IP Library Granted Patent US 10,704,399
Granted Patent B2
US 10,704,399 · App. 15/609,529 · Granted Jul 7, 2020

Adaptively opening cooling pathway

Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy (Greer, SC); Brian Peter Arness (Simpsonville, SC); Victor John Morgan (Simpsonville, SC); Stephen William Tesh (Simpsonville, SC)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F01D5/189F01D5/186F01D5/187F01D5/288F02B29/0456F05D2260/204F05D2260/84F05D2300/611
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,704,399
App. No.
15/609,529
Granted
Jul 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hot gas path component of an industrial machine includes a cooling pathway. The component includes a body including an outer surface; a thermal barrier coating (TBC) over the outer surface, the TBC exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature; and an internal cooling circuit in the body carrying a cooling medium. A cooling pathway is in the body and in fluid communication with the internal cooling circuit. The cooling pathway includes a terminating end in the body and a length extending along and spaced internally from the outer surface by a first spacing. In response to a spall in the TBC occurring at a location over the cooling pathway and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the body, the cooling pathway opens at the location through the first spacing to allow a flow of the cooling medium therethrough.

Claims (34)

1. A component for use in a hot gas path of an industrial machine, the component comprising:

a body including an outer surface;

a thermal barrier coating over the outer surface, the thermal barrier coating exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature;

an internal cooling circuit in the body carrying a cooling medium; and

a cooling pathway in the body and in fluid communication with the internal cooling circuit, the cooling pathway including a terminating end in the body and a surface extending along and spaced internally from the outer surface by a first spacing,

wherein in response to a spall in the thermal barrier coating occurring at a spall location over the cooling pathway and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the body, a first portion of the surface of the cooling pathway other than the terminating end opens to establish a fluid communication at the spall location through the first spacing to allow a flow of the cooling medium therethrough, while a second portion of the surface of the cooling pathway remains intact.

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the first spacing is substantially consistent along a length of the cooling pathway such that the cooling pathway extends parallel along and internally from the outer surface.

3. The component of claim 1 , wherein the cooling pathway has a circular cross-section.

4. The component of claim 1 , wherein an extent of the spall determines a size of the first portion in the cooling pathway.

5. The component of claim 1 , wherein the terminating end is spaced internally from the outer surface by a second spacing that is less than the first spacing,

wherein in response to the spall in the thermal barrier coating occurring at a location over the terminating end and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the body, the cooling pathway opens at the location over the terminating end and through the second spacing to allow a flow of the cooling medium therethrough.

6. A component for use in a hot gas path of an industrial machine, the component comprising:

a body including an outer surface;

a thermal barrier coating over the outer surface, the thermal barrier coating exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature;

an internal cooling circuit in the body carrying a cooling medium; and

a cooling pathway in the body and in fluid communication with the internal cooling circuit, the cooling pathway including a terminating end in the body and a length extending along and spaced internally from the outer surface by a first spacing, wherein the terminating end is spaced internally from the outer surface by a second spacing that is less than the first spacing,

wherein in response to a spall in the thermal barrier coating occurring at a location over the terminating end and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the body, the cooling pathway opens at the location over the terminating end and through the second spacing to allow a flow of the cooling medium therethrough.

7. The component of claim 6 , wherein the first spacing is substantially consistent along the length such that the cooling pathway extends parallel along and internally from the outer surface.

8. The component of claim 6 , further comprising an opening fostering surface in the outer surface in a region over the terminating end of the cooling pathway.

9. The component of claim 8 , wherein the opening fostering surface includes a heat transfer enhancing surface.

10. The component of claim 8 , wherein the opening fostering surface includes a material weakness in the body.

11. The component of claim 6 , wherein the cooling pathway has a circular cross-section.

12. The component of claim 8 , wherein in response to the spall in the thermal barrier coating occurring at a location over the cooling pathway and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the body, the cooling pathway opens at the location through the first spacing to allow a flow of the cooling medium therethrough.

13. The component of claim 11 , wherein the cooling pathway has a tear-dropped cross-section.

14. The component of claim 11 , wherein an extent of the spall determines a size of an opening at the location.

15. A component for use in a hot gas path of an industrial machine, the component comprising:

a body including an outer surface;

a thermal barrier coating over the outer surface, the thermal barrier coating exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature;

an internal cooling circuit in the body carrying a cooling medium; and

a cooling pathway in the body and in fluid communication with the internal cooling circuit, the cooling pathway including a terminating end in the body and a surface extending along and spaced internally from the outer surface by a first spacing,

wherein in response to a spall in the thermal barrier coating occurring at a location over the cooling pathway and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the body, a portion of the cooling pathway other than the terminating end opens through the first spacing to allow a flow of the cooling medium therethrough, and

the component further comprises an opening fostering surface positioned between the thermal barrier coating and the cooling pathway.

16. The component of claim 15 , wherein the opening fostering surface includes a heat transfer enhancing surface.

17. The component of claim 15 , wherein the opening fostering surface includes a material weakness in the body.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 065727/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2017
From: LACY, BENJAMIN PAUL; ARNESS, BRIAN PETER; MORGAN, VICTOR JOHN; TESH, STEPHEN WILLIAM
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 042647/0084 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180347378A1 · Dec 6, 2018
Cited By (4)
US 12,203,655 US 12,281,794 US 12,449,128 US 12,601,483