Abstract: A protection system for preventing foreign material from lodging in a channel between and/or damage to adjacent ceramic core features during a core processing operation is disclosed. The system includes a gasket sized and shaped to self-lock within the channel and prevent foreign material from lodging within the channel during the core processing operation. A method may include determining a geometrical characteristic of the channel and adjacent ceramic core feature; fabricating a gasket to fit and self-lock within the channel; positioning the gasket within the channel; and performing the core processing operation. The gasket prevents the foreign material from lodging in the channel, reducing subsequent damage to the ceramic core compared to the channel without the gasket.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a tip member configured to be coupled to a blade structure for a turbomachine. A body of the tip member includes: a first surface configured to engage a radially outboard end of the blade structure, a second surface positioned opposite the first surface, and at least one perimeter sidewall positioned between the first and second surfaces, wherein the at least one perimeter sidewall has an airfoil cross-section; and an opening passing through the body from the first surface to the second surface, and having a single directional orientation therebetween, wherein the opening is sized to receive a post positioned on the radially outboard end of the blade structure.

Abstract: A blade includes an airfoil body defined by a concave pressure side outer wall and a convex suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant, the airfoil body having an outer surface and an inner surface facing the radially extending chamber. A first corrugated surface is on at least a portion of the outer surface of the airfoil body; and a first rib partitions the radially extending chamber, the first rib including a first side and an opposing second side. A second corrugated surface is on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second sides of the first rib.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade includes an airfoil body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a smooth outer surface. A cutout is included within at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge, the cutout removing a predetermined area of the airfoil body. A coupon is coupled in the cutout to replace the predetermined area of the airfoil body. The coupon includes a first corrugated surface on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof. The coupon allows for the addition of advantageous wake mixing and cooling efficiencies to preexisting blades.

Abstract: A turbine vane includes an airfoil body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a smooth outer surface. A cutout is included within at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge, the cutout removing a predetermined area of the airfoil body. A coupon is coupled in the cutout to replace the predetermined area of the airfoil body. The coupon includes a first corrugated surface on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof. The coupon allows for the addition of advantageous wake mixing and cooling efficiencies to preexisting vanes.

Abstract: An airport having an exterior wall including a plurality of spaced layers for improved cooling and lifetime is disclosed. The airfoil and exterior wall are made by additive manufacturing. The exterior wall includes an exterior layer, an intermediate layer, and an interior layer each separated from adjacent layers by a plurality of standoff members; a plurality of first cooling chambers between the exterior and intermediate layers, the chambers partitioned by a first partitioning wall; a plurality of second cooling chambers between in the intermediate and interior layers, the chambers partitioned by a second partitioning wall; a thermal barrier coating on the exterior layer; a plurality of impingement openings in the intermediate layer and a second plurality of impingement openings in the interior layer; and a plurality of cooling passages in the exterior layer. The exterior layer may also include plateaus on an exterior face through which the cooling passages extend.

Abstract: A blade includes an airfoil body defined by a concave pressure side outer wall and a convex suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant. The airfoil body has an inner surface facing the radially extending chamber and an outer surface, a first corrugated surface on a portion of the outer surface, and a second corrugated surface on the inner surface paralleling the first corrugated surface. The corrugated surface on the outer surface of the airfoil provides wake mixing. The blade may also include an integrally formed impingement cooling structure having a third corrugated surface parallel to the second corrugated surface, which is made possible through additive manufacturing. The impingement cooling structure so formed provides improved cooling of the blade.

Abstract: A mold system and method for forming a casting article for investment casting is disclosed. The mold system includes a mold for receiving therein a selected core chosen from a plurality of varied cores. The mold includes a plurality of separable mold portions that are coupleable together to create the mold and configured to form a sacrificial material from a sacrificial material fluid about the selected core. At least one selected separable mold portion of the plurality of separable mold portions includes a set of varied interchangeable versions of the at least one selected separable mold portion. Each varied interchangeable version of the selected separable mold portion is configured to accommodate a different core of the plurality of varied cores. A number of systems for controlling a temperature of the mold are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade for a turbomachine. The rotor blade includes an airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge and defines a chord extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge. A tip shroud couples to the airfoil and includes a leading edge wall and a trailing edge wall and defines a tip shroud cavity. The tip shroud cavity includes a leading edge portion at least partially defined by the leading edge wall and positioned largely upstream of fifty percent of the chord. The tip shroud cavity also includes a trailing edge portion at least partially defined by the trailing edge wall and positioned largely downstream of fifty percent of the chord. An intermediate portion of the tip shroud cavity fluidly couples the leading edge portion of the tip shroud cavity and the trailing edge portion of the tip shroud cavity.

Abstract: A rotor blade includes an airfoil having a blade tip and a tip cavity formed at the blade tip. The tip cavity includes a tip cap that is recessed radially inwardly from the tip and surrounded continuously by pressure and suction side walls of the airfoil. The tip cap further includes an aperture that extends through the tip cap and provides for fluid communication between an internal cavity defined within the airfoil and the tip cavity. An exhaust port provides for fluid communication out the tip cavity through one of the pressure side wall, the suction side wall or the trailing edge. A portion of at least one of the suction side wall and the pressure side wall that defines the tip cavity extends obliquely outwardly from the tip cavity with respect to a radial direction.

Abstract: A blade includes an airfoil body defined by a concave pressure side outer wall and a convex suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant. The airfoil body has an inner surface facing the radially extending chamber and an outer surface, a first corrugated surface on a portion of the outer surface, and a second corrugated surface on the inner surface paralleling the first corrugated surface. The corrugated surface on the outer surface of the airfoil provides wake mixing. The blade may also include an integrally formed impingement cooling structure having a third corrugated surface parallel to the second corrugated surface, which is made possible through additive manufacturing. The impingement cooling structure so formed provides improved cooling of the blade.

Abstract: A blade includes an airfoil body defined by a concave pressure side outer wall and a convex suction side outer wall that connect along leading and trailing edges and, therebetween, form a radially extending chamber for receiving the flow of a coolant, the airfoil body having an outer surface and an inner surface facing the radially extending chamber. A first corrugated surface is on at least a portion of the outer surface of the airfoil body; and a first rib partitions the radially extending chamber, the first rib including a first side and an opposing second side. A second corrugated surface is on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second sides of the first rib.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade includes an airfoil body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a smooth outer surface. A cutout is included within at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge, the cutout removing a predetermined area of the airfoil body. A coupon is coupled in the cutout to replace the predetermined area of the airfoil body. The coupon includes a first corrugated surface on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof. The coupon allows for the addition of advantageous wake mixing and cooling efficiencies to preexisting blades.

Abstract: A turbine vane includes an airfoil body having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a smooth outer surface. A cutout is included within at least one of the leading edge and the trailing edge, the cutout removing a predetermined area of the airfoil body. A coupon is coupled in the cutout to replace the predetermined area of the airfoil body. The coupon includes a first corrugated surface on at least a portion of an outer surface thereof. The coupon allows for the addition of advantageous wake mixing and cooling efficiencies to preexisting vanes.

Abstract: An article is disclosed including a manifold, an article wall, a post-impingement cavity and a plurality of post-impingement partitions. The manifold includes an impingement wall defining a plenum and a plurality of impingement apertures. The article wall includes a plurality of external apertures. The post-impingement cavity is disposed between the manifold and the article wall, and is arranged to receive a fluid from the plenum through the plurality of impingement apertures and exhaust the fluid through the plurality of external apertures. The plurality of post-impingement partitions divide the post-impingement cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities, and hermetically separate the plurality of sub-cavities from one another. The impingement wall, article wall and plurality of post-impingement partitions are integrally formed as a single, continuous article. The article may be an airfoil component.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine that includes an airfoil and a tip shroud. The tip shroud may have a seal rail that projects radially from an outboard surface and extends circumferentially. The tip shroud may further include: a rotationally leading circumferential face; a rotationally trailing circumferential face; and an outboard face of the seal rail. The tip shroud may be circumferentially divided into three parallel reference zones: a rotationally leading edge zone, a rotationally trailing edge zone and, formed between and separating those, a middle zone. The seal rail may include a hollow cavity wholly contained within at least one of the rotationally leading edge zone and the rotationally trailing edge zone. The cavity may include a mouth formed through at least one of the rotationally leading circumferential face, the rotationally trailing circumferential face, and the outboard face of the seal rail.

Abstract: An article is disclosed including a manifold, an article wall, a post-impingement cavity and a plurality of post-impingement partitions. The manifold includes an impingement wall defining a plenum and a plurality of impingement apertures. The article wall includes a plurality of external apertures. The post-impingement cavity is disposed between the manifold and the article wall, and is arranged to receive a fluid from the plenum through the plurality of impingement apertures and exhaust the fluid through the plurality of external apertures. The plurality of post-impingement partitions divide the post-impingement cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities, and hermetically separate the plurality of sub-cavities from one another. The impingement wall, article wall and plurality of post-impingement partitions are integrally formed as a single, continuous article. The article may be an airfoil component.

Abstract: A rotor blade includes an airfoil having a blade tip and a tip cavity formed at the blade tip. The blade tip defines a radially outer surface of the airfoil. The tip cavity includes a tip cap that is recessed radially inwardly from the tip and surrounded by pressure and suction side walls of the airfoil. The tip cap is in fluid communication with an internal cavity defined within the airfoil. A portion of at least one of the suction side wall or the pressure side wall that defines the tip cavity extends obliquely outwardly from the tip cavity. A plurality of slots is defined in at least one of the suction side wall or the pressure side wall along the radially outer surface proximate to the trailing edge of the airfoil.

Abstract: A rotor blade includes an airfoil having a blade tip and a tip cavity formed at the blade tip. The tip cavity includes a tip cap that is recessed radially inwardly from the tip and surrounded continuously by pressure and suction side walls of the airfoil. The tip cap further includes an aperture that extends through the tip cap and provides for fluid communication between an internal cavity defined within the airfoil and the tip cavity. An exhaust port provides for fluid communication out the tip cavity through one of the pressure side wall, the suction side wall or the trailing edge. A portion of at least one of the suction side wall and the pressure side wall that defines the tip cavity extends obliquely outwardly from the tip cavity with respect to a radial direction.