Flow Exhausted To Working Fluid Patents (Class 416/97R)
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Patent number: 6164913Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes first and second sidewalls joined together at leading and trailing edges, and extending longitudinally from root to tip. An internal cooling circuit is disposed between the sidewalls for channeling a coolant therein. A column of longitudinally spaced apart ejection slots extend through the first sidewall along the trailing edge, and are disposed in flow communication with the cooling circuit for discharging the coolant toward the trailing edge. Some of the slots are disposed between a pitchline and the tip and are inclined at different ejection angles longitudinally outwardly from the pitchline. And, some of the slots are disposed between the pitchline and root and extend at least parallel with the pitchline without longitudinally inward inclination.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Bhanu M. Reddy
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Patent number: 6164914Abstract: A turbine blade includes a hollow airfoil having a squealer tip rib extending outboard from a tip cap enclosing the airfoil. An impingement baffle is spaced inboard from the tip cap to define a tip plenum therebetween. Impingement holes extend through the baffle and are directed at the junction of the rib and cap for impinging a coolant jet thereagainst.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1999Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Victor H. S. Correia, Robert F. Manning
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Patent number: 6164912Abstract: A hollow airfoil is provided which includes a body having an external wall and an internal cavity. The external wall includes a suction side portion and a pressure side portion. The portions extend chordwise between a leading edge and a trailing edge and spanwise between an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface. A stagnation line extends along the leading edge. A plurality of cooling apertures, disposed spanwise along the leading edge. According to one aspect of the present invention, the apertures extend through the external wall along a helical path. According to another aspect of the present invention, the apertures are alternately directed towards the suction side portion and the pressure side portions of the airfoil.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Martin G. Tabbita, James P. Downs, Friedrich O. Soechting, Thomas A. Auxier, Frederick Steinbauer, Jr.
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Patent number: 6158955Abstract: An assembly and method for welding an article, such as an air-cooled superalloy airfoil of a gas turbine engine nozzle. The method entails inserting a fixture into a cooling passage of the airfoil. The fixture is configured to close a first opening to the passage through which the fixture is inserted into the passage. The fixture is also configured to introduce a gas into the passage through a longitudinal row of ports. A through-wall crack in the airfoil is weld repaired while the gas flow is maintained to the cavity at a rate that sufficiently pressurizes the passage to prevent the molten filler material from entering the passage through the crack, while allowing the filler material to fill the crack.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1999Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James W. Caddell, Jr., Robert D. Lawrence
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Patent number: 6155778Abstract: A turbine shroud includes a panel having inner and outer surfaces extending between forward and aft opposite ends. The panel includes forward and aft hooks for supporting the panel radially atop a row of turbine rotor blades. The panel includes a plurality of recesses in the inner surface thereof which face tips of the blades. The recesses extend only in part into the panel for reducing surface area exposed to the blade tips.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ching-Pang Lee, George A. Durgin
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Patent number: 6152695Abstract: In a gas turbine moving blade 1, the convection of cooling air is promoted to enhance the heat transfer rate, the cooling effect of a shroud 2 is enhanced and the entire cooling effect of the blade is enhanced. An inner cavity 10 is formed in the blade over the entire length thereof. A multiplicity of pin fins 5 are provided in the inner cavity, being fixed to wall thereof. An enlarged cavity 6 is formed in the shroud 2 of a terminal end of the blade 1. Cooling air entering the inner cavity 10 of the blade 1 flows into the enlarged cavity 6 and flows out of the shroud 2 downwardly through holes 7 of a peripheral portion of the enlarged cavity 6. The entire portion of the shroud 2 is cooled uniformly, and the cooling effect of the entire blade is enhanced by an enhanced heat transfer rate in the blade and by uniform cooling of the entire shroud.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Ichiro Fukue, Eiji Akita, Kiyoshi Suenaga, Yasuoki Tomita
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Patent number: 6151881Abstract: An air separator for a gas turbine, in which cracks are prevented from occurring at a flange portion of the air separator due to fretting fatigue. The air separator (20) has a cylindrical split structure formed by two separator members (20-1 and 20-2), of which one of the separators (20-1) is mounted on a rotor (1) whereas the other separator member (20-2) is mounted on a disc portion (7) on a side of a moving blade (2) by bolts (28) extending through bolt holes (23) formed in a flange portion (22). Cooling air from a compressor enters a space (6) from a duct (5) and passes to a passage (32) from a clearance (33) so that it is fed to air feed holes (43) and radial holes (44) of the disc portion (7). Alternatively, air holes (50) are provided in the flange portion (22) in the form of circumferential slots for covering a plurality of radial holes to feed the cooling air homogeneously so that a prior art air separator of an existing plant can be replaced.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Toshishige Ai, Yoichi Iwasaki, Sunao Aoki, Yukihiro Hashimoto, Kiyoshi Suenaga
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Patent number: 6152694Abstract: A tip shroud (11) for a moving blade to be used at a downstream stage of a gas turbine. The tip shroud is extended in its creep lifetime by feeding it effectively with cooling air. In the tip shroud (11), there are cut-off portions (12, 13) which are passed by a hot combustion gas so that they are influenced by thermal stress. On the shroud faces, there are formed grooves (31, 32; 33, 34), and cooling guide covers (21, 22) are mounted in the grooves. The cooling guide covers (21, 22) are closed at one side with members (21a, 22a) and open at an end thereof. The covers function to cover the air holes (17) so that the cooling air is fed to the cut-off portions (12, 13) individually. The metal temperature rise at the cut-off portions (12, 13), as will be influenced by the hot combustion gas, can be suppressed so as to extend the creep lifetime of the tip shroud.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Toshishige Ai
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Patent number: 6153889Abstract: An apparatus (42) for inspecting an as cast turbine blade (40), with impingement cooling passages (36) (see FIG. 2 ), comprises a vacuum pump (52) arranged to evacuate the interior of the turbine blade (40) through pipe (48) and valve (54) and a supply of steam (46) arranged to supply steam to the interior of the turbine blade (40) through the pipe (48) and a valve (50). An infrared camera (56) is arranged to view the outer surface (32) of the turbine blade (40) to detect hot spots produced on the outer surface (32) of the turbine blade (40) by jets of steam impinging on the inner surface (35) of the turbine blade (40) from the cooling passages (36). A processor (60) records the images produced by the camera (56) and analyses the images to determine if the cooling passages (36) have been formed and if they have been formed in the correct position.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventor: Alan R. Jones
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Patent number: 6146098Abstract: A tip shroud for a moving blade that is made thin and light for use at a gas turbine downstream stage. Cooling air holes (13 to 16) having a slot shape, are formed in a tip shroud (11) of the moving blade (10). The cooling holes are opened in two side faces of the tip shroud to release the cooling air from the inside of the moving blade (10). In the upper face of the tip shroud 11, there are formed cooling air holes 20, which communicate with the higher pressure side in a combustion gas flow direction R to release the cooling air so that the cooling air flows from the higher pressure side to the lower pressure side so as to cool a high stress portion Y. A high stress portion X is likewise cooled with the cooling air coming from an adjoining moving blade. The slot shapes of the cooling air holes (13 to 16) allow the cooling air to flow widely, thereby cooling the face of the tip shroud (11), and the cooling air holes 20 cool the high stress portions X and Y effectively.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 1999Date of Patent: November 14, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Fukuno, Yasuoki Tomita, Eisaku Ito
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Patent number: 6142734Abstract: A turbine wall includes an outer surface for facing combustion gases, and an opposite inner surface for being impingement air cooled. A plurality of adjoining ridges and grooves are disposed in the inner surface for enhancing heat transfer by the impingement cooling air.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 1999Date of Patent: November 7, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ching-Pang Lee
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Patent number: 6139269Abstract: A convectively cooled turbine blade has two distinct cooling air passage systems. The first system cools the blade leading edge and emits cooling air through outlet passageways in the leading edge arranged in showerhead array. The second system includes a five-pass series flow passage comprising five cooling passage sections that extend in series through the remainder of the blade. Cooling air resupply passages inject additional cooling air into the third and fifth cooling passage sections.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1997Date of Patent: October 31, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: George P. Liang
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Patent number: 6135715Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes a squealer rib extending outwardly from a tip cap to define a tip cavity thereatop. A thermal insulator is disposed in the tip cavity atop the tip cap.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1999Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Victor H. S. Correia
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Patent number: 6132169Abstract: A turbine engine airfoil includes a three-pass serpentine shaped cooling cavity including a leading edge chamber, an oversized intermediate chamber, and a trailing edge chamber in flow communication. The cavity further includes a combination of a plurality of ribs and a plurality of pins, a purge air swirler, a turning vane, and a metering partition which mixes the high pressure air and provides increased air cooling and uniform flow control in the airfoil. The metering partition provides a decrease of the air pressure in the trailing edge chamber allowing for an increase in the number of trailing edge slots.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1998Date of Patent: October 17, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert F. Manning, Robert B. Solda, Lalit K. Parekh, Mohammad E. Taslim
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Patent number: 6129515Abstract: Film cooling effectiveness for internally air cooled turbine blades of gas turbine engines is enhanced by including an interconnecting passage to the film cooling hole that is in communication with a lower internal pressure in the blade to create a suction at the exit end of the film hole to limit penetration into the gas stream.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1992Date of Patent: October 10, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Friedric O. Soechting, Thomas A. Auxier
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Patent number: 6126396Abstract: A gas turbine engine hollow airfoil includes an airfoil outer wall having width wise spaced aparted pressure and suction side walls joined together at chordally spaced apart leading and trailing edges of the airfoil and extending longitudinally from a root to a tip. At least one internal aft flowing serpentine cooling circuit inside the airfoil has an exit that is positioned aft of the entrance so as to have a chordal flow direction afterwards from the leading edge to the trailing edge within the serpentine circuit. At least one longitudinally extending first side wall impingement chamber is in downstream fluid communication with the serpentine cooling circuit within the airfoil and positioned between one of the side walls, preferably the pressure side wall, and a first inner wall bounding the serpentine cooling circuit. Impingement cooling apertures are disposed in the first inner wall between one of the serpentine channels and the side wall impingement chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1998Date of Patent: October 3, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Roger L. Doughty, Richard W. Jendrix
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Patent number: 6126397Abstract: A coolable airfoil is disclosed which includes an internal cavity, an external wall, a plurality of first apertures, and a plurality of second apertures. The external wall includes a suction-side portion and a pressure-side portion. The external wall portions extend chordwise between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and spanwise between an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface. The mean camber line of the airfoil passes through the leading edge and the trailing edge along a path equidistant between the outer surfaces of the pressure-side and suction-side walls. The first apertures, which are disposed in the external wall adjacent the trailing edge, extend a distance within the suction-side wall portion and exit the external wall through the pressure-side wall portion. The second apertures extend through the pressure-side wall portion and exit the pressure-side wall portion upstream of and in close proximity to the first apertures.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1998Date of Patent: October 3, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: William S. Kvasnak, Ronald S. LaFleur
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Patent number: 6120249Abstract: A turbine blade with a cooling air flow path specifically directed toward cooling the platform portion of the blade root. Cooling air passages are formed in the blade root platform just below its radially outward facing surface on an overhanging portion of the platform opposite the convex surface of the blade airfoil. Each of these passage extends radially outward from an inlet that receives a flow of cooling air, and then extends through the platform. Cavities are formed in a radially inward facing surface of an over hanging portion of the platform opposite the concave surface of the blade airfoil. An impingement plate directs cooling air as jets into these cavities. A passage is connected to the cavities and directs this cooling air through the overhanging portion of the platform opposite the concave surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1996Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power CorporationInventors: Kent Goran Hultgren, Thomas Walter Zagar, William E. North, Stephen Humphrey Robbins, Graham Mark Upton
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Patent number: 6116854Abstract: A gas turbine moving blade assembly in which a cooling effect at a leading edge of the blade, which is exposed to a high temperature combustion gas, is enhanced by an arrangement of turbulators in the leading edge. In particular, the turbulators are arranged on a slant and are arranged locally only on portions in which the cooling effect is to be reinforced, so that pressure loss of the cooling air is suppressed to a minimum level. Turbulators (8) are provided obliquely from the leading edge in a direction facing into a flow of the cooling air toward a downstream side of a combustion gas flow on both inner walls within a cooling passage (12). Also, to reduce pressure loss, short turbulators (18) may be similarly arranged between the adjacent turbulators (8). In this case, the ratio of the length (W) of the turbulators to that (Wr) of the short turbulators is Wr/W<0.5.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1998Date of Patent: September 12, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Masanori Yuri
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Patent number: 6109867Abstract: A turbine-nozzle vane fitted with a cooling system including a hollow airfoil (45) inserted between an outer deck and an inner deck (46). Disposed inside the airfoil (45) is a liner (60) which is fitted with a multi-perforated skirt to impact-cool the airfoil wall. The liner (60) has an inner wall (62) comprising a female frustum of a cone (66). A male frustum of a cone (64) is rigidly affixed to the inner deck (46) and is nested in the female frustum (66). These frusta provide communication between the inside of the liner (60) and the inside of the inner deck (46). Cooling air (70) is introduced into the liner (60) through the outer deck. A portion (71) of this air impact-cools the airfoil wall. Another portion (72) enters the inner deck (46) and passes through an orifice (67) to cool the turbine disks (49, 50) upstream and downstream of the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1998Date of Patent: August 29, 2000Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "S.N.E.C.M.A."Inventor: Laurent Roger Jacques Portefaix
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Patent number: 6106231Abstract: An article comprising an airfoil surface is provided with a thermal insulating outer layer on at least one region, but not all, of the airfoil surface. The region is selected from the airfoil surface which has been observed to experience more strenuous environmental operating conditions during service operation than the airfoil surface outside of the region. In one form, the thermal insulating outer layer is applied to at least one region of each of a plurality of airfoil surfaces. Each airfoil surface is disposed about an axis of rotation with the region of each airfoil surface facing generally outwardly from the axis of rotation and from each other. The airfoil surfaces are rotated about the axis of rotation while a thermal insulating material contacts at least the regions.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1998Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gulcharan S. Brainch, Michael J. Danowski, Roger D. Wustman, Jonathan P. Clarke
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Patent number: 6102658Abstract: A coolable airfoil is provided which includes an internal cavity, an external wall, a plurality of first cooling apertures, and a plurality of second cooling apertures. The external wall includes a suction side portion and a pressure side portion. The wall portions extend chordwise between a leading edge and a trailing edge and spanwise between an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface. The first cooling apertures are disposed in the external wall adjacent the trailing edge, exiting the airfoil through the pressure side portion. The second cooling apertures are disposed in the external wall adjacent the trailing edge, exiting the airfoil through the suction side portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1998Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: William S. Kvasnak, Ronald S. LaFleur
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Patent number: 6099252Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes an axial serpentine cooling circuit therein. A plurality of the serpentine circuits are preferably stacked in a radial row along the airfoil trailing edge for cooling thereof.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert F. Manning, Paul J. Acquaviva, Daniel E. Demers
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Patent number: 6099253Abstract: A gas turbine rotor blade has a plurality of first cooling holes for the flow of a cooling gas bored in a blade portion along its lengthwise direction and a plurality of second cooling holes for flow of the cooling gas bored in a shroud along its plane direction so as to communicate with the first cooling holes, and is constructed such that the cooling gas can flow in a uniform distribution. The plurality of the first cooling holes 3 for flow of the cooling gas are bored in the blade portion 2 and the plurality of the second cooling holes 5 for flow of the cooling gas are bored in the shroud 1 along its plane direction. The second cooling holes 5 communicate with the first cooling holes 3, hole to hole, via two-step holes 4, and the second cooling holes 5 are bored alternately on the dorsal side and the ventral side of the rotor blade.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Ichiro Fukue, Eiji Akita, Kiyoshi Suenaga, Yasuoki Tomita
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Patent number: 6099244Abstract: In the present invention, seal air passes through a tube extending in a stationary blade from an outside shroud to an inside shroud, flows into a cavity to keep the pressure in the cavity high so as to seal the high-temperature combustion gas, and is discharged to a passage. Part of cooling air flows into an air passage to cool the leading edge portion, passes through the peripheral portion of the inside shroud to cool the same, and is discharged to a passage. The remaining cooling air flows into a passage, passes through a serpentine cooling flow path consisting of air passages having turbulators, and is discharged through air cooling holes formed at the trailing edge. The cooling air passing through the passage at the leading edge portion cools the peripheral portion of the inside shroud as well as the leading edge portion of blade, by which the cooling efficiency is increased.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Hiroki Fukuno, Kiyoshi Suenaga
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Patent number: 6099251Abstract: A hollow airfoil is provided having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a wall including a suction side portion and a pressure side portion. The wall, which includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, surrounds a first cavity and a second cavity, separated from one another by a rib extending between the suction side and pressure side wall portions. The first cavity is contiguous with the leading edge. The airfoil further includes a coolant flow splitter attached to the wall interior surface within the first cavity, and at least one metering orifice disposed in the rib. The metering orifice(s) are substantially aligned with the coolant flow splitter, such that cooling air passing through the metering orifice(s) encounters the flow splitter. The flow splitter splits the cooling air flow and directs it along the wall interior surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 1998Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Ronald Samuel LaFleur
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Patent number: 6092982Abstract: Structure with elements includes a main body of the element used in gas stream and a plurality of fluid passage. Each outlet of the fluid passage is opened on surface of the main body. Coolant fluid flows from each outlet through the passage to cover the surface as a film-like fluid. The plurality of fluid passages include first fluid passages and second fluid passages. The coolant fluid flows from the outlet of the first fluid passage along the direction of the gas stream on the surface. On the other hand, the coolant fluid also flows from the outlet of the second fluid passage toward the gas stream neighbored on each outlet of the first fluid passage.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1997Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Kazutaka Ikeda, Akinori Koga, Junji Ishii
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Patent number: 6092983Abstract: In a cooled stationary blade assembly for a gas turbine, an interior of a blade and an inner shroud are cooled by steam to eliminate the use of air cooling. Steam passages 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D, 33E and 33F are provided in the stationary blade 30. The cooling steam 39 is introduced from the steam passage 33A on the front edge side through an outer shroud and passes, in order, through the steam passages 33B, 33C, 33D, and 33E to flow into the steam passage 33F at the rear edge side to cool the interior of the blade, and is recovered through the outer shroud from the upper portion of the steam passage 33F. A portion of the steam from the steam passage 33A is introduced into the inner shroud 31, enters to steam passages 20 from a steam introduction passage 22, branches to the right and left through both end portions, and flows out into the steam passage 33F at the rear edge from a steam discharge passage 21.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1998Date of Patent: July 25, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Sunao Aoki, Kiyoshi Suenaga, Tatsuo Ishiguro
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Patent number: 6089822Abstract: A gas turbine second stage stationary blade has cooling air passages of an inner shroud provided with enhanced cooling efficiency. In inner shroud 126, there are provided a leading edge passage 42 and trailing edge passage 44, both extending from blade portion and mutually separated by a rib 40, and impingement plates 83, 84 having a multiplicity of small holes 101. An opening portion 68 between the blade portion and the inner shroud 126 is closed by a bottom plate 150 and, together with a recess portion 100 at a bottom portion of the leading edge passage 42, connects to a passage 188 of a leading edge portion 41 via a passage 90'. Air from the trailing edge passage 44 flows into cavity 45 to be injected through the small holes 101 of the impingement plates 83, 84 for cooling of the central portion of the inner shroud 126 and is then discharged as air 60 through passages 92 of the trailing edge portion 43.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1998Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Hiroki Fukuno
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Patent number: 6089826Abstract: A gas turbine cooled blade has leading edge turbulators. A rounded tip portion of the leading edge portion cooling passage (3) is approximated by a triangular cooling passage (1) having orthogonal turbulators (11, 12) and a smoothly curved rear portion thereof of the leading edge portion cooling passage (3) is approximated by a square cooling passage 2 having oblique turbulators (13, 14).Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1998Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Sunao Aoki, Hiroki Fukuno, Kiyoshi Suenaga
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Patent number: 6086328Abstract: A turbine blade includes a hollow airfoil extending from an integral dovetail. The airfoil includes sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges and longitudinally between a root and a tip. The sidewalls are spaced apart to define a flow channel for channeling cooling air through the airfoil. The tip is tapered longitudinally above at least one of the sidewalls and decreases in thickness.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ching-Pang Lee
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Patent number: 6079946Abstract: In the cooling system for the gas turbine blade, the apparatus of the present disclosure ensures cooling of the trailing edge part of the blade for which machining is difficult, while aiming at improvement of the thermal efficiency. The steam cooling structure for carrying out heat recovery-type steam cooling is employed to the leading edge part and the central part of the blade where machining is easy because of its large thickness, and the convection cooling end film cooling are employed for the trailing edge part of the blade where the thickness is small, using steam cooling and air cooling at the same time.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1998Date of Patent: June 27, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kiyoshi Suenaga, Sunao Aoki, Kazuo Uematsu
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Patent number: 6077036Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes outer and inner bands between which extend a plurality of vanes for channeling combustion gases. Each of the vanes includes leading and trailing edges, and pressure and suction sides extending therebetween, and also a bow along the trailing edge to increase pressure in the gases adjacent the inner band. The vanes also include a thermal barrier coating (TBC) selectively disposed solely along the suction side between the leading and trailing edges.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 1998Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Todd S. Heffron, John P. Heyward, John H. Starkweather, Scott M. Carson
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Patent number: 6071075Abstract: A mechanism for cooling the platform for the drive blades of a gas turbine uses a simple configuration which reliably cools the platform. The mechanism includes cooling channels in the interior of the platform which open out from one of the cooling air channels for cooling the turbine blades and which exit the platform through the edge nearest the tail. Cooling channels in the platform open out from the entrance to blade cooling channels, travel from the head of the blade along the blade sides, and exit through the edge near the tail of the blade. This structure diverts a portion of the cooling air entering the blade from the cooling channel in the base in order to cool the platform. Cooling air channels may extend from an enclosed air space below the platform to the upper surface of the platform at the front or rear side of the blade. Air channels may also extend on the rear of the turbine blade obliquely from the underside of the platform to the trailing edge of the platform.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1998Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Eiji Akita, Masao Terazaki
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Patent number: 6065931Abstract: A gas turbine moving blade, which has a blade root section, a wing section, and a platform section, comprises a refrigerant supply port provided in the blade root section, a refrigerant recovery port provided in the blade root section, a serpentine passage provided in the wing section and communicating with the refrigerant supply port and the refrigerant recovery port, and a convection-cooling passage provided in the platform section and allowing sealing air and a refrigerant for cooling the platform section by convection to pass therein.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kiyoshi Suenaga, Yoshikuni Kasai, Kazuo Uematsu
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Patent number: 6065932Abstract: A turbine (10) for a gas turbine engine includes an annular array of turbine aerofoil blades (12) which are mounted on a disc (19). Each of the aerofoil blades (12) is provided with a radially inner platform (21). Each platform (21) includes a passage (37) into which leaked cooling air flows. The passages (37) are disposed in a direction having a circumferential component so that cooling air is exhausted from them in a direction that is generally opposite to that in which the disc (19) operationally rotates.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventor: Alec G Dodd
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Patent number: 6065928Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes radially outer and inner bands between which extend a plurality of vanes. The vanes include impingement baffles having impingement holes for impinging cooling air inside the vane for cooling thereof. An air circuit is disposed in the inner band and includes a plurality of outlet holes. A transfer tube is disposed in flow communication between respective ones of the baffles and the air circuit for channeling thereto a portion of the cooling air from inside the baffles as pre-impingement air for discharge through the outlet holes.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Harold P. Rieck, Jr., Jeffrey A. Kress
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Patent number: 6062817Abstract: An airfoil core die includes a tab for forming a continuous and smooth contour and extension of a first trailing edge slot recessed wall to a bottom of the airfoil. The contour is formed on each airfoil core at injection and is maintained through to finish casting of the airfoil.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Michael J. Danowski, Gulcharan S. Brainch, Jonathan P. Clarke
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Patent number: 6062811Abstract: A monitor for detecting overheating of a critical component in a combustion turbine is provided. The monitor, when used in conjunction with a closed-loop cooling system, comprises a coating comprising an indicator material having an activation temperature. The coating is situated on the internal cooling passages of the critical component. The monitor further comprises a sensor connected to an outlet conduit of the cooling system for determining the amount of degradation of indicator material by monitoring the cooling fluid flowing through the outlet conduit. Embodiments further comprising "sniffer" tubes for use with open-loop air cooling systems also are provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power CorporationInventors: Paul J. Zombo, Brij B. Seth, Kent G. Hultgren, Michael A. Burke
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Patent number: 6059530Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil and integral dovetail. The airfoil includes first and second sidewalls joined together at leading and trailing edges, and extending from a root to a tip plate. Twin ribs extend outwardly from the tip plate between the leading and trailing edges, and are spaced laterally apart to define an open-top tip channel therebetween. Each of the tip ribs has an airfoil profile for extracting energy from combustion gases flowable around the turbine blade.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: May 9, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ching-Pang Lee
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Patent number: 6056507Abstract: A method for preparing a Ni base superalloy inner wall surface of a body open end, such as an end of a turbomachinery blade, and an end plate, such as a blade tip cap, for brazing together at a rim of the end plate includes electrochemically removing oxides from the inner wall surface. The end plate is prepared, at least at its rim, by first removing surface and subsurface oxides, for example by mechanical abrading or a combination of such abrading and acid cleaning. Then at least the rim is electroplated with Ni which is heated to diffuse the Ni into the rim substrate. This provides an improved combination of surfaces for brazing, for example with a Ni base brazing alloy. After brazing the rim to the inner wall, there is provided an article with an improved relatively low oxide brazed joint, including less than about 20 volume % oxides, and a plate rim of substantially Ni along with elements diffused from the brazing alloy and the rim.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1997Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary E. Wheat, Robert E. Mc Cracken, Nicholas C. Palmer
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Patent number: 6056505Abstract: An airfoil having a trailing edge cavity formed by a leading wall and a trailing edge connected by a pair of side walls which converge at the trailing edge to define a cooling passage of substantially triangular cross section; a plurality of guide vanes arranged within the passage, spaced from the leading wall and trailing edge, and configured so that cooling gas flow introduced a generally radial direction is forced to flow in a direction toward the trailing edge.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1998Date of Patent: May 2, 2000Assignee: General Electric Co.Inventors: Francisco Jose Cunha, David Anthony DeAngelis
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Patent number: 6050777Abstract: A hollow airfoil is provided which includes a body, a trench, and a plurality of cooling apertures disposed within the trench. The body extends chordwise between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and spanwise between an outer radial surface and an inner radial surface, and includes an external wall surrounding a cavity. The trench is disposed in the external wall along the leading edge, extends in a spanwise direction, and is aligned with a stagnation line extending along the leading edge.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1997Date of Patent: April 18, 2000Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Martin G. Tabbita, James P. Downs, Friedrich O. Soechting, Thomas A. Auxier
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Patent number: 6048169Abstract: A turbine shaft extends along a principal axis and has an outer surface. The turbine shaft is formed by a plurality of cylindrical shaft segments which are disposed axially one behind the other and are braced together by a bracing element. An axial gap which is formed between the bracing element and at least one shaft segment is connected in terms of flow to two axially spaced radial passages. The radial passages each open at the outer surface of the turbine shaft. A method for cooling a turbine shaft is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Andreas Feldmuller, Helmut Pollak
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Patent number: 6039537Abstract: A turbine blade which can be subjected to a hot gas flow includes a substrate, at least one interior space and a plurality of bores leading from the interior space out of the substrate. The substrate is at least partly covered by a heat-insulating-layer system at a suction side and/or a pressure side. At least one of the bores is closed by the heat-insulating-layer system and at least one further bore is open for developing film cooling.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 1999Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Michael Scheurlen
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Patent number: 6036440Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas turbine cooled moving blade in order to cool the gas turbine using steam alone. In the moving blade, two cavities are installed in the lower part of the moving blade root section of the moving blade, a steam inlet is located in one cavity, and a steam outlet is installed in the other cavity. Steam is charged from the steam inlet and passes through a serpentine cooling passage consisting of a plurality of steam passages, and discharged to the steam outlet and collected. Bypasses are located near the base of the moving blade in the middle of each steam passage, so that cold steam on the leading edge side can be led into the bypass, mixed with the hot steam which comes from the tip section side and goes into the next downstream section of the steam passage, and flows to an upstream portion of the steam passage, thereby equalizing the steam temperature and cooling the steam over the entire range from the upstream to downstream of the steam flow.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 1998Date of Patent: March 14, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Hiroki Fukuno, Kiyoshi Suenaga
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Patent number: 6036441Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes first and second sidewalls joined together at opposite leading and trailing edges, and extending longitudinally from a root to a tip. The sidewalls are spaced apart from each other to define in part first and second adjoining flow chambers extending longitudinally therein, and defined in additional part by corresponding first and second partitions disposed between the sidewalls. The second partition is common to both chambers, and both partitions include respective pluralities of first and second inlet holes sized to meter cooling air therethrough in series between the chambers.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1998Date of Patent: March 14, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert F. Manning, Paul J. Acquaviva, Daniel E. Demers
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Patent number: 6036436Abstract: There is provided a cooled stationary blade of a gas turbine in which the portions which can be cooled sufficiently by air are air-cooled, and the portions which are difficult to cool by air are steam-cooled, by which high temperatures can be overcome. In a stationary blade 1, there is formed a serpentine passage 3 in which cooling steam flows and an air passage 10 adjacent to the trailing edge portion and separated from the serpentine passage 3. Also, an outside shroud 4 is formed with an air cooling passage 16 at the outer edge portion and a steam impingement cooling portion 17 and an air impingement cooling portion 18 on the inside of the air cooling passage 16. An inside shroud 11 is provided with an air cooling passage 19 at the outer edge portion and shaped holes 20 formed on the inside of the air cooling passage 19. The air flowing out through the shaped holes 20 performs film cooling.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1998Date of Patent: March 14, 2000Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Fukuno, Yasuoki Tomita, Kiyoshi Suenaga
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Patent number: 6033181Abstract: According to the invention, turbine blades are provided that have increased functional reliability, which is achieved in that the interior space (8) of the blade body (3) in the region of the suction-side wall (4), the pressure-side wall (5) and the trailing blade edge (7) has a closed steam-cooling system (9) having at least one cooling passage (10, 27, 28). An open cooling system (11) having at least one cooling passage (14, 15) and a plurality of film-cooling holes (22) which pass through the blade body (3) is formed in the region of the leading blade edge (6).Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1998Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AGInventors: Wilhelm Endres, Hans Wettstein
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Patent number: 6027306Abstract: A turbine assembly comprises a plurality of rotating blade portions in a spaced relation with a stationery shroud. The rotating blade portions comprise a root section, a tip portion and an airfoil. The tip portion has a pressure side wall and a suction side wall. A number of flow discouragers are disposed on the blade tip portion. In one embodiment, the flow discouragers extend circumferentially from the pressure side wall to the suction side wall so as to be aligned generally parallel to the direction of rotation. In an alternative embodiment, the flow discouragers extend circumferentially from the pressure side wall to the suction side wall so as to be aligned at an angle in the range between about 0.degree. to about 60.degree. with respect to a reference axis aligned generally parallel to the direction of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1997Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Ronald Scott Bunker