Flared central cavity aft of airfoil leading edge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11199098-B2
Application number	US-201916669756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	May 12, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

A blade includes an airfoil defined by a pressure side outer wall and a suction side outer wall connecting along leading and trailing edges and form a radially extending chamber for receiving a coolant flow. A rib configuration may include: a leading edge transverse rib connecting the pressure side outer wall and the suction side outer wall and partitioning the radially extending chamber into a leading edge passage within the leading edge of the airfoil and a central passage adjacent to the leading edge passage. One or both camber line ribs connect to a corresponding pressure side outer wall and suction side outer wall at a point aft of the leading edge transverse rib causing the central passage to extend towards one or both of the pressure side outer wall and the suction side outer wall, resulting in a flared center cavity aft of the leading edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blade comprising an airfoil 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 a flow of a coolant, the blade further comprising:
a rib configuration including:
a leading edge transverse rib connecting the pressure side outer wall and the suction side outer wall and partitioning the radially extending chamber into a leading edge passage within the leading edge of the airfoil and a central passage adjacent to the leading edge passage;
a pressure side camber line rib connected to the pressure side outer wall at a point aft of the leading edge transverse rib causing the central passage to extend towards the pressure side outer wall, wherein a leading end of the pressure side camber line rib connects directly to the pressure side outer wall; and
a suction side camber line rib directly connected to the leading edge transverse rib creating a suction side flow passage opposite the central passage extension towards the pressure side outer wall.

2. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, at a location where the central passage extends towards the pressure side outer wall, a width t f is defined between outermost extents of the central passage and a width t a is defined between outer surfaces of the suction side outer wall and the pressure side outer wall, and
wherein a ratio of the width t f to the width t a ranges from 40% to 70%.

3. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the pressure side outer wall and the pressure side camber line rib define a pressure side flow passage therebetween, and wherein the suction side outer wall and the suction side camber line rib define the suction side flow passage therebetween.

4. The blade of claim 1 , wherein, at a location where the central passage extends towards the pressure side outer wall, a width t f is defined between outermost extents of the central passage and a width t a is defined between outer surfaces of the suction side outer wall and the pressure side outer wall, and
wherein a ratio of the width t f to the width t a ranges from 40% to 70%.

5. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge transverse rib includes a crossover passage between the leading edge passage and the central passage.

6. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the pressure side camber line rib and the suction side camber line rib have a wavy profile.

7. The blade of claim 1 , wherein the blade comprises one of a turbine rotor blade or a turbine stator blade.

8. A turbine comprising
a blade including an airfoil 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 a flow of a coolant
a rib configuration within the blade including:
a leading edge transverse rib connecting the pressure side outer wall and the suction side outer wall and partitioning the radially extending chamber into a leading edge passage within the leading edge of the airfoil and a central passage adjacent to the leading edge passage;
a pressure side camber line rib connected to the pressure side outer wall at a point aft of the leading edge transverse rib causing the central passage to extend towards the pressure side outer wall, wherein a leading end of the pressure side camber line rib connects directly to the pressure side outer wall; and
a suction side camber line rib directly connected to the leading edge transverse rib creating a suction side flow passage opposite the central passage extension towards the pressure side outer wall.

9. The turbine of claim 8 , wherein, at a location where the central passage extends towards the pressure side outer wall, a width t f is defined between outermost extents of the central passage and a width t a is defined between outer surfaces of the suction side outer wall and the pressure side outer wall, and
wherein a ratio of the width t f to the width t a ranges from 40% to 70%.

10. The turbine of claim 8 , wherein the blade comprises one of a turbine rotor blade or a turbine stator blade.

11. A turbine rotor blade comprising an airfoil 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 a flow of a coolant, the turbine rotor blade further comprising:
a rib configuration including:
a leading edge transverse rib connecting the pressure side outer wall and the suction side outer wall and partitioning the radially extending chamber into a leading edge passage within the leading edge of the airfoil and a central passage adjacent to the leading edge passage;
a pressure side camber line rib connected to the pressure side outer wall at a point aft of the leading edge transverse rib causing the central passage to extend towards the pressure side outer wall, wherein a leading end of the pressure side camber line rib connects directly to the pressure side outer wall; and
a suction side camber line rib directly connected to the leading edge transverse rib creating a suction side flow passage opposite the central passage extension towards the pressure side outer wall.

12. The turbine rotor blade of claim 11 , wherein, at a location where the central passage extends towards the pressure side outer wall, a width t f is defined between outermost extents of the central passage and a width t a is defined between outer surfaces of the suction side outer wall and the pressure side outer wall, and
wherein a ratio of the width t f to the width t a ranges from 40% to 70%.

13. The turbine rotor blade of claim 11 , wherein the pressure side outer wall and the pressure side camber line rib define a pressure side flow passage therebetween, and wherein the suction side outer wall and the suction side camber line rib define the suction side flow passage therebetween.

14. The turbine rotor blade of claim 11 , wherein, at a location where the central passage extends towards the pressure side outer wall, a width t f is defined between outermost extents of the central passage and a width t a is defined between outer surfaces of the suction side outer wall and the pressure side outer wall, and
wherein a ratio of the width t f to the width to ranges from 40% to 70%.

15. The turbine rotor blade of claim 11 , wherein the leading edge transverse rib includes a crossover passage between the leading edge passage and the central passage.

16. The turbine rotor blade of claim 11 , wherein the pressure side camber line rib and the suction side camber line rib have a wavy profile.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Leary Brendon James
• Foster Gregory Thomas
• Iduate Michelle Jessica
• Weber David Wayne

Classifications

• F05D2260/22141

  using fins or ribs · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title

• F01D5/187 Primary

  Convection cooling · CPC title

• F05D2260/201

  by impingement of a fluid · CPC title

• F01D5/188 Primary

  with an insert in the blade cavity to guide the cooling fluid, e.g. forming a separation wall · CPC title