US 12,345,180 B2
Stator plenum for a gas turbine engine
Travis J. Packer, Evendale, OH (US); Michael A. Hile, Evendale, OH (US); and James H. Grooms, Evendale, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jan. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/580,426.
Prior Publication US 2023/0228202 A1, Jul. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. F01D 9/06 (2006.01); F01D 9/04 (2006.01); F01D 11/00 (2006.01); F01D 11/02 (2006.01); F01D 25/24 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 9/065 (2013.01) [F01D 9/041 (2013.01); F01D 11/001 (2013.01); F01D 11/025 (2013.01); F01D 25/246 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stator plenum for a gas turbine engine, the stator plenum comprising:
an outer shell circumscribing a centerline axis;
an engine casing circumscribing the centerline axis, wherein the engine casing is positioned between the outer shell and the centerline axis in a radial direction defined by the gas turbine engine, wherein the engine casing includes a flange defining a first cavity;
a first end of the outer shell coupled to the engine casing at a first coupling, the first coupling to form a first seal;
a second end of the outer shell coupled to the engine casing at a second coupling, the second end formed by a thickened portion of the outer shell, wherein the thickened portion is at least partially positioned in the first cavity, wherein a space is defined between the second end and the flange, wherein the thickened portion extends to the space, the second coupling to form a second seal, wherein the first coupling is a fixed coupling and the second coupling is a non-fixed coupling;
a second cavity formed between the engine casing and the outer shell, the second cavity to contain a cooling flow to reduce a temperature of a turbine; and
a flexible portion of the outer shell to reduce an axial load on the stator plenum.