Patent ID: 9068461
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: F01D

Abstract:
1. A turbine rotor, comprising: a turbine rotor body having at least one cooling chamber forming a portion of a cooling system and having a plurality of rows of turbine blades extending radially from the turbine rotor body, wherein the plurality of rows form a plurality of stages of a turbine engine; wherein the turbine rotor body is rotationally coupled to at least one stationary component of the turbine engine such that during operation, the turbine rotor body is capable of rotating relative to the at least one stationary component; wherein the cooling system includes at least one pre-swirl system configured to increase the velocity of cooling fluids within the cooling system to a speed that is at least equal to a rotational speed of the turbine rotor body; at least one inlet orifice in fluid communication with the at least one pre-swirl system such that the at least one inlet orifice receives cooling fluids from the pre-swirl system; wherein the at least one inlet orifice includes a diffuser ramp extending generally along an outer surface of the turbine rotor body such that the diffuser ramp extends from an intersection of the outer surface and the turbine rotor body into the turbine rotor body and terminates at the at least one inlet orifice, wherein a volume of the diffuser ramp increases moving from the intersection to the at least one inlet orifice; wherein the diffuser ramp of the at least one inlet orifice has a width greater than a diameter of the inlet orifice; wherein at least a portion of the at least one inlet orifice not formed by the diffuser ramp includes a transition section extending radially therefrom a distance greater than an outer diameter of the inlet orifice but less than an outermost extension of the diffuser ramp; wherein the transition section extends greater than halfway around the inlet orifice; and wherein the diffuser ramp has generally linear sides extending radially from the at least one inlet orifice.