IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,270,515
Granted Patent B2
US 7,270,515 · App. 11/138,173 · Granted Sep 18, 2007

Turbine airfoil trailing edge cooling system with segmented impingement ribs

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,270,515
App. No.
11/138,173
Granted
Sep 18, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cooling system for a turbine airfoil of a turbine engine having multiple segmented ribs aligned together spanwise within a trailing edge cooling channel. The segmented ribs may be positioned proximate to a trailing edge of the turbine airfoil to facilitate increased heat removal with less cooling fluid flow, thereby resulting in increased cooling system efficiency, and to increase the structural integrity of the trailing edge of the airfoil. The segmented ribs may include crossover orifices that provide structural integrity to ceramic cores used during manufacturing to prevent cracking and other damage.

Claims (37)

1. A turbine airfoil, comprising:

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

at least one trailing edge cooling channel extending from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil;

at least one first segmented spanwise rib positioned in the at least one trailing edge cooling channel, extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices;

at least one second segmented spanwise rib positioned in the at least one trailing edge cooling channel, extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, positioned between the first segmented spanwise rib and the trailing edge of the generally elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices;

at least one crossover orifice positioned between an end of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib and the tip section of the airfoil and between another end of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib and the root;

at least one crossover orifice positioned between an end of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the tip section of the airfoil and between another end of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the root;

at least one crossover orifice in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib between the crossover orifices at each end at least one first segmented spanwise rib and extending generally from an inner surface of a suction side of the airfoil to an inner surface of a pressure side of the airfoil;

at least one crossover orifice in the at least one second segments spanwise rib between the crossover orifices at each end of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and extending generally from the inner surface of the suction side of the airfoil to the inner surface of the pressure side of the airfoil; and

wherein the crossover orifices each have a larger cross-sectional area than cross-sectional areas of the impingement orifices.

2. The turbine airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the at least one crossover orifices in the first and second segmented spanwise ribs extend generally from an inner surface of a suction side of the airfoil to an inner surface of a pressure side of the airfoil.

3. The turbine airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib is aligned spanwise with the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib.

4. The turbine airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise with the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib.

5. The turbine airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib is offset spanwise from the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib.

6. The turbine airfoil of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise with the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib.

7. The turbine airfoil of claim 1 , further comprising at least one third segmented spanwise rib extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, positioned in the at least one trailing edge cooling channel between the second segmented spanwise rib and the trailing edge of the generally elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices.

8. The turbine airfoil of claim 7 , further comprising at least one crossover orifices in the third segmented spanwise rib extending generally from an inner surface of a suction side of the airfoil to an inner surface of a pressure side of the airfoil.

9. The turbine airfoil of claim 7 , wherein the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib is aligned spanwise with the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib, the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise with the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib, and the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise with the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one third segmented spanwise rib.

10. The turbine airfoil of claim 1 , further comprising at least one third segmented spanwise rib extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, positioned between the second segmented spanwise rib and the trailing edge of the generally elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices.

11. A turbine airfoil, comprising:

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

at least one trailing edge cooling channel extending from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil;

at least one first segmented spanwise rib positioned in the at least one trailing edge cooling channel, extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices;

at least one second segmented spanwise rib, extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, positioned in the at least one trailing edge cooling channel between the first segmented spanwise rib and the trailing edge of the generally elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices; and

at least one third segmented spanwise rib extending generally from the root to the tip section of the elongated airfoil, positioned in the at least one trailing edge cooling channel between the second segmented spanwise rib and the trailing edge of the generally elongated airfoil, and including a plurality of impingement orifices;

at least one crossover orifice positioned between an end of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib and the tip section of the airfoil and between another end of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib and the root;

at least one crossover orifice positioned between an end of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the tip section of the airfoil and between another end of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the root;

at least one crossover orifice positioned between an end of the at least one third segmented spanwise rib and the tip section of the airfoil and between another end of the at least one third segmented spanwise rib and the root;

at least one crossover orifice in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib between the crossover orifices at each end at least one first segmented spanwise rib and extending generally from an inner surface of a suction side of the airfoil to an inner surface of a pressure side of the airfoil;

at least one crossover orifice in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib between the crossover orifices at each end of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and extending generally from the inner surface of the suction side of the airfoil to the inner surface of the pressure side of the airfoil;

at least one crossover orifice in the at least one third segmented spanwise rib between the crossover orifices at each end of the at least one third segmented spanwise rib and extending generally from the inner surface of the suction side of the airfoil to the inner surface of the pressure side of the airfoil; and

wherein the crossover orifices each have a larger cross-sectional area than cross-sectional areas of the impingement orifices.

12. The turbine airfoil of claim 11 , wherein the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib is aligned spanwise with the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib is aligned spanwise with the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one third segmented spanwise rib.

13. The turbine airfoil of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise with the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib, and the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise with the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one third segmented spanwise rib.

14. The turbine airfoil of claim 11 , wherein the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one first segmented spanwise rib is offset spanwise from the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib, and the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one second segmented spanwise rib is offset spanwise from the at least one crossover orifice of the at least one third segmented spanwise rib.

15. The turbine airfoil of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise from the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise from the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one third segmented spanwise rib.

16. The turbine airfoil of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one first segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise from the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib and the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one second segmented spanwise rib are offset spanwise from the plurality of impingement orifices in the at least one third segmented spanwise rib.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 31, 2009
From: SIEMENS POWER GENERATION, INC.
To: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 022482/0740 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 15, 2005
From: SIEMENS WESTINGHOUSE POWER CORPORATION
To: SIEMENS POWER GENERATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 017000/0120 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2005
From: LIANG, GEORGE
To: SIEMENS WESTINGHOUSE POWER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016606/0071 →