IP Library Granted Patent US 11,814,965
Granted Patent B2
US 11,814,965 · App. 17/454,363 · Granted Nov 14, 2023

Turbomachine blade trailing edge cooling circuit with turn passage having set of obstructions

Inventors: Thomas Earl Dyson (Niskayuna, NY); Nicholas William Rathay (Rock City Falls, NY); Adam John Fredmonski (Simpsonville, SC)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F01D5/187F01D5/147F05D2240/304F05D2260/202F05D2260/232F05D2260/608
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,814,965
App. No.
17/454,363
Granted
Nov 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A turbomachine blade, and a coupon for a turbomachine blade, are disclosed. The blade may include an airfoil body having a pressure side and a suction side connected by a leading edge and a trailing edge, a coolant feed passage defined in the airfoil body, and a coolant reuse passage defined in the airfoil body. The blade may also include a first cooling circuit defined in the airfoil body. The first cooling circuit may include a rearward passage extending toward the trailing edge from and fluidly coupled to the coolant feed passage, and a radially spreading return passage extending away from the trailing edge toward and fluidly coupled to the coolant reuse passage. The cooling circuit may also include a radially extending turn passage coupling the rearward passage and the radially spreading return passage. A first set of obstructions may be positioned in the radially extending turn passage.

Claims (56)

1. A turbomachine blade, comprising:

an airfoil body having a pressure side and a suction side connected by a leading edge and a trailing edge;

a coolant feed passage defined in the airfoil body;

a first coolant reuse passage defined in the airfoil body;

a first cooling circuit defined in the airfoil body, the first cooling circuit including:

a first rearward passage extending toward the trailing edge from and directly fluidly coupled to the coolant feed passage;

a first radially spreading return passage extending away from the trailing edge toward and directly fluidly coupled to the first coolant reuse passage, the first radially spreading return passage increasing in dimension in a radial direction over at least a portion of a length of the first radially spreading return passage;

a first radially extending turn passage coupling the first rearward passage and the first radially spreading return passage, the first radially extending turn passage oriented predominantly parallel to the radial direction; and

a first set of obstructions positioned in the first radially extending turn passage.

2. The turbomachine blade of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vent passages extending from the first radially extending turn passage through the trailing edge of the airfoil body.

3. The turbomachine blade of claim 1 , wherein the first rearward passage is radially offset from the first radially spreading return passage along a radial axis of the airfoil body.

4. The turbomachine blade of claim 1 , further comprising a second set of obstructions positioned in the first radially spreading return passage.

5. The turbomachine blade of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second cooling circuit defined in the airfoil body, the second cooling circuit including:

a second rearward passage extending toward the trailing edge from and directly fluidly coupled to the coolant feed passage;

a second radially spreading return passage extending away from the trailing edge toward and directly fluidly coupled to a second coolant reuse passage defined in the airfoil body, the second radially spreading return passage increasing in dimension in a radial direction over at least a portion of a length of the second radially spreading return passage; and

a second radially extending turn passage coupling the second rearward passage and the second radially spreading return passage, the second radially extending turn passage oriented predominantly parallel to the radial direction;

wherein the second rearward passage is radially offset from the second radially spreading return passage along a radial axis of the airfoil body.

6. The turbomachine blade of claim 5 , wherein the first cooling circuit is circumferentially offset from the second cooling circuit in the airfoil body.

7. The turbomachine blade of claim 5 , further comprising a second set of obstructions, wherein the second set of obstructions is positioned in the second radially spreading return passage.

8. The turbomachine blade of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of first cooling circuits radially spaced in the airfoil body, and a plurality of second cooling circuits radially spaced in the airfoil body.

9. The turbomachine blade of claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge has an ellipse ratio between 1.1 and 4.

10. The turbomachine blade of claim 5 , wherein the first cooling circuit is adjacent the suction side of the airfoil body, and the second cooling circuit is adjacent the pressure side of the airfoil body.

11. The turbomachine blade of claim 1 , wherein the first radially extending turn passage has a first circumferential width at a forward end thereof that is greater than a second circumferential width at an aft end thereof.

12. A coupon for replacing a cutout of a predetermined area in an airfoil body of a turbomachine blade, the airfoil body having a pressure side and a suction side connected by a leading edge and a trailing edge, the cutout within the trailing edge of the airfoil body, the coupon comprising:

a coupon body;

a first cooling circuit defined in the coupon body, the first cooling circuit including:

a first rearward passage extending toward the trailing edge from and directly fluidly coupled to a coolant feed passage defined in at least one of the coupon body and the airfoil body;

a first radially spreading return passage extending away from the trailing edge toward and directly fluidly coupled to a first coolant reuse passage defined in at least one of the coupon body and the airfoil body, the first radially spreading return passage increasing in dimension in a radial direction over at least a portion of a length of the first radially spreading return passage;

a first radially extending turn passage coupling the first rearward passage and the first radially spreading return passage, the first radially extending turn passage oriented predominantly parallel to the radial direction; and

a first set of obstructions positioned in the first radially extending turn passage.

13. The coupon of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of vent passages extending from the first radially extending turn passage through the trailing edge of the coupon body.

14. The coupon of claim 12 , wherein the first rearward passage is radially offset from the first radially spreading return passage along a radial axis of the airfoil body.

15. The coupon of claim 12 , further comprising a second set of obstructions, wherein the second set of obstructions is positioned in the first radially spreading return passage.

16. The coupon of claim 12 , further comprising:

a second cooling circuit defined in the coupon body, the second cooling circuit including:

a second rearward passage extending toward the trailing edge from and directly fluidly coupled to the coolant feed passage;

a second radially spreading return passage extending away from the trailing edge toward and directly fluidly coupled to a second coolant reuse passage defined in at least one of the coupon body and the airfoil body, the second radially spreading return passage increasing in dimension in a radial direction over at least a portion of a length of the second radially spreading return passage; and

a second radially extending turn passage coupling the second rearward passage and the second radially spreading return passage, the second radially extending turn passage oriented predominantly parallel to the radial direction,

wherein the second rearward passage is radially offset from the second radially spreading return passage along a radial axis of the airfoil body.

17. The coupon of claim 12 , wherein the first cooling circuit is adjacent the suction side of the airfoil body, and the second cooling circuit is adjacent the pressure side of the airfoil body, and

wherein the first cooling circuit is circumferentially offset from the second cooling circuit in the at least one of the coupon body and the airfoil body.

18. The coupon of claim 12 , wherein the trailing edge has an ellipse ratio between 1.1 and 4.

19. The coupon of claim 12 , wherein the first radially extending turn passage has a first circumferential width at a forward end thereof that is greater than a second circumferential width at an aft end thereof.

20. A gas turbine system, comprising:

a compressor;

a combustor; and

a gas turbine, the gas turbine including a turbomachine blade including a trailing edge cooling system, the turbomachine blade including:

an airfoil body having a pressure side and a suction side connected by a leading edge and a trailing edge;

a coolant feed passage defined in the airfoil body;

a first coolant reuse passage defined in the airfoil body;

a first cooling circuit defined in the airfoil body, the first cooling circuit including:

a first rearward passage extending toward the trailing edge from and directly fluidly coupled to the coolant feed passage;

a first radially spreading return passage extending away from the trailing edge toward and directly fluidly coupled to the first coolant reuse passage, the first radially spreading return passage increasing in dimension in a radial direction over at least a portion of a length of the first radially spreading return passage;

a first radially extending turn passage coupling the first rearward passage and the first radially spreading return passage, the first radially extending turn passage oriented predominantly parallel to the radial direction; and

a first set of obstructions positioned in the first radially extending turn passage.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 065727/0001 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 9, 2022
From: GE POWER AND WATER
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 058980/0708 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2021
From: DYSON, THOMAS EARL; RATHAY, NICHOLAS WILLIAM; FREDMONSKI, ADAM JOHN
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 058073/0746 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230145370A1 · May 11, 2023
Cited By (2)
US 12,286,899 US 12,631,116