TRAILING EDGE AND TIP COOLING

• US 20140147287A1
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Xu, JinQuan
• Granted Patent: US 9,482,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/96.R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/186 Film cooling F01D5/187 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/187 Convection cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/304 related to the trailing edge of a rotor blade
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/307 related to the tip of a rotor blade
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/38 angled, e.g. sweep angle
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/2212 by creating turbulence vortex generators, turbulators or the like for mixing F05D2240/127
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/22141 using fins or ribs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine component includes an airfoil extending radially from a root section to a tip section and having a trailing edge cooling passageway and first, second and third flow dividers in the cooling passageway. The first, second and third flow dividers have longitudinal axes that are angled based upon a position of the flow divider relative to the tip section of the airfoil.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine component comprising:

an airfoil extending radially from a root section to a tip section and comprising a trailing edge cooling passageway;

a plurality of first flow dividers in the cooling passageway, the first flow dividers having a first longitudinal axis;

at least one second flow divider in the cooling passageway between the plurality of first flow dividers and the tip section, the at least one second flow divider having a second longitudinal axis that is offset by a first angle with respect to the first longitudinal axis;

a third flow divider in the cooling passageway between the at least one second flow divider and the tip section, the third flow divider having a third longitudinal axis that is offset by a second angle with respect to the first longitudinal axis, wherein the second angle is different from the first angle.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the first flow dividers are axially elongated oblong pedestals.

4. The component of claim 1, wherein the at least one second flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the at least one second flow divider decreases from the upstream end to the downstream end.

5. The component of claim 4, wherein the third flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the third flow divider decreases from the axial upstream end to the axial downstream end at a rate greater than the radial thickness of the at least one second flow divider decreases from its upstream end to its downstream end.

6. The component of claim 5, further comprising:

a first flow passage formed between adjacent first flow dividers, the adjacent first flow dividers spaced by a first distance;

a second flow passage formed between the at least one second flow divider and a nearest first flow divider, the nearest first flow divider and the second flow divider spaced by a second distance greater than the first distance; and

a third flow passage formed between the third flow divider and a nearest second flow divider, the nearest second flow divider and the third flow divider spaced by a third distance greater than the second distance.

7. The component of claim 1, wherein the at least one second flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the second flow divider increases from the upstream end to the downstream end.

8. The component of claim 7, wherein the third flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the third flow divider increases from the axial upstream end to the axial downstream end.

9. The component of claim 8, further comprising:

a first flow passage formed between adjacent first flow dividers, the adjacent first flow dividers spaced by a first distance;

a second flow passage formed between the at least one second flow divider and a nearest first flow divider, the nearest first flow divider and the second flow divider spaced by a second distance substantially equal to the first distance; and

a third flow passage formed between the third flow divider and a nearest second flow divider, the nearest second flow divider and the third flow divider spaced by a third distance substantially equal to the second distance.

10. The component of claim 1, wherein the at least one second flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the upstream end and the downstream end are connected by two substantially parallel sides.

11. The component of claim 10, wherein the third flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the upstream end and the downstream end of the third flow divider are connected by two substantially parallel sides.

12. The component of claim 1, wherein the third flow divider is adjacent the tip section of the airfoil.

13. A component for a gas turbine engine comprising:

an airfoil extending radially from an inner diameter to an outer diameter and axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the airfoil comprising;

an internal chamber;

a plurality of radially spaced cooling slots in communication with the internal chamber, the cooling slots terminating at outlets at the trailing edge; and

a radial column of flow dividers extending between adjacent cooling slots, the column of flow dividers comprising;

a tip flow divider spaced from the outer diameter by a first cooling air slot;

an intermediate flow divider spaced from the tip flow divider by a second cooling air slot; and

a first oblong pedestal spaced from the intermediate flow divider by a third cooling air slot, wherein the intermediate flow divider is oriented at a first angle relative to the oblong pedestal, and wherein the tip flow divider is oriented at a second angle relative to the first oblong pedestal, and wherein the first angle is different from the second angle.

14. The component of claim 13, wherein the second angle is larger than the first angle.

15. The component of claim 13, wherein the intermediate flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the intermediate flow divider decreases from the upstream end to the downstream end.

16. The component of claim 15, wherein the tip flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the tip flow divider decreases from the axial upstream end to the axial downstream end at a rate greater than the radial thickness of intermediate flow divider decreases from its upstream end to its downstream end.

17. The component of claim 16, wherein the tip flow divider and the intermediate flow divider are spaced by a first distance, and wherein the intermediate flow divider and the oblong pedestal are spaced by a second distance smaller than the first distance.

18. The component of claim 13, wherein the intermediate flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the intermediate flow divider increases from the upstream end to the downstream end.

19. The component of claim 18, wherein the tip flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein a radial thickness of the tip flow divider increases from the axial upstream end to the axial downstream end.

20. The component of claim 19, wherein the tip flow divider and the intermediate flow divider are spaced by a first distance, and wherein the intermediate flow divider and the oblong pedestal are spaced by a second distance substantially equal to the first distance.

21. The component of claim 13, wherein the intermediate flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the upstream end and the downstream end are connected by two substantially parallel sides.

22. The component of claim 21, wherein the tip flow divider comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the upstream end and the downstream end of the tip flow divider are connected by two substantially parallel sides.

23. An airfoil aligned with an axis of rotation, the airfoil comprising:

a leading edge extending along an upstream portion of the airfoil;

a trailing edge located axially downstream from the leading edge;

first and second inner surfaces defining a cooling passageway that extends upstream from the trailing edge; and

a plurality of flow dividers, each flow divider extending from the first inner surface to the second inner surface and having a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis of a given flow divider is angled relative to the axis of rotation based on a position of the flow divider relative to the outer diameter of the airfoil.