Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080298969 | STATOR-ROTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING SURFACE FEATURE FOR ENHANCED CONTAINMENT OF GAS FLOW AND RELATED PROCESSES - A stator-rotor assembly which includes at least one interface region between the stator and rotor is described. At least one stator or rotor surface in the interface region includes a pattern of inverted turbulators. The inverted turbulators restrict gas flow through a gap between the stator and the rotor. Various turbomachines which can contain such a stator-rotor assembly are also described. The disclosure also discusses methods to restrict gas flow through gaps in a stator-rotor assembly utilizing the inverted turbulators. | 12-04-2008 |
20090016402 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMAL INSPECTION OF PARTS - A method of thermal inspection of a part having at least one internal cavity is provided. The method includes flowing a fluid through the at least one internal cavity. The method also includes measuring a temperature at one or more locations on the part over time. The method further includes calculating at least one of a first and a second derivative of the temperature with respect to time. The method also includes comparing at least one of the first or the second derivative to one or more baseline values to determine if the part meets a desired specification. | 01-15-2009 |
20090087312 | Turbine Airfoil Concave Cooling Passage Using Dual-Swirl Flow Mechanism and Method - A turbine airfoil includes a leading edge having a concave cooling flow passage. An apex of the concave cooling flow passage divides the flow passage into adjacent regions. The turbine airfoil includes a first plurality of turbulators disposed in one of the adjacent regions, and a second plurality of turbulators disposed in the other of the adjacent regions. The first and second pluralities of turbulators are positioned relative to one another to divert cooling flow in opposing swirl streams that recombine along the apex and to effect a desired heat transfer and pressure loss. | 04-02-2009 |
20090255332 | THERMAL INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A thermal inspection method is provided for a component comprising at least one complex internal passage arrangement defining at least one opening. The thermal inspection method includes flowing a fluid through the at least one complex internal passage arrangement. The fluid has an initial temperature that differs from an initial temperature of the component. The thermal inspection method further includes measuring a thermal response of the component to the fluid flow and analyzing the thermal response to determine a number of heat transfer coefficients {h | 10-15-2009 |
20090277803 | METHOD AND TOOL FOR FORMING NON-CIRCULAR HOLES USING A SELECTIVELY COATED ELECTRODE - An electrochemical machining process for forming a non-circular hole from a substantially circular hole within a workpiece using an electrode. The electrode is made of an electrically conductive material and has insulated areas in which the electrically conductive material is coated with an insulating material, and exposed areas of metal or conductive material. The insulated areas and exposed areas extending in rows substantially along a longitudinal axis of the electrode. The electrode is first positioned in a substantially circular hole. An electric current is then applied to the electrode to electrochemically remove a predetermined amount of material from the substantially circular hole to form a non-circular hole. A variety of different non-circular shapes are achievable using the process. | 11-12-2009 |
20090297336 | ONLINE SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THERMAL INSPECTION OF PARTS - A thermal inspection method is provided. The method includes measuring a transient thermal response of a cooled part installed in a turbine engine, wherein the transient thermal response results from operation of the turbine engine. The method also includes using the transient thermal response to determine one or more of a flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in the cooled part during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in the cooled part, and a combined thermal response for the cooled part. The method further includes comparing at least one of the flow rate, the at least one heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response of at least a portion of the cooled part to at least one baseline value to determine whether a thermal performance of the cooled part is satisfactory. | 12-03-2009 |
20100011770 | Gas Turbine Premixer with Cratered Fuel Injection Sites - A premixer for a gas turbine combustor includes a swirler including a plurality of turning vanes that impart swirl velocity to airflow through the premixer, and at least one fuel injection site enabling fuel to mix with the airflow in the premixer. The fuel injection site terminates in a cratered hole. The cratered hole increases mixing efficiency and increases flashback/flameholding resistance. | 01-21-2010 |
20100068066 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING MODULATED PULSED FLOW - A device includes a fluid flow channel having a channel inlet for receiving a pressurized fluid for flow through the fluid flow channel and a channel outlet for discharging the pressurized fluid therefrom. A passive flow element is situated within the fluid flow channel or proximate to the channel inlet. The passive flow element includes an element inlet for receiving the pressurized fluid, and an element outlet. The passive flow element also includes a cavity for receiving the pressurized fluid from the element inlet and generating a periodic flow variation of the pressurized fluid so as to modulate the pressurized fluid flow rate through the element outlet. | 03-18-2010 |
20100119364 | Stator - rotor assemblies having surface features for enhanced containment of gas flow, and related processes - A stator-rotor assembly which includes at least one interface region between the stator and rotor is described. At least one stator or rotor surface in the interface region includes a pattern of concavities. The concavities restrict gas flow through a gap between the stator and the rotor. Various turbomachines which can contain such a stator-rotor assembly are also described. The disclosure also discusses methods to restrict gas flow through gaps in a stator-rotor assembly, utilizing the concavities. | 05-13-2010 |
20100205972 | ONE-PIECE CAN COMBUSTOR WITH HEAT TRANSFER SURFACE ENHACEMENTS - A method, system, and apparatus is provided for transferring heat from a can combustor associated with a gas turbine by providing a one-piece can combustor body having surface features that facilitate the transfer of heat away from the can combustor body, and by directing air flow to the surface features so that heat from the can combustor body is transferred from the surface features to the air flow. | 08-19-2010 |
20100250155 | METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING HOLE FLOW RATES IN FILM COOLED PARTS - A method for measuring a flow rate through a cooling hole of a film cooled part includes the steps of 1) measuring a transient thermal response of an internal surface temperature corresponding solely to an inside portion of a cooling hole for a film cooled part resulting from a flow of fluid through the part, the fluid having an initial temperature that is different from an initial temperature of the film cooled part, 2) mathematically characterizing the transient thermal response, and 3) determining the cooling hole flow rate from the mathematical characterization. | 09-30-2010 |
20100282721 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED FILM COOLING - A system for producing at least one trench to improve film cooling in a sample is provided. The system includes at least one laser source outputting at least one pulsed laser beam. The pulsed laser beam includes a pulse duration including a range less than about 50 μs, an energy per pulse having a range less than about 0.1 Joule, and a repetition rate with a range greater than about 1000 Hz. The system also includes a control subsystem coupled to the laser source, the control subsystem configured to synchronize a position of the sample with the pulse duration and energy level in order to selectively remove at least one of a thermal barrier coating, a bondcoat and a substrate metal in the sample to form the at least one trench. | 11-11-2010 |
20110030375 | AERODYNAMIC PYLON FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM FOR COMBUSTORS - A combustor system includes a pylon fuel injection system coupled to a combustion chamber and configured to inject fuel to the combustion chamber. The pylon fuel injection system includes a plurality of radial elements, each radial element having a plurality of first Coanda type fuel injection slots. A plurality of transverse elements are provided to each radial element. Each transverse element includes a plurality of second Coanda type fuel injection slots. | 02-10-2011 |
20110097188 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING FILM COOLING USING SHALLOW TRENCH WITH HOLES ORIENTED ALONG LENGTH OF TRENCH - A turbine airfoil includes a plurality of shallow trenches. Each trench includes a plurality of film holes disposed within and located along the lengthwise direction of the trench and angled through an airfoil substrate in the lengthwise direction of the trench. | 04-28-2011 |
20110097191 | METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR COOLING AIRFOIL SURFACES USING ASYMMETRIC CHEVRON FILM HOLES - A film-cooled turbine structure is configured with one or more asymmetric chevron film cooling holes for improving film cooling for a variety of airfoil surfaces or airfoil regions, particularly in regions and applications where the surface fluid streamline curvature is significant. | 04-28-2011 |
20110164653 | THERMAL INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD INCORPORATING EXTERNAL FLOW - A thermal inspection method is disclosed. The inspection method includes disposing a component in a wind tunnel configured to create a predetermined Mach number distribution for an external surface of the component. A gas is supplied at a known temperature T into the wind tunnel to create an external flow of gas over the external surface of the component in accordance with the predetermined Mach number distribution. The inspection method further includes directly or indirectly measuring one or more external surface temperatures of the component to generate an external surface temperature distribution for the external surface of the component and using the external surface temperature distribution to perform a quality control inspection of the component. A thermal inspection system is also provided. | 07-07-2011 |
20110185572 | PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR FORMING SHAPED AIR HOLES - A process and system are provided for forming shaped air holes, such as for use in turbine blades. Aspects of the disclosure relate to forming shaped portions of air holes using a short pulse laser, forming a metered hole corresponding to each shaped portion, and separately finishing the shaped portion using a short-pulse laser. In other embodiments, the order of these operations may be varied, such as to form the shaped portions and to finish the shaped portions using the short-pulse laser prior to forming the corresponding metered holes. | 08-04-2011 |
20110219776 | AERODYNAMIC FLAME STABILIZER - A flame stabilizer is in fluid communication with a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The flame stabilizer has a body with an aerodynamic shape that creates a flow recirculation zone by injection of fluid through a plurality of holes in the body of the flame stabilizer. The aerodynamic shape of the body reduces pressure loss in the combustor, particularly when no fuel is being provided to the combustor. In addition, the magnitude of the flow recirculation zone can be modulated by selectively adjusting the flow rate of fluid through the holes, or by selectively adjusting the size of the holes. | 09-15-2011 |
20110259017 | HOT GAS PATH COMPONENT COOLING SYSTEM - A cooling system for a hot gas path component is disclosed. The cooling system may include a component layer and a cover layer. The component layer may include a first inner surface and a second outer surface. The second outer surface may define a plurality of channels. The component layer may further define a plurality of passages extending generally between the first inner surface and the second outer surface. Each of the plurality of channels may be fluidly connected to at least one of the plurality of passages. The cover layer may be situated adjacent the second outer surface of the component layer. The plurality of passages may be configured to flow a cooling medium to the plurality of channels and provide impingement cooling to the cover layer. The plurality of channels may be configured to flow cooling medium therethrough, cooling the cover layer. | 10-27-2011 |
20110268583 | AIRFOIL TRAILING EDGE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A method for machining an airfoil including a plurality of internal cooling channels is provided. The method includes selectively removing a pressure side section proximate to a trailing edge of the airfoil to expose a portion of the plurality of internal cooling channels proximate to the trailing edge of the airfoil. The method also includes machining the exposed portion of the plurality of internal cooling channels to a predefined shape. | 11-03-2011 |
20110293423 | ARTICLES WHICH INCLUDE CHEVRON FILM COOLING HOLES, AND RELATED PROCESSES - An article is described, including an inner surface which can be exposed to a first fluid; an inlet; and an outer surface spaced from the inner surface, which can be exposed to a hotter second fluid. The article further includes at least one row or other pattern of passage holes. Each passage hole includes an inlet bore extending through the substrate from the inlet at the inner surface to a passage hole-exit proximate to the outer surface, with the inlet bore terminating in a chevron outlet adjacent the hole-exit. The chevron outlet includes a pair of wing troughs having a common surface region between them. The common surface region includes a valley which is adjacent the hole-exit; and a plateau adjacent the valley. The article can be an airfoil. Related methods for preparing the passage holes are also described. | 12-01-2011 |
20150049786 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GAS TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT - A temperature measurement system includes a plurality of filaments. The plurality of filaments are configured to emit thermal radiation in a relatively broad and substantially continuous wavelength band at least partially representative of a temperature of the plurality of filaments. A first and second portion of the filaments has a differing first and a second diameter and/or emissivity, respectively. The system also includes a detector array configured to generate electrical signals at least partially representative of the thermal radiation received from the filaments. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the detector array configured to transform the first electrical signals to a first temperature indication at least partially as a function of the first diameter and/or first emissivity and transform the second electrical signals to a second temperature indication at least partially as a function of the second diameter and/or emissivity. | 02-19-2015 |
20150083281 | HIGH TEMPERATURE SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY ACTUATORS - A high temperature component having an actuator body including an actuatable portion comprising a shape memory alloy containing one more of Ni, Al, Nb, Ti and Ta and a platinum-group metal. The shape memory alloy has an altered geometry at a predetermined temperature. The actuator is also capable of operation in and is resistant to high temperature oxidizing atmospheres. A method for forming an actuator and a method for high temperature control are also disclosed. | 03-26-2015 |