Impeller back-face cooling aperture

1 . A nozzle of a diffuser baffle of a compressor section of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the nozzle comprising:

a body having circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces, radially oriented side surfaces and forward and aft facing major surfaces,

the body comprising a baffle attached to the aft facing major surface, the baffle having a baffle surface angled relative to the aft facing major surface, and

the body defining an aperture, which extends through and which is angled relative to the forward and aft facing major surfaces, to define an angled flow path upstream from the baffle whereby fluid flowing through the angled flow path is directed tangentially toward and then deflected by the baffle surface.

2 . The nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein:

the circumferentially arced outboard surface is longer than the circumferentially arced inboard surface,

the radially oriented side surfaces extend between corresponding edges of the circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces, and

the circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces and the radially oriented side surfaces delimit the forward and aft facing major surfaces.

3 . The nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein:

the forward and aft facing major surfaces are planar surfaces and define respective planes thereof and the baffle surface and the aperture are each angled relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface, and

the baffle surface forms an acute angle relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface and the aperture forms an acute angle relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface.

4 . The nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the baffle surface comprises a bifurcating baffle to radially bifurcate a flow of the fluid into first and second flows.

5 . A compressor section of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the compressor section comprising:

an impeller;

a diffuser baffle proximate to the impeller, whereby the impeller and the diffuser baffle define an intervening cavity therebetween;

a nozzle installed in the diffuser baffle and configured to direct a flow of coolant into the intervening cavity in a direction comprising circumferential and axial directional components; and

piping extending through the diffuser baffle and terminating in the nozzle to deliver the flow of the coolant to the nozzle.

6 . The compressor section according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a compressor; and

a heat exchanger,

wherein the coolant comprises compressed air which is bled from the compressor and passed through the heat exchanger.

7 . The compressor section according to claim 6 , wherein the compressed air is sourced from the highest stage of the compressor.

8 . The compressor section according to claim 6 , wherein the piping extends from the heat exchanger and to and through the diffuser baffle.

9 . The compressor section according to claim 5 , wherein:

the nozzle comprises a body having circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces, radially oriented side surfaces and forward and aft facing major surfaces,

the body comprises a baffle attached to the aft facing major surface, the baffle having a baffle surface angled relative to the aft facing major surface, and

the body defines an aperture, which extends through and which is angled relative to the forward and aft face major surfaces, to define an angled flow path upstream from the baffle whereby the coolant flows through the angled flow path and is directed circumferentially and tangentially toward the baffle surface and then is deflected axially by the baffle surface.

10 . The compressor section according to claim 9 , wherein:

the circumferentially arced outboard surface is longer than the circumferentially arced inboard surface,

the radially oriented side surfaces extend between corresponding edges of the circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces, and

the circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces and the radially oriented side surfaces delimit the forward and aft facing major surfaces.

11 . The compressor section according to claim 9 , wherein:

the forward and aft facing major surfaces are planar surfaces and define respective planes thereof and the baffle surface and the aperture are each angled relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface, and

the baffle surface forms an acute angle relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface and the aperture forms an acute angle relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface.

12 . The compressor section according to claim 9 , wherein the baffle surface comprises a bifurcating baffle to radially bifurcate a flow of the fluid into first and second flows.

13 . A compressor section of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the compressor section comprising:

an impeller comprising an impeller front-face along which high-temperature air flows and an impeller back-face opposite the impeller front-face;

a diffuser baffle proximate to the impeller, whereby the impeller back-face and the diffuser baffle define an intervening cavity therebetween;

a nozzle installed in the diffuser baffle and configured to direct a flow of coolant into the intervening cavity and tangentially toward the impeller back-face in a direction comprising circumferential and axial directional components; and

piping extending through the diffuser baffle and terminating in the nozzle to deliver the flow of the coolant to the nozzle.

14 . The compressor section according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a compressor; and

a heat exchanger,

wherein the coolant comprises compressed air which is bled from the compressor and passed through the heat exchanger.

15 . The compressor section according to claim 14 , wherein the compressed air is sourced from the highest stage of the compressor.

16 . The compressor section according to claim 14 , wherein the piping comprises:

first piping extending from a highest stage of the compressor to the heat exchanger; and

second piping extending from the heat exchanger to and through the diffuser baffle.

17 . The compressor section according to claim 13 , wherein:

the nozzle comprises a body having circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces, radially oriented side surfaces and forward and aft facing major surfaces,

the body comprises a baffle attached to the aft facing major surface, the baffle having a baffle surface angled relative to the aft facing major surface, and

the body defines an aperture, which extends through and which is angled relative to the forward and aft face major surfaces, to define an angled flow path upstream from the baffle whereby the coolant flows through the angled flow path and is directed circumferentially and tangentially toward the baffle surface and then is deflected axially by the baffle surface.

18 . The compressor section according to claim 17 , wherein:

the circumferentially arced outboard surface is longer than the circumferentially arced inboard surface,

the radially oriented side surfaces extend between corresponding edges of the circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces, and

the circumferentially arced inboard and outboard surfaces and the radially oriented side surfaces delimit the forward and aft facing major surfaces.

19 . The compressor section according to claim 17 , wherein:

the forward and aft facing major surfaces are planar surfaces and define respective planes thereof and the baffle surface and the aperture are each angled relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface, and

the baffle surface forms an acute angle relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface and the aperture forms an acute angle relative to at least the plane of the aft facing major surface.

20 . The compressor section according to claim 17 , wherein the baffle surface comprises a bifurcating baffle to radially bifurcate a flow of the fluid into first and second flows.