Microcircuits for small engines

• US 20070177976A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Abdel-Messeh, William, Cunha, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,695,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/97.R
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/04 Use of lost patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/10 Cores; Manufacture or installation of cores breaker cores B22C9/084
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/187 Convection cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/211 by precision casting, e.g. microfusing or investment casting
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/81 Cooled platforms
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/185 serpentine-like
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/202 by film cooling

Abstract

A turbine engine component for use in a small engine application has an airfoil portion having a root portion, a tip portion, a suction side wall, and a pressure side wall. The suction side wall and the pressure side wall have the same thickness. Still further, the turbine engine component has a platform with an internal cooling circuit.

Claims

1. A method for design a turbine engine component comprising the steps of:

designing an airfoil portion having a root portion, a tip portion, a first wall forming a suction side wall, a second wall forming a pressure side wall, and a supply cavity; and

said designing step comprising increasing wall thickness of said first and second walls from a point near said root portion to a point near said tip portion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said increasing step comprises reducing a taper of the first wall forming the suction side of the airfoil portion and reducing a taper of the second wall forming the pressure side of the airfoil portion.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said increasing step further comprises designing each of said first and second walls to have a substantially constant wall thickness from the tip portion to the root portion.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said increasing step comprises providing said airfoil portion with a substantially constant cross sectional area sufficient to package at least one refractory metal core and a main body core.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising designing a tapered main body core to be used during casting which meets structural and vibrational requirements.

6. A turbine engine component for use in small engine applications comprising:

an airfoil portion having a root portion, a tip portion, a suction side wall, and a pressure side wall; and

said suction side wall and said pressure side wall having the same thickness.

7. A turbine engine component according to claim 6, further comprising said airfoil portion having a longitudinal axis and a supply cavity with sidewalls substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

8. The turbine engine component according to claim 6, further comprising a supply cavity which is tapered from said root portion to said tip portion.

9. The turbine engine component according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said side walls has a thickness sufficient to contain an internal cooling circuit formed from a refractory metal core.

10. The turbine engine component according to claim 6, wherein said airfoil portion has a substantially constant cross sectional area from a 10% radial span to a 90% radial span.

11. The turbine engine component according to claim 6, further comprising a platform and an as-cast internal cooling circuit within said platform.

12. The turbine engine component according to claim 11, wherein said internal cooling circuit has at least one inlet which runs from an internal pressure side fed supply.

13. The turbine engine component according to claim 12, wherein said internal cooling circuit has a plurality of inlets.

14. The turbine engine component according to claim 12, wherein said internal cooling circuit has a first channel leg positioned at an angle to the at least one inlet and a transverse leg which communicates with the first channel leg and a side leg which communicates with the transverse leg.

15. The turbine engine component according to claim 14, wherein said internal cooling circuit further has at least one return leg for returning cooling fluid along a suction side main body core.

16. The turbine engine component according to claim 15, wherein said internal cooling circuit has a plurality of return legs.

17. A platform of a turbine engine component comprising:

exterior walls and an as-cast cooling circuit positioned internally of said exterior walls.

18. The platform according to claim 17, wherein said cooling circuit has at least one inlet which runs from an internal pressure side fed supply.

19. The platform according to claim 18, wherein said internal cooling circuit has a plurality of inlets.

20. The platform according to claim 17, wherein said internal cooling circuit has a first channel leg positioned at an angle to the at least one inlet and a transverse leg which communicates with the first channel leg and a side leg which communicates with the transverse leg.

21. The platform according to claim 20, wherein said internal cooling circuit further has at least one return leg for returning cooling fluid along a suction side main body core.

22. The platform according to claim 21, wherein said internal cooling circuit has a plurality of return legs.