Abstract: A turbine airfoil apparatus includes: an airfoil including a concave pressure sidewall and a convex suction sidewall joined together at a leading edge and a trailing edge; an endwall projecting laterally outwardly from the airfoil at one spanwise end thereof, the endwall having an outer surface facing the airfoil and an opposing inner surface; a plenum defined within the endwall between the inner and outer surfaces wherein the plenum is forked in plan view, with at least two branches, each branch having a throat disposed at its upstream end; and at least one film cooling hole passing through the outer surface and communicating with the plenum.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are taught for cooling a turbine blade wherein at least one circuit is isolated along a cool suction side of the blade and the circuit turns aft toward a trailing edge.

Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes: a concave pressure sidewall and a convex suction sidewall joined together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, and extending between a root and a tip; an internal rib extending between the pressure sidewall and the suction sidewall; and a crossover hole formed in the rib, the crossover hole having a noncircular cross-sectional shape with a major axis defining a maximum dimension of the cross-sectional shape; wherein the major axis of the crossover hole lies in plane with the rib and is non-parallel to an imaginary curvilinear lateral centerline which defines a locus of points lying halfway between the pressure and suction sidewalls. The orientation of the crossover holes minimizes stress concentration caused by the presence of the crossover holes.

Abstract: A turbine airfoil for a gas turbine engine including an outer peripheral wall having an external surface, the outer peripheral wall enclosing an interior space and including a concave pressure sidewall and a convex suction sidewall joined together at a leading edge and at a trailing edge; wherein the outer peripheral wall has a varying wall thickness which incorporates a locally-thickened wall portion; and a film cooling hole having a shaped diffuser exit passing through the outer peripheral wall within the locally-thickened wall portion.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for use in a gas turbine engine having an axis of rotation includes a plurality of rotor blades. Each rotor blade includes a platform extending between opposing side faces, a shank extending radially inward from the platform, and a slot at least partially defined in each of the opposing side faces. A sealing member is configured to be inserted into each slot of a first rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades such that at least a portion of each sealing member extends beyond one of the opposing side faces. A second rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades is coupled adjacent the first rotor blade such that at least a portion of one sealing member is inserted into a corresponding second slot on the second rotor blade.

Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes: a concave pressure sidewall and a convex suction sidewall joined together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, and extending between a root and a tip; an internal rib extending between the pressure sidewall and the suction sidewall; and a crossover hole formed in the rib, the crossover hole having a noncircular cross-sectional shape with a major axis defining a maximum dimension of the cross-sectional shape; wherein the major axis of the crossover hole lies in plane with the rib and is non-parallel to an imaginary curvilinear lateral centerline which defines a locus of points lying halfway between the pressure and suction sidewalls. The orientation of the crossover holes minimizes stress concentration caused by the presence of the crossover holes.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for use in a gas turbine engine having an axis of rotation includes a plurality of rotor blades. Each rotor blade includes a platform extending between opposing side faces, a shank extending radially inward from the platform, and a slot at least partially defined in each of the opposing side faces. A sealing member is configured to be inserted into each slot of a first rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades such that at least a portion of each sealing member extends beyond one of the opposing side faces. A second rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades is coupled adjacent the first rotor blade such that at least a portion of one sealing member is inserted into a corresponding second slot on the second rotor blade.

Abstract: A turbine airfoil apparatus includes: an airfoil including a concave pressure sidewall and a convex suction sidewall joined together at a leading edge and a trailing edge; an endwall projecting laterally outwardly from the airfoil at one spanwise end thereof, the endwall having an outer surface facing the airfoil and an opposing inner surface; a plenum defined within the endwall between the inner and outer surfaces wherein the plenum is forked in plan view, with at least two branches, each branch having a throat disposed at its upstream end; and at least one film cooling hole passing through the outer surface and communicating with the plenum.

Abstract: A turbine airfoil for a gas turbine engine including an outer peripheral wall having an external surface, the outer peripheral wall enclosing an interior space and including a concave pressure sidewall and a convex suction sidewall joined together at a leading edge and at a trailing edge; wherein the outer peripheral wall has a varying wall thickness which incorporates a locally-thickened wall portion; and a film cooling hole having a shaped diffuser exit passing through the outer peripheral wall within the locally-thickened wall portion.

Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, such that a cavity is defined therebetween. A plurality of cooling circuits are defined within the cavity. Each cooling circuit channels cooling fluid through at least one cooling chamber to facilitate cooling the airfoil. More specifically, a cascade impingement circuit, a down pass circuit, a flag tip circuit, and a trailing edge circuit are provided. The cascade impingement circuit includes a central chamber and a plurality of impingement chambers.

Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall coupled together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, such that a cavity is defined therebetween. A plurality of cooling circuits are defined within the cavity. Each cooling circuit channels cooling fluid through at least one cooling chamber to facilitate cooling the airfoil. More specifically, a cascade impingement circuit, a down pass circuit, a flag tip circuit, and a trailing edge circuit are provided. The cascade impingement circuit includes a central chamber and a plurality of impingement chambers.

Abstract: An airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes a root, a tip, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and opposed pressure and suction sidewalls extending generally along a radial axis. The airfoil includes a tip cap extending between the pressure and suction sidewalls; and spaced-apart suction-side and pressure-side tip walls extending radially outward from the tip cap to define a tip cavity therebetween. The pressure-side tip wall includes a continuously concave curved arcuate portion, at least a section of which extends circumferentially outward from a radial axis of the airfoil.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine blade includes a hollow airfoil extending radially from a blade root to a radially outer airfoil tip. The airfoil includes an airfoil outer wall having transversely spaced apart pressure and suction side walls meeting along chordally spaced apart leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. A radially extending cooling air supply channel within the airfoil includes a bank of pins integral with and extending transversely between the pressure and suction side walls. The bank of the pins is tuned such that a natural frequency of the blade associated with an engine forced driving mode of the blade is sufficiently away from a steady state engine operating frequency to substantially avoid natural frequency resonance of the blade during steady state engine operation. The bank of the pins is tuned by locations of the pins within the cooling air supply channel.

Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine. An existing blade was found to exhibit bowing, or a concave configuration facing the pressure side, along its trailing edge. The invention reduces bowing by (1) changing tilt, (2) changing lean, (3) reducing the number of cooling holes, while (4) changing the diameters of the cooling holes, to maintaining the total cooling flow unchanged.

Abstract: The fourth-stage buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in inches in Table I wherein Z is a perpendicular distance from a plane normal to a radius of the turbine centerline and containing the X and Y values with the Z value commencing at zero in the X, Y plane at the radially innermost aerodynamic section of the airfoil and X and Y are coordinate values defining the airfoil profile at each distance Z. The X, Y and Z values may be scaled as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled-up or scaled-down airfoil section for the bucket.

Abstract: The fourth-stage buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in inches in Table I wherein Z is a perpendicular distance from a plane normal to a radius of the turbine centerline and containing the X and Y values with the Z value commencing at zero in the X, Y plane at the radially innermost aerodynamic section of the airfoil and X and Y are coordinate values defining the airfoil profile at each distance Z. The X, Y and Z values may be scaled as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled-up or scaled-down airfoil section for the bucket.

Abstract: A turbine blade for a gas turbine engine. An existing blade was found to exhibit bowing, or a concave configuration facing the pressure side, along its trailing edge. The invention reduces bowing by (1) changing tilt, (2) changing lean, (3) reducing the number of cooling holes, while (4) changing the diameters of the cooling holes, to maintaining the total cooling flow unchanged.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes vanes joined to outer and inner bands. Each vane includes opposite sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges, with an internal bridge extending between the sidewalls to effect forward and aft cavities. Side ribs extend along the sidewalls and project inwardly into the cavities. Each of the side ribs is truncated adjacent the bridge to uncouple the ribs therefrom and increase nozzle life.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes vanes joined to outer and inner bands. Each vane includes opposite sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges, with an internal bridge extending between the sidewalls to effect forward and aft cavities. Side ribs extend along the sidewalls and project inwardly into the cavities. Each of the side ribs is truncated adjacent the bridge to uncouple the ribs therefrom and increase nozzle life.