Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120107135 | APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COOLING THE PLATFORM REGION OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, wherein the rotor blade includes an interior cooling passage that extends to the approximate radial height of the platform, and wherein, a pressure side of the platform comprises a planar topside that extends circumferentially from the airfoil to a pressure side slashface, and a suction side of the platform comprises a substantially planar topside that extends circumferentially from the airfoil to a suction side slashface. The platform cooling arrangement may include a linear plenum residing just inboard of the planar topside and linearly extending through the platform from either the pressure side slashface or the suction side slashface to a connection with the interior cooling passage, the linear plenum having a longitudinal axis that is approximately parallel to the planar topside; and a plurality of cooling apertures linearly extending from a topside outlet formed on the topside of the platform to a connection with the linear plenum, wherein the cooling apertures are configured such that each forms an acute angle with the topside of the platform. | 05-03-2012 |
20120207613 | COMPONENT OF A TURBINE BUCKET PLATFORM - A component is provided and includes a first surface, a second surface adjacent to and oriented transversely with respect to the first surface and having a pocket formed therein defining a rib along a periphery thereof and a thermal barrier coating (TBC) respectively applied to the first surface and to the second surface at the pocket such that the rib is interposed between the TBC of the first and second surfaces. | 08-16-2012 |
20130039758 | TURBINE AIRFOIL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A TEMPERATURE OF A TURBINE AIRFOIL - According to one aspect of the invention, a turbine airfoil includes a platform and a blade extending from the platform. The airfoil also includes a slot formed in a slashface of the platform, the slot being configured to receive a pressurized fluid via passages and configured to direct the pressurized fluid to a selected region of the turbine airfoil to improve airfoil life. | 02-14-2013 |
20130094944 | BUCKET ASSEMBLY FOR TURBINE SYSTEM - A bucket assembly is disclosed. The bucket assembly includes an airfoil having a generally aerodynamic contour and defining a tip, and a lower body portion extending generally radially inward from the airfoil. The bucket assembly further includes a tip shroud disposed on the tip of the airfoil and comprising a main body and a rail. The rail includes an exterior surface. The exterior surface defines a microchannel. The bucket assembly further includes a cover layer configured on the exterior surface. | 04-18-2013 |
20130142649 | COOLED TURBINE BLADE AND METHOD FOR COOLING A TURBINE BLADE - A cooled turbine blade comprises a root for fixing the blade to rotor, an airfoil extending along a radial axis from the root, and a tip shroud disposed at a radially outward end of the airfoil. The tip shroud extends in a circumferential direction from the airfoil and defines, within itself, a core plenum and a peripheral plenum. The airfoil defines an aft airfoil cooling passage that extends radially through the airfoil proximate a trailing edge portion of the airfoil. The airfoil also defines an aft cooling inlet for providing an aft stream of cooling fluid to the aft airfoil cooling passage. The airfoil also defines at least one aft cooling exit for discharging the aft stream of cooling fluid from the aft airflow cooling passage to the peripheral plenum. The tip shroud defines at least one peripheral plenum vent for discharging the aft stream of cooling fluid. | 06-06-2013 |
20130315749 | COOLING STRUCTURES IN THE TIPS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine is described. The turbine rotor blade includes an airfoil that includes a tip at an outer radial end. The tip includes a rail that defines a tip cavity; and the rail includes a circumscribing rail microchannel. The circumscribing rail microchannel is a microchannel that extends around at least a majority of the length of the inner rail surface. | 11-28-2013 |
20140023497 | COOLED TURBINE BLADE TIP SHROUD WITH FILM/PURGE HOLES - A cooled turbine blade shroud with purge holes located proximate regions of the tip shroud cooling cavity that experience cooling air flow recirculation or stagnation. The purge holes may be oriented radially from the cooling cavity to a surface, such as the outer top surface and/or inner/bottom surface, of the tip shroud, and may provide improved heat transfer and consequent cooling and enhanced tip shroud life. | 01-23-2014 |
20140044557 | TURBINE BLADE AND METHOD FOR COOLING THE TURBINE BLADE - A turbine blade includes an outer surface, and a rim surrounds at least a portion of the outer surface. A trench in the rim extends around at least a portion of the outer surface. | 02-13-2014 |
20140154063 | AIRFOIL AND A METHOD FOR COOLING AN AIRFOIL PLATFORM - An airfoil includes an outer surface having a leading edge, a trailing edge downstream from the leading edge, and a convex surface between the leading and trailing edges. A cavity is inside the outer surface, and a platform is connected to the outer surface and defines a top surface around at least a portion of the outer surface. A first plurality of trenches is beneath the top surface of the platform upstream from the leading edge, wherein each trench in the first plurality of trenches is in fluid communication with the cavity inside the outer surface. A first plurality of cooling passages provide fluid communication from the first plurality of trenches through the top surface of the platform. | 06-05-2014 |
20140193273 | INTERIOR CONFIGURATION FOR TURBINE ROTOR BLADE - An interior cooling configuration formed within an airfoil of a blade of a combustion turbine engine is provided. The interior cooling configuration may include a first flow passage and a second flow passage that have a side-by-side configuration for a segment, and multiple lateral crossover passages extending between and fluidly connecting the first flow passage to the second flow passage. The crossover passages may be staggered. | 07-10-2014 |
20140271225 | INTERIOR COOLING CIRCUITS IN TURBINE BLADES - A rotor blade comprising an airfoil portion and a root portion, and an internal cooling circuit having flow passages in the root portion and the airfoil portion, wherein the internal cooling circuit includes: a first flow passage; and a non-integral plug. The plug may include a plug channel configured to correspond to a desired level of coolant flow through the first cooling passage. The plug may be connected to the rotor blade in a fixed blocking position relative to the first flow passage. | 09-18-2014 |
20140271226 | Turbine Blade Tip With Tip Shelf Diffuser Holes - A turbine blade having a tip including a tip shelf through which pass one or more diffuser cooling holes, the diffuser cooling holes directing the flow of cooling gas along the tip shelf, spreading the flow of cooling gas more evenly along the tip shelf and enhancing the formation of a curtain of cooling air along the tip shelf, leading to lower blade tip temperatures, reduced diversion of cooling air, and greater turbine blade life. | 09-18-2014 |