Water-flow testing apparatus

• US 6,561,048 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2001
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schumacher, Thomas Phillip, Meece, David Wayne, Mertz, Steven Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US09/757,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20020088270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 73/37, 738/659, 73/497, 731/181, 731/19.R, 731/47, 731/68
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/186 Film cooling F01D5/187 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/07 with cylindrical slides
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 10/00 Hydrodynamic testing; Arrangements in or on ship-testing tanks or water tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A water-testing apparatus tests an article such as a turbine airfoil component having at least two water flow passage article inlets. The apparatus includes an apparatus body having a water inlet, and an attachment head integral with the apparatus body. The attachment head includes a holder that receives the article therein in sealing contact with an article seal, and at least two ports, each port being in registry with at least one of the at least two water flow passage article inlets. A water flow controller within the apparatus body has a controller inlet in water-flow communication with the water inlet, at least two controller outlets, each controller outlet being in water-flow communication with one of the ports of the attachment head, and a flow-control valve disposed in a water flow path between the controller inlet and the controller outlets. The flow-control valve is controllable to controllably connect a single one of the controller outlets at a time to the controller inlet.

Claims

1. A water-flow testing apparatus for testing an article having at least two water flow passage article inlets, comprising:

an apparatus body having a water inlet;

an attachment head integral with the apparatus body, the attachment head including

a holder that receives the article therein in sealing contact with an article seal, and

at least two ports, each port being in registry with at least one of the at least two water flow passage article inlets; and

a water flow controller within the apparatus body, the water flow controller having

a controller inlet in water-flow communication with the water inlet,

at least two controller outlets, each controller outlet being in water-flow communication with one of the ports of the attachment head, and

a flow-control valve disposed in a water flow path between the controller inlet and the controller outlets, the flow-control valve being controllable to controllably connect a single one of the controller outlets at a time to the controller inlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises

a jaw mechanism that engages the article on two opposite sides of the article when open and draws the article toward the article seal as the jaw mechanism moves toward a closed position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the holder further comprises

a spring that biases the jaw mechanism toward the closed position.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the article seal comprises a piece of rubber with the at least two seal inlets therethrough.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow-control valve comprises

a valve bore in water-flow communication with each of the controller outlets,

a valve core slidably received within the valve bore, the valve core having a channel therethrough that may be slidably aligned with each controller outlet, and

a sliding core seal at each end of the valve bore to slidingly seal the valve core to the valve bore.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including

a turbine airfoil component article having at least two water flow passage article inlets.

7. A water flow testing apparatus for testing an article having at least two water flow passage article inlets, comprising:

the article having at least two water flow passage article inlets;

an apparatus body having a water inlet;

an attachment head integral with the apparatus body, the attachment head including

a holder that receives the article therein sealing contact with an article seal, and

at least two ports, each port being in registry with at least one of the at least two water flow pass passage article inlets; and

a water flow controller within the apparatus body, the water flow controller having

a controller inlet in water-flow communication with the water inlet,

at least two controller outlets, each controller outlet being in water-flow communication with one of the ports of the attachment head, and

a flow control valve disposed in a water flow path between the controller inlet and the controller outlets, the flow-control valve being controllable to controllably connect a single one of the controller outlets at a time to the controller inlet.

8. A water-flow testing apparatus for testing a turbine airfoil component having at least two water flow passage turbine airfoil component inlets in a base thereof and an external dovetail region on an external surface of the base, comprising:

an apparatus body having a water inlet;

an attachment head integral with the apparatus body, the attachment head including

an article seal, wherein the article seal comprises a piece of rubber with at least two seal inlets therethrough, each seal inlet being in registry with at least one of the at least two water flow passage turbine airfoil component inlets;

a holder that receives the turbine airfoil component therein in sealing contact with the article seal, and wherein the holder comprises

a jaw mechanism having camming surfaces that engage the turbine airfoil component on the dovetail region when open and draws the base of the turbine airfoil component toward the article seal as the jaw mechanism moves toward a closed position, and

a spring that biases the jaw mechanism toward the closed position; and

a water flow controller within the apparatus body, the water flow controller having

a controller inlet in water-flow communication with the water inlet,

at least two controller outlets, each controller outlet being in water-flow communication with one of the seal inlets of the attachment head, and

a flow-control valve disposed in a water flow path between the controller inlet and the controller outlets, the flow-control valve being controllable to controllably connect a single one of the controller outlets at a time to the controller inlet, wherein the flow-control valve comprises

a valve bore in water-flow communication with each of the controller outlets,

a valve core slidably received within the valve bore, the valve core having a channel therethrough that may be slidably aligned with each controller outlet, and

a sliding core seal at each end of the valve bore to slidingly seal the valve core to the valve bore.