IP Library Granted Patent US 12,486,774
Granted Patent B2
US 12,486,774 · App. 18/394,749 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Cooling nozzle vanes of a turbine engine

Inventors: Lawrence A. Binek (Glastonbury, CT); Paul M. Lutjen (Kennebunkport, ME); Jose R. Paulino (Jupiter, FL)
Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
F01D5/187F01D9/065F02C3/145F02C7/12F23R3/54F05D2240/121F05D2240/81
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,486,774
App. No.
18/394,749
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This assembly includes an engine structure, and the engine structure includes a plenum, a reverse flow combustor, a nozzle structure and a cooling circuit. The reverse flow combustor is disposed in the plenum and includes a combustion chamber. The nozzle structure is arranged at an outlet from the combustion chamber. The nozzle structure includes a first platform, a second platform and a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially about an axis. The vanes extend across the flowpath from the first platform to the second platform. The cooling circuit extends in the first platform and between a circuit inlet into the cooling circuit and a circuit outlet from the cooling circuit. The circuit inlet is fluidly coupled with and disposed along the plenum. The circuit outlet is fluidly coupled with and disposed along the flowpath.

Claims (58)

1 . An assembly for a turbine engine, comprising:

an engine structure including a plenum, a reverse flow combustor, a nozzle structure, a cooling circuit, a turbine wall and an intermediate structure;

the reverse flow combustor disposed in the plenum and comprising a combustion chamber;

the nozzle structure arranged at an outlet from the combustion chamber, the nozzle structure including a first platform, a second platform and a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially about an axis, the first platform forming a first boundary of a flowpath through the nozzle structure, the second platform forming a second boundary of the flowpath, and the plurality of vanes extending across the flowpath from the first platform to the second platform;

the cooling circuit extending in the first platform and between a circuit inlet into the cooling circuit and a circuit outlet from the cooling circuit, the circuit inlet fluidly coupled with and disposed along the plenum, and the circuit outlet fluidly coupled with and disposed along the flowpath;

the turbine wall axially overlapping the reverse flow combustor and the nozzle structure;

the intermediate structure extending along the flowpath between a downstream end of the first platform and an upstream end of the turbine wall; and

the circuit inlet disposed along a portion of the plenum bordered by the first platform and the intermediate structure.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of vanes comprise a first vane; and

the circuit outlet is formed in a fillet between the first platform and the first vane.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of vanes comprises a first vane; and

the circuit outlet is formed in a surface of the first platform along the first vane.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of vanes comprises a first vane; and

the circuit outlet is disposed along and next to a suction side of the first vane.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of vanes comprises a first vane;

the circuit outlet is a first circuit outlet, and the cooling circuit further extends between the circuit inlet and a second circuit outlet from the cooling circuit; and

the first circuit outlet and the second circuit outlet are arranged longitudinally along a side of the first vane.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the side of the first vane comprises a convex side of the first vane.

7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of vanes comprises a first vane; and

the cooling circuit further extends in the first vane.

8 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein

the first vane extends longitudinally within the flowpath between a leading edge of the first vane and a trailing edge of the first vane; and

the circuit outlet is arranged at the trailing edge of the first vane.

9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein

the circuit outlet is a first circuit outlet, and the cooling circuit further extends between the circuit inlet and a second circuit outlet from the cooling circuit; and

the first circuit outlet and the second circuit outlet are arranged along the trailing edge of the first vane.

10 . The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the circuit outlet is formed in a side surface of the first vane.

11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the side surface of the first vane is a suction side surface of the first vane.

12 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein

the circuit outlet is a first circuit outlet, and the cooling circuit further extends between the circuit inlet and a second circuit outlet from the cooling circuit; and

the first circuit outlet and the second circuit outlet are arranged along the side surface of the first vane.

13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the first platform is an inner platform; and

the second platform is an outer platform that circumscribes the inner platform.

14 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the second platform is an inner platform; and

the first platform is an outer platform that circumscribes the inner platform.

15 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the reverse flow combustor further comprises a combustor wall connected to the first platform at an intersection;

the engine structure further includes a divider wall radially between the first platform and the turbine wall, and the divider wall projects axially from the intersection towards the intermediate structure; and

the portion of the plenum extends radially between the first platform and the divider wall, and the portion of the plenum extends axially between the intermediate structure and the intersection.

16 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of vanes include a first vane and a second vane;

the cooling circuit is a first cooling circuit configured to air cool the first vane; and

the engine structure further includes a second cooling circuit configured to air cool the second vane, the second cooling circuit extends in the first platform and between a second circuit inlet into the second cooling circuit and a second circuit outlet from the second cooling circuit, the second circuit inlet is fluidly coupled with and disposed along the plenum, and the second circuit outlet is fluidly coupled with and disposed along the flowpath.

17 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the engine structure is a monolithic body.

18 . An assembly for a turbine engine, comprising:

an engine structure including a plenum, a combustor, a nozzle structure, a turbine wall, an intermediate structure and a cooling circuit;

the combustor disposed in the plenum and comprising a combustion chamber;

the nozzle structure including a first platform, a second platform and a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially about an axis, each of the plurality of vanes extending across a flowpath through the nozzle structure from the first platform to the second platform;

the turbine wall axially overlapping the combustor and the nozzle structure;

the intermediate structure extending along the flowpath between a downstream end of the first platform and an upstream end of the turbine wall; and

the cooling circuit disposed in the first platform and extending between a circuit inlet into the cooling circuit and a circuit outlet from the cooling circuit, the circuit inlet fluidly coupled with and disposed along a portion of the plenum bordered by the first platform and the intermediate structure, and the circuit outlet fluidly coupled with and disposed along the flowpath.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2024
From: BINEK, LAWRENCE; LUTJEN, PAUL M.; PAULINO, JOSE
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067699/0329 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250207500A1 · Jun 26, 2025
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