IP Library Granted Patent US 9,109,452
Granted Patent B2
US 9,109,452 · App. 13/488,858 · Granted Aug 18, 2015

Vortex generators for improved film effectiveness

Inventors: Thomas J. Martin (Easton Hampton, CT); Alexander Staroselsky (Avon, CT); Thomas N. Slavens (Vernon, CT); Mark F. Zelesky (Bolton, CT); Joel H. Wagner (Wethersfield, CT)
Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
F01D5/186F05D2240/121F05D2240/303F05D2240/305F05D2260/202F05D2260/212Y02T50/676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,109,452
App. No.
13/488,858
Granted
Aug 18, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An airfoil includes a suction surface, a pressure surface, a first showerhead cooling hole and a second showerhead cooling hole. The suction surface and the pressure surface both extend axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge, as well as radially from a root section to a tip section. The first showerhead cooling hole and the second showerhead cooling hole both extend into pressure surface near the leading edge. The first showerhead cooling hole and the second showerhead cooling hole are angled in opposing directions.

Claims (29)

1. An airfoil comprising:

a suction surface and a pressure surface, the suction surface and the pressure surface both extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge, as well as radially from a root section to a tip section;

a first showerhead cooling hole and a second showerhead cooling hole, the first showerhead cooling hole and the second showerhead cooling hole both extending into the pressure surface near the leading edge, wherein the first showerhead cooling hole and the second showerhead cooling hole are angled in opposing directions; and

a first protuberance and a second protuberance spaced radially apart by a trough, the first protuberance and the second protuberance both extending axially along the pressure surface from a location adjacent the first and second showerhead cooling holes.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein an outlet of the first showerhead cooling hole is facing the root section.

3. The airfoil of claim 2 , wherein an outlet of the second showerhead cooling hole is facing the tip section.

4. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the first showerhead cooling hole and the second showerhead cooling hole are angled at about 45 degrees with respect to the pressure surface.

5. The airfoil of claim 1 , further comprising:

a pressure surface cooling hole located in a center of the trough.

6. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the first protuberance is positioned radially between the first showerhead cooling hole and the tip section, and the second protuberance is positioned radially between the second showerhead cooling hole and the root section.

7. A component for a gas turbine engine, the component comprising:

a convex surface and a concave surface, both the convex surface and the concave surface extending radially from a root section to a tip section and axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge;

bumps extending transversely from the concave surface, the bumps having upstream ends located near the leading edge and axially elongated centers extending towards the trailing edge;

upstream cooling holes having outlets located on the concave surface axially between the leading edge and the upstream ends of the bumps;

downstream holes having outlets located on the concave surface radially between the axially elongated centers of the bumps.

8. The component of claim 7 , wherein the upstream cooling holes are arranged into a first radial column, the bumps are arranged into a second radial column, and the downstream holes are arranged into a third radial column.

9. The component of claim 8 , wherein ratio of a upstream cooling holes to the downstream cooling holes is about 2:1.

10. The component of claim 7 , wherein the upstream ends of the bumps are inclined.

11. The component of claim 10 , wherein the bumps have inclined downstream ends.

12. The component of claim 11 , wherein the upstream ends are inclined more steeply than the downstream ends.

13. An airfoil for a gas turbine engine, the airfoil comprising:

a pressure surface and a suction surface, the pressure surface and the suction surface both extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, as well as between a root section and a tip section, a portion of pressure surface having an undulating contour defined by peaks and troughs; and

showerhead cooling holes having outlets on the pressure surface, the outlets of the showerhead cooling holes are located upstream of the portion of the pressure surface having the undulating contour.

14. The airfoil of claim 13 , further comprising:

pressure surface cooling holes having outlets on the pressure surface, the outlets of the pressure surface cooling holes are located on the portion of the pressure surface having the undulating contour.

15. The airfoil of claim 14 , wherein the outlets of the pressure surface cooling holes are located in the troughs.

16. The airfoil of claim 15 , wherein two showerhead cooling holes are aligned with a single pressure surface cooling hole.

17. The airfoil of claim 14 , wherein the showerhead cooling holes are angled in alternating directions.

18. The airfoil of claim 17 , wherein the showerhead cooling holes are angled at about 45 degrees with respect to the pressure surface.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2012
From: MARTIN, THOMAS J.; STAROSELSKY, ALEXANDER; SLAVENS, THOMAS N.; ZELESKY, MARK F.; WAGNER, JOEL H.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028320/0394 →
Continuity (1)
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