Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120082548 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform, wherein the rotor blade includes an interior cooling passage, and wherein, in operation, the interior cooling passage comprises a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, and wherein the platform includes a platform underside. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a first plate that resides inboard and in spaced relation to the platform underside and forming a first plenum; a second plate that resides inboard and in spaced relation to the first plate, the second plate forming a second plenum. The second plenum includes an inlet channel that connects to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage, and the first plenum includes an outlet channel that connects to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage. | 04-05-2012 |
20120082549 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS 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 in operation, includes at least a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, and wherein the platform includes a platform underside. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a plate that comprises a plate topside; a channel formed on the plate topside, the channel comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, and being open through the plate topside such that, upon attaching the plate to the platform, the platform underside comprises a channel ceiling; a high-pressure connector that connects the upstream end of the channel to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; and a low-pressure connector that connects the downstream end of the channel to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage. | 04-05-2012 |
20120082550 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A platform cooling configuration in a turbine rotor blade that includes platform slot formed through at least one of the pressure side slashface and the suction side slashface; a removably-engaged impingement insert that separates the platform into two radially stacked plenums, a first plenum that resides inboard of a second plenum; a high-pressure connector that connects the first plenum to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; a low-pressure connector that connects the second plenum to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage. | 04-05-2012 |
20120082564 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform that includes an interior cooling passage formed therein. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a main plenum residing just inboard of the planar topside and extending from an aft position to a forward position within one of the pressure side and the suction side of the platform, the main plenum having a longitudinal axis that is approximately parallel to the planar topside; a supply plenum that extends between the main plenum and the interior cooling passage; and a plurality of cooling apertures, each cooling aperture extending from one of the pressure side and the suction side slashface to a connection with the main plenum. | 04-05-2012 |
20120082565 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - In a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, wherein the airfoil and the root include an interior cooling passage formed therein, wherein, in operation, the interior cooling passage comprises at least a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, platform cooling arrangement that includes: a platform slot extending circumferentially from a mouth formed through the pressure side slashface; a high-pressure connector that connects the platform slot to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; a low-pressure connector that connects the platform slot to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; and a platform cooling cartridge removably engaged within the platform slot, the platform cooling cartridge comprising one or more cartridge cooling channels. | 04-05-2012 |
20120082566 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A platform cooling arrangement for a turbine rotor blade having a platform and an interior cooling passage and, in operation, a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, wherein the platform includes a topside, which extends from the airfoil to a pressure side slashface, and an underside. The platform cooling arrangement may include: an airfoil manifold that resides near the junction of the pressure face of the airfoil and the platform; a slashface manifold that resides near the pressure side slashface; a high-pressure connector that connects the airfoil manifold to a high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; a low-pressure connector that connects the slashface manifold to a low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; cooling apertures that extend from a starting point along the pressure side slashface to a connection with the airfoil manifold, bisecting the slashface manifold therebetween; and a plurality of non-integral plugs. | 04-05-2012 |
20120107134 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS 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 from a connection at the root to the approximate radial height of the platform, wherein, the interior cooling passage comprises a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, and wherein a pressure side of the platform comprises a topside extending circumferentially from the airfoil to a pressure side slashface. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a platform cavity formed within the pressure side of the platform, a high-pressure connector that connects the platform cavity to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; a low-pressure connector that connects the platform cavity to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; and a pin bank formed within the platform cavity that includes radial pins. | 05-03-2012 |
20120156055 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR COOLING PLATFORM REGIONS OF TURBINE ROTOR BLADES - A configuration of cooling channels through the interior of a turbine rotor blade, the turbine rotor blade including a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root. In one embodiment, the configuration of cooling channels includes: an interior cooling passage that is configured to extend from a connection with a coolant source in the root to the interior of the airfoil; a platform cooling channel that traverses at least a portion of the platform; a turndown extension that includes a first section, which comprises a connection with the platform cooling channel, and a second section, which comprises a radially oriented cooling channel; and a connector that extends from a connector opening formed through an outer face of the root to a connection with the interior cooling passage and, therebetween, bisects the second section of the turndown extension. | 06-21-2012 |
20120195743 | FLEXIBLE SEAL FOR TURBINE ENGINE - A system including: a first turbine segment comprising a first blade coupled to a first shank. The system also includes a second turbine segment including a second blade coupled to a second shank, as well as an elongated flexible seal disposed in a gap between the first and second shanks. The elongated flexible seal includes an opening configured to channel a fluid flow into a hollow region of the elongated flexible seal to induce expansion of the elongated flexible seal in the gap. | 08-02-2012 |
20130052009 | BUCKET ASSEMBLY TREATING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING BUCKET ASSEMBLY - A bucket assembly and a method for treating a bucket assembly are disclosed. The bucket assembly includes a platform, the platform defining a platform cooling circuit, and an airfoil extending generally radially outward from the platform, the airfoil defining an airfoil cooling circuit. The bucket assembly additionally includes a lower body portion extending generally radially inward from the platform, the lower body portion defining a root and a cooling passage extending from the root, the cooling passage in fluid communication with the airfoil cooling circuit. The bucket assembly further includes a transfer passage defined between and in fluid communication with the airfoil cooling circuit and the platform cooling circuit such that a cooling medium may flow from the airfoil cooling circuit through the transfer passage to the platform cooling circuit. | 02-28-2013 |
20130115090 | TURBOMACHINE COMPONENT AND METHOD OF CONNECTING COOLING CIRCUITS OF A TURBOMACHINE COMPONENT - A turbomachine component is provided and includes a turbine blade, which is rotatable about a rotor of a turbine for power generation operations and a platform with which the turbine blade is to be assembled. The turbine blade is formed to define a main circuit having an appendage. The platform is formed to define a platform circuit, and a substantially radially extendible pathway configured to be coupled to the appendage and to the platform circuit. | 05-09-2013 |
20130171003 | TURBINE ROTOR BLADE PLATFORM COOLING - A platform cooling arrangement for a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, the root including attachment means and a shank, wherein the platform comprises a suction side that includes a topside extending from an airfoil base to a suction side slashface, and wherein the platform overhangs a shank cavity. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a pocket formed in an underside region of the platform, the pocket comprising a mouth that fluidly communicates with the shank cavity; a manifold extending from the suction side slashface to a pressure side slashface, the manifold including a connection to the pocket; and cooling apertures that extend from connections made with the pocket and manifold to ports. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171004 | TURBINE ROTOR BLADE PLATFORM COOLING - A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform positioned between an airfoil and a root. The rotor blade, along a side that coincides with a pressure side of the airfoil, includes a pressure side of the platform includes a topside extending from an airfoil base to a pressure side slashface. The platform cooling arrangement includes: a main plenum residing just inboard of the topside in the pressure side of the platform, the main plenum extending through the platform from an upstream end having an aft position to a downstream end having a forward position; and cooling apertures. Near the upstream end, the main plenum includes an aft switchback, and, between the aft switchback and the downstream end, a forward arc. Each of the cooling apertures extends from the main plenum to a port formed on the pressure side slashface. | 07-04-2013 |
20130171005 | TURBINE ROTOR BLADE PLATFORM COOLING - 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 formed therein, wherein, in operation, the interior cooling passage comprises a high-pressure coolant region and a low-pressure coolant region, and wherein a suction side of the platform comprises a topside extending circumferentially from the airfoil to a suction side slashface, and wherein the suction side of the platform comprises an aft edge. The platform cooling arrangement may include: a manifold positioned within an aft side of the suction side of the platform; a high-pressure connector that connects the manifold to the high-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; a low-pressure connector that connects the manifold to the low-pressure coolant region of the interior cooling passage; and heat transfer structure positioned within the manifold. | 07-04-2013 |
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 |