Nozzle assembly for turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12442309-B2
Application number	US-201916568730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2019
Priority date	Sep 12, 2019
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for a nozzle assembly for a turbine engine and a method of forming the nozzle assembly are described herein. The nozzle assembly can include a set of nozzles including an inner band and an outer band, with one or more airfoils extending between the inner and outer bands. The nozzles can be coupled to adjacent nozzles at the inner and outer bands to form the nozzle assembly. A throat can be defined at the minimum cross-sectional area between adjacent airfoils in the nozzle assembly. A formed portion can be formed on either of or both of the inner or outer band at the throat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nozzle assembly for a turbine engine, the nozzle assembly comprising:
an outer band;
an inner band spaced from the outer band;
a first airfoil extending between the outer band and the inner band, extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and including a first pressure side and a first suction side;
a second airfoil extending between the outer band and the inner band and spaced from the first airfoil and including a second pressure side and a second suction side;
a throat defined as a minimum cross-sectional area between the first airfoil and the second airfoil extending between the trailing edge of the first airfoil and the second suction side of the second airfoil;
additional material provided at the throat, with the additional material provided on at least a portion of one of the inner band or the outer band; and
a formed portion positioned in the additional material at the throat with a central portion of the formed portion aligned at the throat;
wherein the central portion defines a maximum cross-sectional distance for the formed portion arranged at the throat.

2. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the additional material is provided on both of the outer band and the inner band.

3. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the formed portion includes at least two formed portions, with a first formed portion provided on the outer band and a second formed portion provided on the inner band.

4. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the formed portion has an arcuate profile.

5. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the first airfoil and the second airfoil includes a first vane and a second vane in a high pressure turbine.

6. The nozzle assembly of claim 5 wherein the first vane and the second vane are in a first stage of the high pressure turbine.

7. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the formed portion is formed at a maximum deviation.

8. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the formed portion is aerodynamically contoured to minimize flow separation or turbulence created by the formed portion.

9. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the formed portion is formed by electrical discharge machining.

10. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the additional material is a metal.

11. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the first pressure side of the first airfoil is concave and the second suction side of the second airfoil is convex.

12. A method of forming a nozzle assembly for a turbine engine, the method comprising:
forming a nozzle having an inner band and an outer band, with at least one airfoil coupled to and extending between the inner band and the outer band, with the at least one airfoil partially defining a throat;
forming additional material on at least one of the inner band, the outer band, or on the at least one airfoil at the throat; and
machining the additional material to form a formed portion at the throat;
wherein forming the nozzle and forming the additional material are formed by the same method of manufacture.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising measuring the throat prior to machining the additional material.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein forming the additional material includes applying a coating or APS onto the nozzle at the throat.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein machining the additional material further comprises at least one of adaptive machining, grinding, or grit blasting.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein machining the additional material further comprises forming an aerodynamic surface as the formed portion to minimize flow separation and turbulence at the throat.

17. A nozzle for a turbine engine comprising:
an outer band;
an inner band spaced from the outer band;
a first airfoil extending between the outer band and the inner band, extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and including a first pressure side and a first suction side;
a second airfoil extending between the outer band and the inner band, spaced from the first airfoil, and including a second pressure side and a second suction side;
a throat defined as a minimum cross-sectional area between the first airfoil and the second airfoil defined extending between the trailing edge of the first airfoil and the second suction side of the second airfoil;
additional material provided at the throat, extending over, and covering at least a portion of one of the outer band or the inner band; and
a formed portion formed in the additional material at the throat and defining a maximum cross-sectional distance for the formed portion at the throat.

18. The nozzle of claim 17 wherein the first pressure side of the first airfoil is concave and the second suction side of the second airfoil is convex.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Vitt Paul Hadley
• Frost Wilson
• Broomer Mark

Classifications

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F05D2240/128

  Nozzles · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

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

• F05D2230/90

  Coating; Surface treatment · CPC title

• F01D9/041 Primary

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title