Abstract: A turbine engine has a compressor for delivery of compressed air to a combustor. The combustor delivers hot combustion gas through an outlet to a turbine. The turbine includes a nozzle assembly, downstream turbine blades, and shroud assemblies adjacent radially distal ends of turbine rotor blades. The nozzle and shroud assemblies include internal cooling passages for receiving compressed air from the compressor and, cooling air apertures opening through walls of the vanes and shrouds into the hot gas path to release film cooling air. The number of apertures, the aperture area, and the aperture pattern are varied in relation to the circumferential temperature profile of the combustion gas with a higher aperture area and/or higher number of apertures in high temperature regions and a lower aperture area and/or lower number of apertures in low temperature regions.

Abstract: An inducer that includes a profiled throat. In some embodiments, the inducer includes a conical shape upstream of the profiled throat with a relatively large circular inlet that narrows to the profiled throat and, downstream of the profiled throat, a downstream section that broadens from the profiled throat. The profiled throat may include an approximate convergent-divergent nozzle geometry.

Abstract: A hollow passage in a machine element for enhancing the heat exchanging properties between the machine element and a fluid flowing through the hollow passage; the hollow passage including a helicoidal groove. In some embodiments, the machine element comprises a heated machine element and the fluid comprises a coolant. In some embodiments, the machine element comprises a stator blade or a rotor blade of a gas turbine engine and the coolant comprises compressed air. In some embodiments, the helicoidal groove comprises a depression in an outer wall of the hollow passage that extends axially along the hollow passage to form a helicoidal or swirling path.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine including an airfoil and dovetail for mounting the airfoil along a radial axis to a rotor disk inboard of a turbine shroud, the airfoil comprising: a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall that join together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, the pressure sidewall and suction sidewall extending from a root to a tip plate; a pressure tip wall that extends radially outwardly from the tip plate, traversing from the leading edge to the trailing edge such that the pressure tip wall resides approximately adjacent to the termination of the pressure sidewall; a suction tip wall that extends radially outwardly from the tip plate, traversing from the leading edge to the trailing edge such that the suction tip wall resides approximately adjacent to the termination of the suction sidewall; and one or more tip ribs that extend substantially between the pressure tip wall and the suction tip wall.

Abstract: A turbine engine has a compressor for delivery of compressed air to a combustor. The combustor delivers hot combustion gas through an outlet to a turbine. The turbine includes a nozzle assembly, downstream turbine blades, and shroud assemblies adjacent radially distal ends of turbine rotor blades. The nozzle and shroud assemblies include internal cooling passages for receiving compressed air from the compressor and, cooling air apertures opening through walls of the vanes and shrouds into the hot gas path to release film cooling air. The number of apertures, the aperture area, and the aperture pattern are varied in relation to the circumferential temperature profile of the combustion gas with a higher aperture area and/or higher number of apertures in high temperature regions and a lower aperture area and/or lower number of apertures in low temperature regions.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine including an airfoil and dovetail for mounting the airfoil along a radial axis to a rotor disk inboard of a turbine shroud, the airfoil comprising: a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall that join together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, the pressure sidewall and suction sidewall extending from a root to a tip plate; a pressure tip wall that extends radially outwardly from the tip plate, traversing from the leading edge to the trailing edge such that the pressure tip wall resides approximately adjacent to the termination of the pressure sidewall; a suction tip wall that extends radially outwardly from the tip plate, traversing from the leading edge to the trailing edge such that the suction tip wall resides approximately adjacent to the termination of the suction sidewall; and one or more tip ribs that extend substantially between the pressure tip wall and the suction tip wall.

Abstract: An inducer that includes a profiled throat. In some embodiments, the inducer includes a conical shape upstream of the profiled throat with a relatively large circular inlet that narrows to the profiled throat and, downstream of the profiled throat, a downstream section that broadens from the profiled throat. The profiled throat may include an approximate convergent-divergent nozzle geometry.

Abstract: A hollow passage in a machine element for enhancing the heat exchanging properties between the machine element and a fluid flowing through the hollow passage; the hollow passage including a helicoidal groove. In some embodiments, the machine element comprises a heated machine element and the fluid comprises a coolant. In some embodiments, the machine element comprises a stator blade or a rotor blade of a gas turbine engine and the coolant comprises compressed air. In some embodiments, the helicoidal groove comprises a depression in an outer wall of the hollow passage that extends axially along the hollow passage to form a helicoidal or swirling path.