Turbine nozzle and shroud

This application relates to a turbine nozzle and shroud for use in an air cycle machine.

Air cycle machines are known and, typically, include one or more turbines which receive a compressed air source, and are driven to rotate. The turbines, in turn, rotate a compressor rotor. Air is conditioned by the air cycle machine and moved for use in an aircraft cabin air conditioning and temperature control system.

The turbines are typically provided with a nozzle and shroud which controls the flow of air upstream and downstream of a turbine rotor.

A nozzle and shroud for use in an air cycle machine has a plate and a shroud curving in a first axial direction about a center axis of the shroud relative to the plate. A plurality of vanes extends in a second axial direction away from the plate. The plurality of vanes extends for a height away from the plate and a width defined as the closest distance between two adjacent vanes, with a ratio of the height to the width being between 1.7377 and 2.1612. An air cycle machine and a method of repair are also disclosed.

These and other features may be best understood from the following drawings and specification.

FIG. 1 shows an air cycle machine.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view through a turbine nozzle and shroud for a first stage turbine.

FIG. 2B is a view of the turbine nozzle portion.

FIG. 2C shows details of vanes.

FIG. 2D is a sectional line taken along line D-D of FIG. 2C .

An air cycle machine 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1 having a fan 22 being driven by a shaft 24 . As known, a compressor 35 receives compressed air from a compressed air source at an inlet 126 and further compresses the air. The air passes downstream into a first turbine inlet 26 which drives a first stage turbine rotor 128 . The air then passes across a second stage turbine rotor 32 , and through an outlet 34 . The air may be used in an aircraft cabin and as part of a cabin air conditioning and temperature control system.

A turbine nozzle 36 is associated with the second stage turbine rotor and serves to direct airflow from the inlet to the turbine rotor 32 .

A first stage shroud and nozzle 127 includes a shroud 128 downstream of the rotor 28 and a nozzle 130 upstream of the rotor 28 .

FIG. 2A shows details of the nozzle and shroud 127 . As shown, a shroud portion 128 curves forwardly away from a plate 121 along a center axis A. The plate 121 carries a plurality of vanes 132 , which can also be seen in FIG. 2B . In one embodiment, there were 19 vanes spaced circumferentially about center axis C of the nozzle and shroud 127 .

As shown in FIG. 2C , a cross-sectional view D-D is taken between two adjacent vanes 132 . As shown in FIG. 2D , a height or distance the vane 132 extends away from the plate 121 is defined at d 1 . A distance d 2 may be defined as a passage width and is the closest distance between two adjacent vanes 132 , measured tangent, or parallel to the sides of the airfoil surfaces of vane 122 .

In one embodiment, the height d 1 was 0.560 inch (1.42 centimeters) and the width d 2 was 0.289 inch (0.734 centimeters). This results in a total flow area between all 19 of the vanes of 3.075 square inches (7.8105 centimeters).

In embodiments, a ratio of a height d 1 to the width d 2 was between 1.7377 and 2.1612. In embodiments, a total nozzle flow area was between 2.7491 and 3.4191 square inches).

The nozzle and shroud 127 has a tungsten carbide erosion coating. The nozzle and shroud 127 is formed of a base of aluminium and then provided with a tungsten carbide erosion coating. Preferably, a high velocity oxy fuel coating technique is provided utilizing continuous burning.

A method of repairing air cycle machine 20 includes the steps of removing a nozzle and shroud combination 127 from a location adjacent a first stage turbine rotor 28 . A replacement nozzle and shroud combination 127 is then mounted adjacent rotor 28 .

Details of the nozzle 36 are disclosed and claimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 13/869,048, entitled Turbine Nozzle for Air Cycle Machine, and filed on even date herewith.

Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.