upward from the outer surface, and axially outward beyond the forward end face for interfacing the strut with at least a portion of the combustor sleeve.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
 a gas turbine housing having at least a combustor section;   wherein said combustor section includes a sleeve and a transition piece, the transition piece including:
 a transition duct having an upstream end, a downstream end, an outer surface and an end face; and 
 a strut extending radially outward from the outer surface at the upstream end, said strut interfacing with at least a portion of the sleeve. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 1 , wherein the transition piece includes a plurality of struts extending radially outward from the outer surface at the upstream end. 
     
     
         3 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of struts interfaces with at least a portion of the combustor sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of struts are equidistantly spaced around a perimeter of the transition duct. 
     
     
         5 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of one of the plurality of struts extends axially outward beyond the end face of the transition duct at the upstream end. 
     
     
         6 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 1 , further comprising a wear pad interposed between the strut and the combustor sleeve for interfacing the transition piece with the combustor sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . A thermally expandable transition piece assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:
 a transition duct having an upstream end for operatively connecting to a combustor section of a turbine, and a downstream end for operatively connecting to a turbine cylinder section of a turbine; and   a strut selectively attached at the upstream end, said strut extending radially upward from an outer surface of the transition duct, and axially outward beyond an end face at the upstream end for operatively connecting the transition piece assembly to the combustor section of a turbine.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein a plurality of struts selectively are attached at the upstream end, said plurality of struts extending radially outward from the outer surface of the transition duct, and axially outward beyond the end face at the upstream end. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of struts are integrally formed with the transition duct. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of struts are spaced equidistantly apart around the perimeter of the transition duct. 
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a thermally expandable transition piece comprising:
 selectively attaching a strut to a surface of a transition duct at an upstream end of the transition duct, said strut extending radially upward from the surface and axially outward beyond an end face at the upstream end.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 prior to selectively attaching said strut to a surface of the transition duct, removing a transition duct mount from the transition duct. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 selectively attaching a plurality of struts to the upstream end, said plurality of struts extending radially upward from the surface of the transition duct and axially outward beyond the end face at the upstream end. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 selectively attaching a plurality of struts to the upstream end, said plurality of struts extending radially outward from the surface of the transition duct and axially outward beyond the end face at the upstream end. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method for assembling a gas turbine engine with the thermally expandable transition piece according to  claim 13 :
 operatively interfacing the thermally expandable transition piece to a structure in a combustor section of the gas turbine engine.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the structure is a combustor sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of struts interfaces with the combustor sleeve. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a wear pad interposed between the at least one of the plurality of struts and the combustor sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of struts interfaces with the combustor sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising a wear pad interposed between each of the plurality struts and the combustor sleeve.