TURBOMACHINE BLADE INCLUDING A SQUEELER POCKET

• US 20130108444A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stein, Alexander, Boyer, Bradley Taylor, Pierre, Sylvain
• Granted Patent: US 9,051,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/91
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/20 Specially-shaped blade tips to seal space between tips and stator F01D5/225 takes precedence

Abstract

A turbine blade includes an airfoil portion including a suction side having a suction side contour, a pressure side having a pressure side contour, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a tip portion, and a squeeler pocket formed in the tip portion. The squeeler pocket includes a first side wall and a second side wall. The first side wall includes a first internal surface having a first substantially continuous curvilinear profile and the second side wall includes a second internal surface having a second substantially continuous curvilinear profile. A bleed passage extends from the squeeler pocket towards the trailing edge. The first and second side walls are configured to deliver a substantially unobstructed fluid flow from the squeeler pocket to the bleed passage and limit the fluid flow spillage onto one of the pressure side and the suction side.

Claims

1. A turbine blade comprising:

an airfoil portion including a suction side having a suction side contour, a pressure side having a pressure side contour, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a tip portion;

a squeeler pocket formed in the tip portion, the squeeler pocket including a base wall, a first side wall that extends along the pressure side between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and a second side wall that extends along the suction side between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the first side wall including a first internal surface having a first substantially continuous curvilinear profile, and the second side wall including a second internal surface having a second substantially continuous curvilinear profile; and

a bleed passage extending from the squeeler pocket towards the trailing edge, wherein the first and second side walls are configured to deliver a substantially unobstructed fluid flow from the squeeler pocket to the bleed passage and limit fluid flow spillage onto one of the pressure side and the suction side.

2. The turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the first substantially continuous curvilinear profile substantially mirrors the pressure side contour.

3. The turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the second substantially continuous curvilinear profile substantially mirrors the suction side contour.

4. The turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the bleed passage is exposed at the tip portion.

5. The turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the bleed passage comprises a bleed conduit that is encapsulated within the tip portion.

6. The turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the bleed passage includes an outlet formed in the trailing edge.

7. The turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the bleed passage comprises a bleed conduit that extends from the squeeler pocket toward the trailing edge through the airfoil portion.

8. The turbine blade according to claim 7, wherein the bleed conduit includes an inlet section exposed at the squeeler pocket and an outlet section that extends through the trailing edge of the airfoil portion.

9. The turbine blade according to claim 7, wherein the bleed conduit includes an inlet section exposed at the squeeler pocket and an outlet section that extends through the suction side of the airfoil portion.

10. The turbine blade according to claim 7, wherein the bleed conduit includes an inlet section exposed at the squeeler pocket and an outlet section that extends through the pressure side of the airfoil portion.

11. A turbomachine comprising:

a compressor portion;

a combustor assembly fluidly coupled to the compressor portion; and

a turbine portion operatively coupled to the compressor portion and fluidly connected to the combustor assembly, the turbine portion including a turbine blade comprising;

an airfoil portion including a suction side having a suction side contour, a pressure side having a pressure side contour, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a tip portion;

a squeeler pocket formed in the tip portion, the squeeler pocket including a base wall, a first side wall that extends along the pressure side between the leading edge, and the trailing edge and a second side wall that extends along the suction side between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the first side wall including a first internal surface having a first substantially continuous curvilinear profile, and the second side wall including a second internal surface having a second substantially continuous curvilinear profile; and

a bleed passage extending from the squeeler pocket towards the trailing edge, wherein the first and second side walls are configured to deliver a substantially unobstructed fluid flow from the squeeler pocket to the bleed passage and limit fluid flow spillage onto one of the pressure side and the suction side.

12. The turbomachine according to claim 11, wherein the first substantially continuous curvilinear profile substantially mirrors the pressure side contour.

13. The turbomachine according to claim 11, wherein the second substantially continuous curvilinear profile substantially mirrors the suction side contour.

14. The turbomachine according to claim 11, wherein the bleed passage is exposed at the tip portion.

15. The turbomachine according to claim 11, wherein the bleed passage comprises a bleed conduit that is encapsulated within the tip portion.

16. The turbomachine according to claim 11, wherein the bleed passage includes an outlet formed in the trailing edge.

17. The turbomachine according to claim 11, wherein the bleed passage comprises a bleed conduit that extends from the squeeler pocket toward the trailing edge through the airfoil portion.

18. The turbomachine according to claim 17, wherein the bleed conduit includes an inlet section exposed at the squeeler pocket and an outlet section that extends through the trailing edge of the airfoil portion.

19. The turbomachine according to claim 17, wherein the bleed conduit includes an inlet section exposed at the squeeler pocket and an outlet section that extends through the suction side of the airfoil portion.

20. The turbomachine according to claim 17, wherein the bleed conduit includes an inlet section exposed at the squeeler pocket and an outlet section that extends through the pressure side of the airfoil portion.