Abstract: A cooling arrangement (56) having: a duct (30) configured to receive hot gases (16) from a combustor; and a flow sleeve (50) surrounding the duct and defining a cooling plenum (52) there between, wherein the flow sleeve is configured to form impingement cooling jets (70) emanating from dimples (82) in the flow sleeve effective to predominately cool the duct in an impingement cooling zone (60), and wherein the flow sleeve defines a convection cooling zone (64) effective to cool the duct solely via a cross-flow (76), the cross-flow comprising cooling fluid (72) exhausting from the impingement cooling zone. In the impingement cooling zone an undimpled portion (84) of the flow sleeve tapers away from the duct as the undimpled portion nears the convection cooling zone. The flow sleeve is configured to effect a greater velocity of the cross-flow in the convection cooling zone than in the impingement cooling zone.

Abstract: An airfoil in a gas turbine engine includes an outer wall and an inner wall. The outer wall includes a leading edge, a trailing edge opposed from the leading edge in a chordal direction, a pressure side, and a suction side. The inner wall is coupled to the outer wall at a single chordal location and includes portions spaced from the pressure and suction sides of the outer wall so as to form first and second gaps between the inner wall and the respective pressure and suction sides. The inner wall defines a chamber therein and includes openings that provide fluid communication between the respective gaps and the chamber. The gaps receive cooling fluid that provides cooling to the outer wall as it flows through the gaps. The cooling fluid, after traversing at least substantial portions of the gaps, passes into the chamber through the openings in the inner wall.

Abstract: A turbine blade (10) including an airfoil (12) having multiple interior wall portions (70) each separating at least one chamber from another one of multiple chambers (46, 48, 50, 58, 60). In one embodiment a first wall portion (70-2) between first and second chambers (60, 52) includes first and second pluralities of flow paths (86P, 86S) extending through the first wall portion. The first wall portion includes a first region R1 having a first thickness, t, measurable as a distance between the chambers. One of the paths extends a first path distance, d, as measured from an associated path opening (78) in the first chamber (60), through the first region and to an exit opening (82) in the second chamber (52) which path distance is greater than the first thickness.

Abstract: A cooling arrangement in a gas turbine system (120). The arrangement includes a plurality of flow network units (208) to transfer heat to cooling fluid, at least one unit including first (218), second (220), and third (222) flow sections between openings (64a) in a first wall (66) and an opening in a second wall (68) to pass cooling fluid through the walls. The first section includes first flow paths, between the openings in the first wall and the second section, extending to the second section. The third section includes third flow paths, between the second section and the opening in the second wall, to effect flow of cooling fluid. The second section includes one or more cooling fluid flow paths between the first section and the third section. The number of flow paths in the second section is fewer than the number of first flow paths and fewer than the number of third flow paths.

Abstract: An airfoil in a gas turbine engine includes an outer wall, a cooling fluid cavity, and a cooling system. The outer wall has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, and radially inner and outer ends. The cooling fluid cavity is defined in the outer wall, extends generally radially between the inner and outer ends of the outer wall, and receives cooling fluid for cooling the outer wall. The cooling system receives cooling fluid from the cooling fluid cavity for cooling the trailing edge portion of the outer wall and includes a cooling fluid chamber defined by opposing first and second sidewalls that include respective alternating angled sections that provide the cooling fluid chamber with a zigzag shape.

Abstract: Multi-scale turbulation features, including first turbulators (46, 48) on a cooling surface (44), and smaller turbulators (52, 54, 58, 62) on the first turbulators. The first turbulators may be formed between larger turbulators (50). The first turbulators may be alternating ridges (46) and valleys (48). The smaller turbulators may be concave surface features such as dimples (62) and grooves (54), and/or convex surface features such as bumps (58) and smaller ridges (52). An embodiment with convex turbulators (52, 58) in the valleys (48) and concave turbulators (54, 62) on the ridges (46) increases the cooling surface area, reduces boundary layer separation, avoids coolant shadowing and stagnation, and reduces component mass.

Abstract: A method of casting a component (42) having convoluted interior passageways (44). A desired three dimensional structure corresponding to a later-formed metal alloy component is formed by stacking a plurality of sheets (18, 20) of a fugitive material. The sheets contain void areas (22) corresponding to a desired interior passageway in the metal alloy component. A ceramic slurry material is cast into the three dimensional structure to form either a ceramic core (34) or a complete ceramic casting vessel (38). If just a ceramic core is formed, a wax pattern is formed around the ceramic core and an exterior ceramic shell (38) is formed around the wax pattern by a dipping process prior to the removal of the fugitive material and wax. An alloy component having the desired interior passageway is cast into the casting vessel after the fugitive material is removed.

Abstract: A seal assembly between a hot gas path and a disc cavity in a turbine engine includes a non-rotatable vane assembly including a row of vanes and an inner shroud, a rotatable blade assembly axially adjacent to the vane assembly and including a row of blades and a turbine disc that forms a part of a turbine rotor, and an annular wing member located radially between the hot gas path and the disc cavity. The wing member extends generally axially from the blade assembly toward the vane assembly and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart flow passages extending therethrough from a radially inner surface thereof to a radially outer surface thereof. The flow passages each include a portion that is curved as the passage extends radially outwardly to effect a scooping of cooling fluid from the disc cavity into the flow passages and toward the hot gas path.

Abstract: A shell air recirculation system for use in a gas turbine engine includes one or more outlet ports located at a bottom wall section of an engine casing wall and one or more inlet ports located at a top wall section of the engine casing wall. The system further includes a piping system that provides fluid communication between the outlet port(s) and the inlet port(s), a blower for extracting air from a combustor shell through the outlet port(s) and for conveying the extracted air to the inlet port(s), and a valve system for selectively allowing and preventing air from passing through the piping system. The system operates during less than full load operation of the engine to circulate air within the combustor shell but is not operational during full load operation of the engine.

Abstract: A conduit through which hot combustion gases pass in a gas turbine engine. The conduit includes a wall structure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a region, an inlet, and an outlet. The inner surface defines an inner volume of the conduit. The region extends between the inner and outer surfaces and includes cooling fluid structure defining a plurality of cooling passageways. The inlet extends inwardly from the outer surface and provides fluid communication between the inlet and the passageways. The outlet extends from the passageways to the inner surface to provide fluid communication between the passageways and the inner volume. At least one first cooling passageway intersects with at least one second cooling passageway such that cooling fluid flowing through the first cooling passageway interacts with cooling fluid flowing through the second cooling passageway.

Abstract: A cooling arrangement (82) for a gas turbine engine component, the cooling arrangement (82) having a plurality of rows (92, 94, 96) of airfoils (98), wherein adjacent airfoils (98) within a row (92, 94, 96) define segments (110, 130, 140) of cooling channels (90), and wherein outlets (114, 134) of the segments (110, 130) in one row (92, 94) align aerodynamically with inlets (132, 142) of segments (130, 140) in an adjacent row (94, 96) to define continuous cooling channels (90) with non continuous walls (116, 120), each cooling channel (90) comprising a serpentine shape.

Abstract: A cooling arrangement (56) having: a duct (30) configured to receive hot gases (16) from a combustor; and a flow sleeve (50) surrounding the duct and defining a cooling plenum (52) there between, wherein the flow sleeve is configured to form impingement cooling jets (70) emanating from dimples (82) in the flow sleeve effective to predominately cool the duct in an impingement cooling zone (60), and wherein the flow sleeve defines a convection cooling zone (64) effective to cool the duct solely via a cross-flow (76), the cross-flow comprising cooling fluid (72) exhausting from the impingement cooling zone. In the impingement cooling zone an undimpled portion (84) of the flow sleeve tapers away from the duct as the undimpled portion nears the convection cooling zone. The flow sleeve is configured to effect a greater velocity of the cross-flow in the convection cooling zone than in the impingement cooling zone.

Abstract: A cooling system for a turbine blade of a turbine engine having a bifurcated mid-chord cooling chamber for reducing the temperature of the blade. The bifurcated mid-chord cooling chamber may be formed from a pressure side serpentine cooling channel and a suction side serpentine cooling channel with cooling fluids passing through the pressure side serpentine cooling channel in a direction from the trailing edge toward the leading edge and in an opposite direction through the suction side serpentine cooling channel. The pressure side and suction side serpentine cooling channels may flow counter to each other, thereby yielding a more uniform temperature distribution than conventional serpentine cooling channels.

Abstract: Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with composite grooves and vertically projecting rows of stepped first ridges in planform patterns, to reduce, redirect and/or block blade tip airflow leakage downstream into the grooves rather than from turbine blade airfoil high to low pressure sides. Each stepped first ridge has a first portion proximal the substrate surface with a pair of first opposed lateral walls terminating in a plateau, and a second portion terminating in a ridge tip. These ridge or rib embodiments have first lower and second upper wear zones. The lower zone, which at and below first portion height, optimizes engine airflow characteristics, while the upper zone, between the plateau and the second portion ridge is optimized to minimize blade tip gap and wear by being more easily abradable than the lower zone.

Abstract: A support ring for a row of vanes in an engine section of a gas turbine engine includes an annular main body portion to which a row of vanes is affixed for providing structural support for the vanes in the engine section, and an aft hook extending from an aft side of the main body portion with reference to a direction of air flow through the engine section. The aft hook is coupled to an outer engine casing for structurally supporting the support ring in the engine section. The support ring does not include a forward hook having a flange that extends axially from a forward or aft side of the forward hook with reference to the direction of air flow through the engine section.

Abstract: Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with nested loop pattern abradable surface ridges and grooves. The nested loops comprise nested fully closed loops or a spiraling maze pattern loop. Some embodiments include distinct forward upstream and aft downstream composite multi orientation groove and vertically projecting ridges planform patterns, to reduce, redirect and/or block blade tip airflow leakage downstream into the grooves rather than from turbine blade airfoil high to low pressure sides. Ridge or rib embodiments have first lower and second upper wear zones. The lower zone optimizes engine airflow characteristics while the upper zone is optimized to minimize blade tip gap and wear by being more easily abradable than the lower zone.

Abstract: A seal assembly between a hot gas path and a disc cavity in a turbine engine includes a non-rotatable vane assembly including a row of vanes and an inner shroud, a rotatable blade assembly adjacent to the vane assembly and including a row of blades and a turbine disc that forms a part of a turbine rotor, and an annular wing member located radially between the hot gas path and the disc cavity. The wing member extends generally axially from the blade assembly toward the vane assembly and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart flow passages extending therethrough from a radially inner surface thereof to a radially outer surface thereof. The flow passages effect a pumping of cooling fluid from the disc cavity toward the hot gas path during operation of the engine.

Abstract: Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with composite grooves and vertically projecting rows of ridges in planform patterns, establishing upper and lower wear zones. The lower wear zone reduces, redirects and/or blocks blade tip downstream airflow leakage, while the upper wear zone is optimized to minimize blade tip gap and wear by being more easily abradable than the lower zone. An elongated first ridge in the lower wear zone terminates in a continuous surface plateau. A plurality of second ridges or nibs, separated by grooves, project from the plateau, forming the upper wear zone. Each of the second ridges has a planform cross section smaller than the plateau planform cross section and a height smaller than the first ridge height. Some embodiments of the second ridges have spacing, planform cross sections, heights and separating groove dimensions selected for shearing when contacted by turbine blade tips.

Abstract: Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with composite grooves and vertically projecting rows of first ridges in planform patterns, to reduce, redirect and/or block blade tip airflow leakage downstream into the grooves rather than from turbine blade airfoil high to low pressure sides. The abradable component embodiments have a multi-depth grooves formed in the abradable substrate surface between pairs of elongated continuous tip surface first ridges. These ridge and multi-depth groove embodiments have first lower and second upper wear zones. The lower zone, in the deeper grooves, optimizes engine airflow characteristics, while the upper zone, in the shallower grooves, is optimized to minimize blade tip gap and wear by being more easily abradable than the lower zone.

Abstract: A ceramic casting core, including: a plurality of rows (162, 166, 168) of gaps (164), each gap (164) defining an airfoil shape; interstitial core material (172) that defines and separates adjacent gaps (164) in each row (162, 166, 168); and connecting core material (178) that connects adjacent rows (170, 174, 176) of interstitial core material (172). Ends of interstitial core material (172) in one row (170, 174, 176) align with ends of interstitial core material (172) in an adjacent row (170, 174, 176) to form a plurality of continuous and serpentine shaped structures each including interstitial core material (172) from at least two adjacent rows (170, 174, 176) and connecting core material (178).