Abstract: In one embodiment, an airfoil includes an airfoil body portion, an airfoil tip portion disposed radially outward of the airfoil body portion, an airfoil root portion, and a plurality of radial cooling passages extending through the airfoil body portion from the root portion to the tip airfoil portion. The airfoil body portion and the airfoil tip portion are joined at a braze interface or a weld interface. The airfoil tip portion includes at least one manifold fluidly connecting at least one radial cooling passage to at least one other radial cooling passage.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an airfoil includes an airfoil body portion, an airfoil tip portion disposed radially outward of the airfoil body portion, an airfoil root portion, and a plurality of radial cooling passages extending through the airfoil body portion from the root portion to the tip airfoil portion. The airfoil body portion and the airfoil tip portion are joined at a braze interface or a weld interface. The airfoil tip portion includes at least one manifold fluidly connecting at least one radial cooling passage to at least one other radial cooling passage.

Abstract: Methods for coating metal substrates are provided. The coating comprises a strain tolerant coating using a sol-gel process, and articles made therefrom. In one embodiment, the method of coating a metal substrate comprises: disposing a sol coating on a metal substrate; inducing the sol coating to convert to a gel coating; inducing a pattern on or in the gel coating; and sintering the gel coating.

Abstract: A method for forming a protective coating on a substrate comprising, applying a bond coating to the substrate, the bond coating having a first surface roughness, ionizing an inert gas which flows into the surface of the bond coating so as to impart a second surface roughness to the bond coating greater than the first surface roughness, wherein the inert gas is ionized and caused to flow into the surface of the bond coating by a reverse polarity current supplied to an electrode which removes at least one electron from the inert gas, and applying a top coating to the bond coating. Additionally, a method for preparing a surface to receive and adhere to a coating comprising roughening the surface to create a micro-roughening network on the surface. In addition, a method of improving strain tolerance and cyclic spallation life of a protective coating.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for coating metal substrates, systems therefore, and articles made therefrom. In one embodiment, the method of coating a metal substrate comprises: disposing a metallic bond coating on the metal substrate, creating ions with a reverse polarity high frequency apparatus at a frequency of greater than or equal to about 2.5 kHz, roughening the surface with the ions to a subsequent average surface roughness of greater than or equal to about 5 ?m, and disposing a ceramic coating on the metallic bond coating surface. The metallic bond coating had a surface with an initial average surface roughness of less than or equal to about 1 ?m.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine generator are provided. The wind turbine generator includes a core and a plurality of stator windings circumferentially spaced about a generator longitudinal axis, a rotor rotatable about the generator longitudinal axis wherein the rotor includes a plurality of magnetic elements coupled to a radially outer periphery of the rotor such that an airgap is defined between the stator windings and the magnetic elements and the plurality of magnetic elements including a radially inner periphery having a first diameter. The wind turbine generator also includes a bearing including a first member in rotatable engagement with a radially inner second member, the first member including a radially outer periphery, a diameter of the radially outer periphery of the first member being substantially equal to the first diameter, the rotor coupled to the stator through the bearing such that a substantially uniform airgap is maintained.

Abstract: Method of stabilizing adherence of a ceramic layer to a bond coat of a TBC system, comprising incorporating silicon into the bond coat and maintaining cobalt present in the bond coat at a minimum level.