IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,932,573
Granted Patent B2
US 6,932,573 · App. 10/426,729 · Granted Aug 23, 2005

Turbine blade having a vortex forming cooling system for a trailing edge

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,932,573
App. No.
10/426,729
Granted
Aug 23, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A turbine blade for a turbine engine having one or more cavities in a trailing edge of the turbine blade for forming one or more vortices in inner aspects of the trailing edge. In at least one embodiment, the turbine blade may include one or more elongated cavities in the trailing edge of the blade formed by one or more ribs placed in a cooling chamber of the turbine blade. The elongated cavity in the trailing edge may have one or more orifices in the rib on the upstream side of the cavity. The orifice may be positioned relative to a vortex forming surface so that as a gas is passed through one or more orifices into the elongated cavity, one or more vortices are formed in the cavity. The gas may be expelled from the cavity and the blade through one or more orifices in an inner wall forming the pressure side of the turbine blade.

Claims (44)

1. A turbine blade, comprising:

a generally elongated blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a tip at a first end, a root coupled to the blade at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the blade and for coupling the blade to a disc, and at least one cavity forming a cooling system in the blade;

at least one rib positioned in the at least one cavity to form a generally elongated cavity along at least a portion of the trailing edge of the blade by dividing the at least one cavity into a trailing edge cavity and a body cavity;

wherein the at least one rib includes at least one orifice formed from at least one opening in an upstream surface of the at least one rib that extends through the at least one rib to at least one opening in a downstream surface of the at least one rib;

wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the at least one rib is positioned adjacent to a vortex forming surface; and

wherein the trailing edge includes at least one orifice in an outer wall of the blade extending from the trailing edge cavity.

2. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the vortex forming surface comprises at least a bottom surface forming the trailing edge cavity.

3. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the vortex forming surface comprises at least a top surface forming the trailing edge cavity.

4. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the vortex forming surface comprises at least a surface in contact with an edge forming the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the at least one rib.

5. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the vortex forming surface is generally orthogonal to the downstream surface of the at least one rib.

6. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the opening of the at least one orifice in the downstream surface of the at least one rib is smaller than the opening of the at least one orifice in the upstream surface of the at least one rib.

7. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the at least one orifice in the at least one rib comprises a plurality of orifices.

8. The turbine blade of claim 1 , further comprising a second rib positioned in the body cavity forming a second generally elongated trailing edge cavity, wherein the second rib comprises at least one orifice.

9. The turbine blade of claim 8 , further comprising a third rib positioned in the body cavity forming a third generally elongated trailing edge cavity, wherein the third rib comprises at least one orifice.

10. The turbine blade of claim 8 , wherein the at least one orifice in the at least one rib comprises a plurality of orifices in a first rib and the at least one orifice in the second rib comprises a plurality of orifices, wherein the plurality of orifices in the second rib are offset radially from the plurality of orifices in the first rib.

11. A turbine blade, comprising:

a generally elongated blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a tip at a first end, a root coupled to the blade at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the blade and for coupling the blade to a disc, and at least one cavity forming a cooling system in the blade;

a first rib positioned in the at least one cavity to form a generally elongated cavity in the trailing edge of the blade by dividing the at least one cavity into a first trailing edge cavity and a body cavity;

wherein the first rib includes at least one orifice formed from at least one opening in an upstream surface of the first rib that extends through the first rib to at least one opening in a downstream surface of the first rib;

wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the first rib is positioned adjacent to a first vortex forming surface;

a second rib positioned in the body cavity to form a generally elongated cavity in the trailing edge of the blade by dividing the body cavity into a second trailing edge cavity;

wherein the second rib includes at least one orifice formed from at least one opening in an upstream surface of the second rib that extends through the second rib to at least one opening in a downstream surface of the second rib;

wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the second rib is positioned adjacent to a second vortex forming surface; and

wherein the trailing edge includes at least one orifice in an outer wall of the blade extending from the trailing edge cavity.

12. The turbine blade of claim 11 , wherein the first and second vortex forming surfaces are bottom surfaces forming the first and second trailing edge cavities.

13. The turbine blade of claim 11 , wherein the first and second vortex forming surfaces are top surfaces forming the first and second trailing edge cavities.

14. The turbine blade of claim 11 , wherein the first vortex forming surface contacts the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the first rib, and the second vortex forming surface contacts the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the second rib.

15. The turbine blade of claim 11 , wherein the first vortex forming surface is generally orthogonal to the downstream surface of the first rib, and the second vortex forming surface is generally orthogonal to the downstream surface of the second rib.

16. The turbine blade of claim 11 , wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the first rib is smaller than the at least one opening in the upstream surface of the first rib, and the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the second rib is smaller than the at least one opening in the upstream surface of the second rib.

17. The turbine blade of claim 11 , further comprising a third rib positioned in the body cavity forming a third generally elongated trailing edge cavity, wherein the third rib comprises at least one orifice.

18. A turbine blade, comprising:

a generally elongated blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a tip at a first end, a root coupled to the blade at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the blade and for coupling the blade to a disc, and at least one cavity forming a cooling system in the blade;

a first rib positioned in the at least one cavity to form a generally elongated cavity in the trailing edge of the blade by dividing the at least one cavity into a first trailing edge cavity and a body cavity;

wherein the first rib includes at least one orifice formed from at least one opening in an upstream surface of the first rib that extends through the first rib to at least one opening in a downstream surface of the first rib;

wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the first rib is positioned adjacent to a first vortex forming surface;

a second rib positioned in the body cavity to form a generally elongated cavity in the trailing edge of the blade by dividing the body cavity into a second trailing edge cavity;

wherein the second rib includes at least one orifice formed from at least one opening in an upstream surface of the second rib that extends through the second rib to at least one opening in a downstream surface of the second rib;

wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the second rib is positioned adjacent to a second vortex forming surface;

a third rib positioned in the body cavity to form a generally elongated cavity in the trailing edge of the blade by dividing the body cavity into a third trailing edge cavity;

wherein the third rib includes at least one orifice formed from at least one opening in an upstream surface of the third rib that extends through the third rib to at least one opening in a downstream surface of the third rib;

wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the third rib is positioned adjacent to a third vortex forming surface; and

wherein the trailing edge includes at least one orifice in an outer wall of the blade extending from the trailing edge cavity.

19. The turbine blade of claim 18 , wherein the first vortex forming surface contacts the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the first rib, the second vortex forming surface contacts the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the second rib, and the third vortex forming surface contacts the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the third rib.

20. The turbine blade of claim 18 , wherein the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the first rib is smaller than the at least one opening in the upstream surface of the first rib, the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the second rib is smaller than the at least one opening in the upstream surface of the second rib, and the at least one opening in the downstream surface of the third rib is smaller than the at least one opening in the upstream surface of the third rib.