Cooled flow deflection apparatus for a fluid-flow machine which operates at high temperatures

• US 6,419,449 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alstom Limited (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Limited (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Ferber, Jörgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, RICHARD SUKYOON
• Application Number:
  US09/750,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 415/115, 415/116, 416/97.A, 416/96.A, 416/97.R, 416/96.R, 416/95, 416/92
• US Class Current: 416/96.00A
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/188 with an insert in the blade cavity to guide the cooling fluid, e.g. forming a separation wall

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for providing cooling channels in the interior of a gas turbine rotor blade. The cooling channels are formed by metallic inserts which extend from adjacent the root of the blade toward the tip. The inserts are substantially flat and are secured in the interior of the airfoil section by means of rails which engage the longitudinal edges of the inserts and serve as a guide during insertion. The rails are preferable formed integrally with the blade casting.

Claims

1. A cooled flow deflection apparatus for a fluid-flow machine which operates at high temperatures, which flow deflection apparatus has a leading edge and a trailing edge and an interior defined between the leading edge and the trailing edge, a number of parallel-running cooling channels formed in the interior, which are separated from one another by separating walls for a cooling fluid to pass through, wherein the separating walls are in the form of separate inserts which can be pushed into the flow deflection apparatus subsequently;

the cooling fluid flows in mutually opposite directions in two adjacent cooling channels, the cooling fluid being deflected from the outlet of the one cooling channel into the inlet of the other cooling channel by means of a deflection device, and the deflection being produced by a separating wall which is bent into a U-shape; and

the separate inserts being spaced apart from each other successively from the leading edge to the trailing edge and defining at least one path through the interior from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

2. The flow deflection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow deflection apparatus is in the form of a hollow casting, and in that holders, which are in the form of rails and into which the separating walls are inserted, are integrally formed in the interior of the flow deflection apparatus.

3. The flow deflection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separating walls are in the form of flat strips composed of at least one of a metallic material and a heat-resistant non-metallic material.

4. The flow deflection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inserted separating walls are connected by an integral material joint to the flow deflection apparatus, in order to secure them.

5. The flow deflection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separating walls are straight.

6. The flow deflection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow deflection apparatus is a blade in a gas turbine.

7. The flow deflection apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the blade is a rotor blade, in that the cooling channels and separating walls extend essentially in the radial direction with respect to the rotation axis of the gas turbine, in that the inserted separating walls are, for security, connected by an integral material joint to the blade, and the integral material joint is arranged at the end of the separating walls close to the axis.

8. A gas turbine blade comprising an airfoil section and a blade root, the interior of the blade having a plurality of cooling channels separated from each other by separating walls, the blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge and the interior of the blade having rails, the separating walls being in the form of separate inserts engaging the rails and being supported thereby;

cooling fluid flows in mutually opposite directions in two adjacent cooling channels, the cooling fluid being deflected from the outlet of the one cooling channel into the inlet of the other cooling channel by means of a deflection device, and the deflection being produced by a separating wall which is bent into a U-shape; and

the separate inserts being spaced apart from each other successively from the leading edge to the trailing edge and defining at least one path through the interior from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

9. The gas turbine blade as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inserts are curved to deflect cooling air from one of the cooling channels to another cooling channel.

10. The gas turbine blade as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inserts are formed of flat metallic strips.

11. A gas turbine blade comprising a metallic casting in the shape of a blade having a blade airfoil section and a blade root, the casting having a hollow space in the interior of the airfoil section, and the airfoil section having a leading edge and a trailing edge, cooling channels in the hollow space arranged for receiving a cooling fluid from the blade root and directing the cooling fluid toward the tip of the airfoil section, the cooling channels including a plurality of inserts in the interior of the airfoil section, the inserts being secured by holders in the hollow interior of the airfoil section;

the cooling fluid flows in mutually opposite directions in two adjacent cooling channels, the cooling fluid being deflected from the outlet of the one cooling channel into the inlet of the other cooling channel by means of a deflection device, and the deflection being produced by an insert which is bent into a U-shape; and

the separate inserts being spaced apart from each other successively from the leading edge to the trailing edge and defining at least one path through the interior from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

12. The gas turbine blade as claimed in claim 11, wherein the blade is a rotor blade.

13. The gas turbine blade as claimed in claim 11, wherein the holders are in the from of rails for guiding the insertion of the inserts in the interior of the airfoil section.

14. The gas turbine blade as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inserts are secured in the holders by at least one of soldering and welding.