P09

A Lot of Hot Air

E371 Turbine Engine Systems
Engine Air Distribution
The engine air system is defined as those airflows which do not
directly contribute to the engine thrust. The system has several
important functions to perform for the safe and efficient operation of
the engine.
These functions include:
•Internal engine cooling
•Accessory unit cooling
•Bearing chamber sealing
•Prevention of hot gas ingestion
•Control of bearing axial loads
•Engine Anti-Icing
•Supply of Aircraft Services
An increasing amount of work is
done on the air, as it progresses through the compressor to raise its
pressure and temperature. Therefore to reduce engine performance
losses, the air is taken as early as possible from the compressor.
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Turbine Section Cooling
Cooling
An important consideration at
the design stage of a gas turbine
engine is the need to ensure
that certain parts of the engine,
and in some instances certain
accessories, do not absorb heat
to the extent that is detrimental
to their safe operation. The
principal areas which require air
cooling are the combustion
chamber and turbine. Typical
cooling and sealing airflow is
shown in the illustration for the
turbine section. The cooling and sealing airflow for the combustion
chamber was covered in a previous section.
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Turbine Blade Cooling
The most limiting factor in running a gas turbine engine is the
temperature of the turbine section. However the higher an engine
raises the temperature of the incoming air, the more power, or
thrust an engine can produce.

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Turbine Blade Cooling
Cooling
The effectiveness of a turbine engine
cooling system plays a big role in
engine performance. In fact, many
cooling systems allow the turbine
vane and blade components to
operate in a thermal environment
600 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit
above the temperature limits of
their metal alloys.
One of the most common ways of
cooling the components in the turbine section is to use engine bleed
air. Compressor bleed air is typically directed in through the hollow
blades and out through the holes in the tip, leading edge and trailing
edge. This type of cooling is known as convection cooling or film
cooling.
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Turbine Blade Cooling
Since the nozzle vanes and turbine blades
in a gas turbine engine are subjected to
extremely high temperatures, some type of
special cooling must be provided. Also,
since the temperature of the burning gases
decreases substantially as the gases pass
through each turbine stage, it is usually
necessary to provide special cooling for the first stage only.
However it must be noted that some engines cool the
subsequent stages as well. The
illustration shows a cross section of
a typical turbine blade. The entry
and exit of cooler
compressor
air is shown.

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Accessory Cooling
Most Engine mounted accessories are cooled by taking in outside
ram air and passing it through various channels and zones and
around the components to be cooled. Engine bay temperatures are
maintained at acceptable levels by providing airflow to both cool and
ventilate the hot areas around the engine.
In addition to the cooling setup
mentioned above, certain
accessories have their
own cooling circuit.
Atmospheric air is
used to provide the
cooling using induced
compressor air.

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Accessory Cooling
This is achieved by allowing
compressor delivery air to pass
through nozzles situated in the
cooling air outlet duct of the
accessory. The air velocity
through the nozzles create a
low pressure area which forms
an ejector, so inducing a flow of
atmospheric air through the
intake louvers. To ensure that
the ejector system only
operates during the ground run,
the flow of air from the
compressor is controlled by a
valve.

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Seals
Seals are used to prevent
oil leakage from the engine
bearing chambers, to
control cooling airflows and
to prevent ingress of the
mainstream gas into the
turbine disc.
Various sealing methods
are used on gas turbine
engines. The choice of
which method is dependent
upon the surrounding
temperature, pressure,
weight etc. Some sealing methods are described in the following
sections.

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Seals
Labyrinth Seals
This type of seal is widely
used to retain oil in bearing
chambers and as a metering
device to control internal
airflows. It is a non-contact
seal that is used in areas
such as rotor shaft where
there is high rotational
speeds and high
temperatures. When this seal
is used for bearing chamber
sealing, it prevents oil
leakage by allowing the air to
flow from the outside to the
inside of the chamber. This
flow also induces a positive
pressure which assists the oil
return system. 10
Seals
Ring Type Oil Seals
A ring seal comprises a metal
ring which is housed in a
close fitting groove in the
static housing. The normal
running clearance between
the ring and rotating shaft is
smaller than that which can
be obtained with a labyrinth
seal. Ring seals are used for
bearing chamber sealing.

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Seals
Carbon Seals
Carbon Seals consist of a
static ring of carbon which
constantly rubs against a
collar on a rotating shaft.
Several springs are used to
maintain contact between
the carbon and the collar.
The heat caused by friction
is dissipated by the oil
system.

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 Seals
Brush Seals
Brush seals comprise a static ring of fine wire bristles. They are in
continuous contact with a rotating shaft, rubbing against a hard
ceramic coating. This type of seal has the advantage of
withstanding radial rubs without increasing leakage.
Prevention of Hot Gas Ingestion
It is important to prevent the ingestion of hot
mainstream air into the turbine disc cavities
as this would cause overheating and result
in unwanted thermal expansion and fatigue.
The pressure in the turbine annulus forces
the hot gases between the rotating discs
and the adjacent static parts, into the turbine
disc rim spaces.

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Seals
As can be seen from the previous slide in turbine section cooling,
prevention of hot gas ingestion is achieved by continuously
supplying the required quantity of air into the disc cavities to
oppose the inward flow of hot gases.
Hydraulic Seals
This method of sealing is
often used between 2
rotating members to seal a
bearing chamber. Unlike the
labyrinth or ring seal, it does
not allow a controlled flow of
air to traverse across the
seal.

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Bearing Loads
Control of Bearing Loads
Engine shafts experience varying axial gas loads which act in the forward direction
on the compressor and in a rearward direction on the turbine. The net force is in the
forward direction due to the higher pressure rise across the compressor. The shaft
between them is therefore always under tension and the difference between the
loads is carried by the location bearing which is fixed in a static casing. The internal
air pressure from the high pressure compressor acts upon a fixed diameter pressure
balance seal to ensure the location bearing is adequately loaded throughout the
engine thrust range.

Compressor Turbine Rearward

Forward Load load

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 Services
Aircraft Services
To provide cabin pressurization, airframe
anti-icing and cabin heat, substantial
quantities of air are bled from the
compressor. It is desirable to bleed the
air as early as possible from the
compressor to minimize the effect on
engine performance. However during
some phases of the flight cycle it may be
necessary to switch the bleed source to
a later compressor stage to maintain
adequate pressure and temperature.
Bleed air has a number of other uses including:
•Pressurizing of hydraulic reservoirs
•Pressurizing of water tanks
•Driving an air turbine for a hydraulic pump.
A typical Boeing 777 cockpit bleed air system distribution is shown.
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Objectives
1. To understand why cooling systems in the engine are
important.
2. To understand the limitations to engine efficiency and
its relation to the turbine.
3. To know the different kinds of component cooling
performed.
4. The purpose of sealing to prevent oil leakage and the
role air systems play.
5. Be familiar with the other uses of air off-takes from
the engine.

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END

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