Centrifugal airfoil cooling modulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305252-A1
Application number	US-201415100925-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2013
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one example embodiment, a blade includes an attachment region, an airfoil extending from the attachment region, and a blade cooling arrangement. The blade cooling arrangement includes at least a first feed passage disposed through the attachment region, which is connected to a first cooling passage disposed in the airfoil. A passively actuated first coolant valve is disposed in or proximate the first feed passage. A plurality of such blades can be disposed in a turbine section of an engine.

First claim

1 . A blade comprising:
an attachment region; an airfoil extending from the attachment region; a blade cooling arrangement including at least a first feed passage disposed through the attachment region, and connected to a first cooling passage disposed in the airfoil; and a passively actuated first coolant valve disposed in or proximate the first feed passage.

2 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the blade comprises a nickel-based superalloy substrate.

3 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling passage is selected from: a serpentine passage, a leading edge impingement passage, a trailing edge cooling passage, and a sidewall microcircuit.

4 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the airfoil includes one of: a tip cap and a tip shelf.

5 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first coolant valve is actuated in response to a centrifugal force applied in a spanwise direction of the blade.

6 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first coolant valve is disposed over an opening to the first root passage.

7 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first coolant valve is disposed within the first root passage.

8 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first coolant valve is disposed proximate an interface between the first root passage and the first cooling passage.

9 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the airfoil also includes a plurality of film cooling holes formed through a sidewall of the airfoil between the first cooling passage and an exterior of the blade.

10 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the first coolant valve includes a first blocking element attached to a first blade surface.

11 . The blade of claim 10 , wherein the first blocking element comprises:
a first hinge portion; and a first blocking portion extending from the first hinge portion and across a portion of the blade cooling arrangement.

12 . The blade of claim 11 , wherein the first hinge portion includes a resilient element having at least one end attached to the first surface of the blade.

13 . The blade of claim 10 , wherein the first blocking element includes a reed valve comprising a first flap attached to the first blade surface.

14 . The blade of claim 13 , wherein the reed valve further comprises a second flap attached to a second blade surface opposing the first blade surface.

15 . The blade of claim 10 , wherein the first blocking portion selectively engages at least one of:
a second blade surface of the blade disposed proximate the first blade surface; and a second blocking portion secured to the second surface of the blade.

16 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the blade cooling arrangement also includes a second cooling passage disposed in the airfoil.

17 . The blade of claim 1 , wherein the blade cooling arrangement also includes a second feed passage disposed in the attachment region.

18 . The blade of claim 17 , further comprising:
a centrifugally actuated second coolant valve disposed in or proximate the second feed passage.

19 . A turbofan engine comprising:
a compressor section in flow series with an upstream core inlet; a combustor section adapted to combine fuel with compressed air received from the compressor which is combusted to form a working fluid; and a turbine section adapted to convert energy of the working fluid into rotation of at least one shaft, the turbine section including a plurality of turbine blades circumferentially distributed about at least one turbine disk, each of the plurality of turbine blades comprising: an attachment region secured to the at least one turbine disk; an airfoil extending from the attachment region; a blade cooling arrangement including at least a first feed passage disposed through the attachment region, and connected to a first cooling passage disposed in the airfoil; and a centrifugally actuated first coolant valve disposed in or proximate the first feed passage.

20 . The engine of claim 19 , wherein the first cooling passage is selected from: a serpentine passage, a leading edge impingement passage, a trailing edge cooling passage, and a sidewall microcircuit.

21 . The engine of claim 19 , wherein each of the first coolant valves are centrifugally opened in a first operational state above a minimum rotor speed, and are closed in a second operational state below the minimum rotor speed.

22 . The engine of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first coolant valves is disposed over an opening to the corresponding first root passage.

23 . The engine of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first coolant valves is disposed within the corresponding first root passage.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Thornton Lane
• Slavens Thomas N

Classifications

• F05D2260/201

  by impingement of a fluid · CPC title

• F01D5/187 Primary

  Convection cooling · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F01D5/28

  Selecting particular materials; {Particular measures relating thereto;} Measures against erosion or corrosion · CPC title

• F05D2240/304

  related to the trailing edge of a rotor blade · CPC title