US 11,859,631 B2
Rotor structure for a turbomachine with venting/sealing arrangement in tie bolt
Glenn R. Grosso, Olean, NY (US); and Brian Grosso, Olean, NY (US)
Assigned to SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG, Munich (DE)
Appl. No. 17/779,584
Filed by Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG, Munich (DE)
PCT Filed Feb. 26, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/019779
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/173124, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0003225 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. F04D 29/10 (2006.01); F04D 29/04 (2006.01); F04D 29/043 (2006.01); F04D 29/08 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 29/104 (2013.01) [F04D 29/043 (2013.01); F04D 29/083 (2013.01); F05D 2240/61 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotor structure for a turbomachine, the rotor structure comprising:
a tie bolt that extends axially between a pressurized process side and an atmospheric pressure side of the turbomachine;
a respective stub shaft fixed to a first end of the tie bolt;
a first venting/sealing arrangement comprising:
a plurality of axially spaced apart annular seals arranged about a segment of the tie bolt in correspondence with a radially-inward segment of the respective stub shaft, wherein each respective neighboring seal pair of the plurality of axially spaced apart annular seals defines sealing sides of a respective chamber of a plurality of axially sequential chambers disposed between the process side and the atmospheric pressure side of the turbomachine; and
a plurality of conduits extending from a radially-outward segment of the respective stub shaft through the stub shaft to communicate with the plurality of axially sequential chambers disposed between the process side and the atmospheric pressure side of the turbomachine, the plurality of conduits alternating between a first conduit fluidly coupled at the radially-outward segment of the respective stub shaft to receive a sealing fluid and a second conduit fluidly connected at the radially-outward segment of the respective stub shaft for venting,
wherein, in response to flow of an incipient leakage of a process fluid through one or more of the plurality of axially spaced apart annular seals, a first fluid flow is established through the first conduit to convey sealing fluid into the respective chamber in communication with the first conduit, and/or a second fluid flow is established through the second conduit to permit venting of the respective chamber in communication with the second conduit.