IP Library Granted Patent US 11,041,389
Granted Patent B2
US 11,041,389 · App. 15/609,576 · Granted Jun 22, 2021

Adaptive cover for cooling pathway by additive manufacture

Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy (Greer, SC); Victor John Morgan (Simpsonville, SC)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F01D5/186F01D5/147F01D9/041F01D9/065F01D5/187F01D25/12F05D2230/30F05D2230/31F05D2240/11F05D2240/81F05D2260/202F05D2270/3032
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,041,389
App. No.
15/609,576
Granted
Jun 22, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hot gas path component of an industrial machine includes an adaptive cover for a cooling pathway. The component and adaptive cover are made by additive manufacturing. The component includes an outer surface exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature; an internal cooling circuit; and a cooling pathway in communication with the internal cooling circuit and extending towards the outer surface. The adaptive cover is positioned in the cooling pathway at the outer surface. The adaptive cover may include a heat transfer enhancing surface at the outer surface causing the adaptive cover to absorb heat faster than the outer surface.

Claims (30)

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

an outer surface exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature;

an internal cooling circuit;

a cooling pathway in communication with the internal cooling circuit and extending towards the outer surface;

an adaptive cover in the cooling pathway at the outer surface, the adaptive cover configured to, in response to the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the adaptive cover, open the cooling pathway, wherein the adaptive cover includes a heat transfer enhancing surface at the outer surface causing the adaptive cover to absorb heat faster than the outer surface, wherein the adaptive cover includes a weakened region, on an inner portion of the adaptive cover, wherein the inner portion faces the cooling pathway, and wherein the weakened portion includes a groove along an edge of the weakened region, and wherein the edge of the weakened region is at a base of a wall of the cooling pathway, and

wherein the component is additively manufactured such that the adaptive cover is integrally formed with the outer surface and the cooling pathway.

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer enhancing surface includes at least one of: a dimpled surface, a bulged surface and a striped surface.

3. The component of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer enhancing surface is less smooth than the outer surface.

4. The component of claim 1 , wherein the cooling pathway is at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the outer surface.

5. The component of claim 1 , wherein the cooling pathway and the adaptive cover have a non-round cross-section at the outer surface.

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

an outer surface exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature;

an internal cooling circuit;

a cooling pathway in communication with the internal cooling circuit and extending towards the outer surface; and

an adaptive cover in the cooling pathway at the outer surface, the adaptive cover including a heat transfer enhancing surface at the outer surface causing the adaptive cover to absorb heat faster than the outer surface, wherein the adaptive cover includes a weakened region on an inner portion of the adaptive cover, wherein the inner portion faces the cooling pathway, wherein the weakened portion includes a groove along an edge of the weakened region, and wherein the edge of the weakened region is at a base of a wall of the cooling pathway.

7. The component of claim 6 , wherein the heat transfer enhancing surface includes at least one of: a dimpled surface, a bulged surface and a striped surface.

8. The component of claim 6 , wherein the heat transfer enhancing surface is less smooth than the outer surface.

9. The component of claim 6 , wherein the cooling pathway is at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the outer surface.

10. The component of claim 6 , wherein the cooling pathway and the adaptive cover have a non-round cross-section at the outer surface.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing code representative of a hot gas path (HGP) component, the HGP component physically generated upon execution of the code by a computerized additive manufacturing system, the code comprising:

code representing the HGP component, the HGP component including:

an outer surface,

an internal cooling circuit,

a cooling pathway in communication with the internal cooling circuit and extending towards the outer surface, and

an adaptive cover in the cooling pathway at the outer surface, the adaptive cover including a heat transfer enhancing surface at the outer surface causing the adaptive cover to absorb heat faster than the outer surface, wherein the adaptive cover includes a weakened region on an inner portion of the adaptive cover, wherein the inner portion faces the cooling pathway, wherein the weakened portion includes a groove along an edge of the weakened region, and wherein the edge of the weakened region is at a base of a wall of the cooling pathway.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the heat transfer enhancing surface includes at least one of: a dimpled surface, a bulged surface, a planar surface and a striped surface.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the heat transfer enhancing surface is less smooth than the outer surface.

14. The component of claim 1 , wherein the weakened region is weakened by porosity.

15. The component of claim 6 , wherein the weakened region is weakened by porosity.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the weakened region is weakened by porosity.

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 Jun 1, 2018
From: GE POWER AND WATER
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 046287/0119 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2017
From: LACY, BENJAMIN PAUL; MORGAN, VICTOR JOHN
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 042556/0924 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180347371A1 · Dec 6, 2018
Cited By (4)
US 12,203,655 US 12,281,794 US 12,449,128 US 12,601,483