Patents by Inventor Ching-Pang Lee

Ching-Pang Lee has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • INTERNAL COOLING SYSTEM WITH CORRUGATED INSERT FORMING NEARWALL COOLING CHANNELS FOR AIRFOIL USABLE IN A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20150198050
    Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine in which the airfoil includes an internal cooling system formed from one or more midchord cooling channels with a corrugated insert positioned therein and creating nearwall leading edge, pressure side and suction side nearwall cooling channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Jae Y. Um, Gerald L. Hillier, Eric Schroeder, Mohamed Abdullah
  • TURBINE AIRFOIL COOLING SYSTEM WITH NONLINEAR TRAILING EDGE EXIT SLOTS
    Publication number: 20150184518
    Abstract: A cooling system for a turbine airfoil of a turbine engine having a trailing edge cooling channel formed from a central trailing edge cooling channel and at least one trailing edge exit slot with a nonlinear longitudinal axis is disclosed. The trailing edge exit slot may be defined by ribs having wavy side edges that form a jagged edge As such, the nonlinear longitudinal axis of the trailing edge exit slot reduces the effective flow area, generates impingement and turbulence to increase heat transfer and provides sufficient mechanical strength for better casting yield without overflowing for better performance The nonlinear trailing edge exit slot may be formed using a ceramic core and investment casting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Seal assembly including grooves in an inner shroud in a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 9068513
    Abstract: A seal assembly between a disc cavity and a hot gas path in a gas turbine engine includes a rotating blade assembly having a plurality of blades that rotate with a turbine rotor during operation of the engine, and a stationary vane assembly having a plurality of vanes and an inner shroud. The inner shroud includes a radially outwardly facing first surface, a radially inwardly facing second surface, and a plurality of grooves extending into the second surface. The grooves are arranged such that a space having a component in a circumferential direction is defined between adjacent grooves. During operation of the engine, the grooves guide purge air out of the disc cavity toward the hot gas path such that the purge air flows in a desired direction with reference to a direction of hot gas flow through the hot gas path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Turbine rotor disk inlet orifice for a turbine engine
    Patent number: 9068461
    Abstract: A turbine rotor body having at least one inlet orifice in fluid communication with a pre-swirl system such that the inlet orifice receives cooling fluids from the pre-swirl system is disclosed. The inlet orifice may be configured to reduce the relative velocity loss associated with cooling fluids entering the inlet orifice in the rotor, thereby availing the cooling system to the efficiencies inherent in pre-swirling the cooling fluids to a velocity that is greater than a rotational velocity of the turbine rotor body. As such, the system is capable of taking advantage of the additional temperature and work benefits associated with using the pre-swirled cooling fluids having a rotational speed greater than the turbine rotor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Vincent P. Laurello, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Investment casting method for gas turbine engine vane segment
    Patent number: 9061349
    Abstract: An investment casting method for a cast ceramic core (110), including an airfoil portion (116) shaped to define an inner surface (56) of an airfoil (52) of a vane segment (50) and an integral shell portion (122) having a backside-shaping surface (120) shaped to define a backside surface (68) of a shroud (62) of the vane segment. The backside-shaping surface has a higher elevation (132) and a lower elevation (134). The higher elevation is set apart from a nearest point (138) on the airfoil portion by the lower elevation. The airfoil portion and the shell portion are cast as a monolithic body during a single casting pour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Gerald L. Hillier, Jae Y. Um, Gm Salam Azad
  • Flow discourager integrated turbine inter-stage U-ring
    Patent number: 9062557
    Abstract: A gas turbine having rotor discs (9), a disc cavity (13) and a stator stage (25) extending to the disc cavity (13). Seal housing flanges (43, 44) extend from a seal housing (29) of the stator stage (25). Rotor flanges (41i, 41o) extend from a rotor disk (9-1). An inner rotor flange (41i) and first seal housing flange (43) are inward from a second seal housing flange (44). One rotor flange (41o) is outward from the second seal housing flange (44). The inner rotor flange (41i) and first seal housing flange (43) extend toward one another to limit movement of main gas flow (17). An inlet (47) injects air (50) between the outward rotor flange (41o) and second seal housing flange (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kok-Mun Tham, Ching-Pang Lee, Abdullatif M. Chehab, Gm Salam Azad, Shantanu P. Mhetras, Manjit Shivanand, Vincent P. Laurello, Christopher Rawlings
  • Twisted gas turbine engine airfoil having a twisted rib
    Patent number: 9057276
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade (20), including: an airfoil (24) including a pressure side exterior surface (34), a suction side exterior surface (36), and a first rib (130) spanning between the pressure side exterior surface and the suction side exterior surface. The airfoil (24) is twisted from a base end (30) of the airfoil to a tip end (32) of the airfoil. The first rib is twisted from a base end of the first rib to a tip end of the first rib. The pressure side exterior surface, the suction side exterior surface, and the first rib are cast as a monolith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • COOLING CONFIGURATION FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE AIRFOIL
    Publication number: 20150159489
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes an outer wall including a suction side, a pressure side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the outer wall defining an interior chamber of the airfoil. The airfoil further includes cooling structure provided in the interior chamber. The cooling structure defines an interior cooling cavity and includes a plurality of cooling fluid outlet holes, at least one of which is in communication with a pressure side cooling circuit and at least one of which is in communication with a suction side cooling circuit. At least one of the pressure and suction side cooling circuits includes: a plurality of rows of airfoils, wherein radially adjacent airfoils within a row define segments of cooling channels. Outlets of the segments in one row align aerodynamically with inlets of segments in an adjacent downstream row such that the cooling channels have a serpentine shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Trailing edge cooling using angled impingement on surface enhanced with cast chevron arrangements
    Patent number: 9039371
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component, including: a pressure side (12) having an interior surface (34); a suction side (14) having an interior surface (36); a trailing edge portion (30); and a plurality of suction side and pressure side impingement orifices (24) disposed in the trailing edge portion (30). Each suction side impingement orifice is configured to direct an impingement jet (48) at an acute angle (52) onto a target area (60) that encompasses a tip (140) of a chevron (122) within a chevron arrangement (120) formed in the suction side interior surface. Each pressure side impingement orifice is configured to direct an impingement jet at an acute angle onto an elongated target area that encompasses a tip of a chevron within a chevron arrangement formed in the pressure side interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, MIKRO SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Benjamin E. Heneveld, Glenn E. Brown, Jill Klinger
  • Seal assembly including grooves in a radially outwardly facing side of a platform in a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 9039357
    Abstract: A seal assembly between a disc cavity and a turbine section hot gas path includes a stationary vane assembly and a rotating blade assembly downstream from the vane assembly and including a plurality of blades that are supported on a platform and rotate with a turbine rotor and the platform during operation of the engine. The platform includes a radially outwardly facing first surface, a radially inwardly facing second surface, a third surface, and a plurality of grooves extending into the third surface. The grooves are arranged such that a space is defined between adjacent grooves. During operation of the engine, the grooves guide purge air out of the disc cavity toward the hot gas path such that the purge air flows in a desired direction with reference to a direction of hot gas flow through the hot gas path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Cooled component wall in a turbine engine
    Patent number: 9028207
    Abstract: A component wall in a turbine engine includes a substrate, a diffusion section, and at least one cooling passage. The diffusion section is located in a surface of the substrate and is defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The cooling passage(s) include an outlet portion through which cooling air exits in a direction toward the first sidewall. The outlet portion includes a rear section, a front section, and an inner wall having proximal and distal ends. The rear section is located between the first and second sidewalls. The front section extends between the first sidewall and the distal end of the inner wall. The first sidewall extends into the outlet portion of the cooling passage(s) to the inner wall and extends from the first lateral wall to the second lateral wall so as to block the front section of the outlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Humberto A. Zuniga, Ching-Pang Lee, Michael E. Crawford
  • Ceramic casting core having an integral vane internal core and shroud backside shell for vane segment casting
    Publication number: 20150122450
    Abstract: A cast ceramic core (110), including: an airfoil portion (116) shaped to define an inner surface (56) of an airfoil (52) of a vane segment (50); and a shell portion (122) having a backside-shaping surface (120) shaped to define a backside surface (68) of a shroud (62) of the vane segment. The backside-shaping surface has a higher elevation (132) and a lower elevation (134). The higher elevation is set apart from a nearest point (138) on the airfoil portion by the lower elevation. The airfoil portion and the shell portion are cast as a monolithic body during a single casting pour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Gerald L. Hillier, Jae Y. UM, Gm Salam Azad
  • INVESTMENT CASTING METHOD FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINE VANE SEGMENT
    Publication number: 20150122446
    Abstract: An investment casting method for a cast ceramic core (110), including an airfoil portion (116) shaped to define an inner surface (56) of an airfoil (52) of a vane segment (50) and an integral shell portion (122) having a backside-shaping surface (120) shaped to define a backside surface (68) of a shroud (62) of the vane segment. The backside-shaping surface has a higher elevation (132) and a lower elevation (134). The higher elevation is set apart from a nearest point (138) on the airfoil portion by the lower elevation. The airfoil portion and the shell portion are cast as a monolithic body during a single casting pour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Gerald L. Hillier, Jae Y. Um, Gm Salam Azad
  • Integrated axial and tangential serpentine cooling circuit in a turbine airfoil
    Patent number: 9022736
    Abstract: A continuous serpentine cooling circuit forming a progression of radial passages (44, 45, 46, 47A, 48A) between pressure and suction side walls (52, 54) in a MID region of a turbine airfoil (24). The circuit progresses first axially, then tangentially, ending in a last radial passage (48A) adjacent to the suction side (54) and not adjacent to the pressure side (52). The passages of the axial progression (44, 45, 46) may be adjacent to both the pressure and suction side walls of the airfoil. The next to last radial passage (47A) may be adjacent to the pressure side wall and not adjacent to the suction side wall. The last two radial passages (47A, 48A) may be longer along the pressure and suction side walls respectively than they are in a width direction, providing increased direct cooling surface area on the interiors of these hot walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., Mikro Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Nan Jiang, John J. Marra, Ronald J. Rudolph, John P. Dalton
  • TRAILING EDGE COOLING USING ANGLED IMPINGEMENT ON SURFACE ENHANCED WITH CAST CHEVRON ARRANGEMENTS
    Publication number: 20150118034
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component, including: a pressure side (12) having an interior surface (34); a suction side (14) having an interior surface (36); a trailing edge portion (30); and a plurality of suction side and pressure side impingement orifices (24) disposed in the trailing edge portion (30). Each suction side impingement orifice is configured to direct an impingement jet (48) at an acute angle (52) onto a target area (60) that encompasses a tip (140) of a chevron (122) within a chevron arrangement (120) formed in the suction side interior surface. Each pressure side impingement orifice is configured to direct an impingement jet at an acute angle onto an elongated target area that encompasses a tip of a chevron within a chevron arrangement formed in the pressure side interior surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Benjamin E. Heneveld, Glenn E. Brown, Jill Klinger
  • OUTER VANE SUPPORT RING INCLUDING A STRONG BACK PLATE IN A COMPRESSOR SECTION OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20150118040
    Abstract: A support ring for a row of vanes in an engine section of a gas turbine engine includes an annular main body portion for providing structural support for a row of vanes in the engine section, an aft hook, a forward wall, and a strong back plate. The aft hook extends from an aft side of the main body portion and is coupled to an outer engine casing for structurally supporting the support ring in the engine section. The forward wall extends generally radially outwardly from a forward side of the main body portion. The strong back plate spans between the forward wall and the aft hook and effects a reduction in dynamic displacement between the forward wall and the aft hook during operation of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Mrinal Munshi, Adam C. Pela, Paul Bradley Davis, Matthew H. Lang
  • MULTI-WALL GAS TURBINE AIRFOIL CAST USING A CERAMIC CORE FORMED WITH A FUGITIVE INSERT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME
    Publication number: 20150118057
    Abstract: A multi-wall gas turbine airfoil (192) and method of forming same using a casting core (150) having a monolithic body configured to define a pressure side wall (12), a suction side wall (14), and a third wall (16). The casting core is formed around a fugitive insert (96) during a single pour casting process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Gary B. Merrill
  • Serpentine cooling circuit with T-shaped partitions in a turbine airfoil
    Patent number: 9017025
    Abstract: A serpentine cooling circuit (AFT) in a turbine airfoil (34A) starting from a radial feed channel (C1), and progressing axially (65) in alternating tangential directions through interconnected channels (C1, C2, C3) formed between partitions (T1, T2, J1). At least one of the partitions (T1, T2) has a T-shaped transverse section, with a base portion (67) extending from a suction or pressure side wall (64, 62) of the airfoil, and a crossing portion (68, 69) parallel to, and not directly attached to, the opposite pressure or suction side wall (62, 64). Each crossing portion bounds a near-wall passage (N1, N2) adjacent to the opposite pressure or suction side wall (62, 64). Each near-wall passage may have a smaller flow aperture area than one, or each, of two adjacent connected channels (C1, C2, C3). The serpentine circuit (AFT) may follow a forward cooling circuit (FWD) in the airfoil (34A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., Mikro Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Component having cooling channel with hourglass cross section
    Patent number: 9017027
    Abstract: A cooling channel (36, 36B, 63-66) cools inner surfaces (48, 50) of exterior walls (41, 43) of a component (20, 60). Interior side surfaces (52, 54) of the channel converge to a waist (W2), forming an hourglass shaped transverse profile (46). The inner surfaces (48, 50) may have fins (44) aligned with the coolant flow (22). The fins may have a transverse profile (56A, 56B) highest at mid-width of the inner surfaces (48, 50). Turbulators (92) may be provided on the side surfaces (52, 54) of the channel, and may urge the coolant flow toward the inner surfaces (48, 50). Each turbulator (92) may have a peak (97) that defines the waist of the cooling channel. Each turbulator may have a convex upstream side (93). These elements increase coolant flow in the corners (C) of the channel to more uniformly and efficiently cool the exterior walls (41, 43).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., Mikro Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian X. Campbell, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Aft outer rim seal arrangement
    Patent number: 9017014
    Abstract: An outer rim seal arrangement (10), including: an annular rim (70) centered about a longitudinal axis (30) of a rotor disc (31), extending fore and having a fore-end (72), an outward-facing surface (74), and an inward-facing surface (76); a lower angel wing (62) extending aft from a base of a turbine blade (22) and having an aft end (64) disposed radially inward of the rim inward-facing surface to define a lower angel wing seal gap (80); an upper angel wing (66) extending aft from the turbine blade base and having an aft end (68) disposed radially outward of the rim outward-facing surface to define a upper angel wing seal gap (80, 82); and guide vanes (100) disposed on the rim inward-facing surface in the lower angel wing seal gap. Pumping fins (102) may be disposed on the upper angel wing seal aft end in the upper angel wing seal gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Eric Schroeder, Jamie Meeroff, Samuel R. Miller, Jr., John J. Marra, Christian X. Campbell