Blunt tip turbine blade

• US 7,287,959 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lee, Ching-Pang, Wadia, Aspi Rustom, Brauer, John Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Look; Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): White; Dwayne J
• Application Number:
  US11/294,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20070128033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 415/115, 415/116, 416/97.R, 416/96.R, 416/90.R, 416/92
• US Class Current: 416/97.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/20 Specially-shaped blade tips to seal space between tips and stator F01D5/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/29 machined; miscellaneous
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/292 tapered
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A turbine airfoil includes opposite pressure and suction sidewalls, and extends in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges and in span from a root to an outer tip cap. The tip cap bridges the sidewalls, and a flute extends chordally along the pressure sidewall and below the tip cap.

Claims

1. A turbine airfoil comprising:

laterally opposite pressure and suction sidewalls extending in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges and in span from a root to an outer tip cap bridging said sidewalls at distal ends thereof;

a concave flute extending chordally in the external surface of said pressure sidewall and below said tip cap; and

said pressure sidewall joins said tip cap at an internal convex bend conformably backing said concave flute, and said suction sidewall joins said tip cap at an internal fillet, and both said bend and fillet are disposed below said tip cap.

2. An airfoil according to claim 1 wherein said airfoil further comprises an internal cooling circuit, and a row of film cooling holes extending therefrom and through said bend into said flute.

3. An airfoil according to claim 2 wherein said tip cap includes a first external corner adjoining said pressure sidewall above said flute, and a second external corner adjoining said suction sidewall, and said bend is disposed behind said first corner, and said fillet is disposed behind said second corner.

4. A turbine airfoil comprising:

laterally opposite pressure and suction sidewalls extending in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges and in span from a root to an outer tip cap bridging said sidewalls at distal ends thereof and bounding an internal cooling circuit;

a flute extending chordally in the external surface of said pressure sidewall and below said tip cap;

said pressure sidewall joins said tip cap at an internal bend backing said flute, and said suction sidewall joins said tip cap at an internal fillet, and both said bend and fillet are disposed below said tip cap;

a row of film cooling holes extending from said cooling circuit and through said bend into said flute; and

said tip cap includes a first external corner adjoining said pressure sidewall above said flute and said first corner is aligned coplanar with said external surface of said pressure sidewall below said flute, and a second external corner adjoining said suction sidewall, and said bend is disposed behind said first corner, and said fillet is disposed behind said second corner.

5. An airfoil according to claim 4 wherein said sidewalls have a nominal thickness near said tip cap, and said tip cap has a similar nominal thickness.

6. An airfoil according to claim 5 wherein said flute extends in depth into said pressure sidewall greater than said sidewall nominal thickness to extend in part into said bend.

7. An airfoil according to claim 5 wherein said bend joins said tip cap at a fillet recessed behind said bend.

8. An airfoil according to claim 5 wherein said flute is concentric with said bend, and commences in said pressure sidewall behind said leading edge and extends chordally toward said trailing edge below said tip cap.

9. An airfoil according to claim 5 wherein said tip cap is flat between said first and second corners.

10. An airfoil according to claim 5 wherein said tip cap includes a tip groove spaced inboard from said first corner and aligned atop said bend.

11. A turbine blade comprising:

a hollow airfoil integrally joined at a root to a platform and dovetail;

said airfoil including laterally opposite pressure and suction sidewalls and extending in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges and in span from said root to an outer blunt tip cap bridging said sidewalls at squared external corners therewith; and

a flute extending chordally in the external surface of said pressure sidewall and spaced below said corner thereat.

12. A blade according to claim 11 wherein said flute commences in said pressure sidewall behind said leading edge and extends chordally toward said trailing edge below said tip cap.

13. A turbine blade comprising:

a hollow airfoil integrally joined at a root to a platform and dovetail;

said airfoil including laterally opposite pressure and suction sidewalls and extending in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges and in span from said root to an outer tip cap bridging said sidewalls at distal ends thereof;

a flute commencing in said pressure sidewall behind said leading edge and extending chordally in the external surface of said pressure sidewall toward said trailing edge and below said tip cap; and

said pressure sidewall joins said tip cap at an internal bend concentrically backing said flute, and said suction sidewall joins said tip cap at an internal fillet, and both said bend and fillet are disposed below said tip cap.

14. A blade according to claim 13 wherein said airfoil further comprises an internal cooling circuit, and a row of film cooling holes extending therefrom and through said bend into said flute.

15. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said flute extends into said pressure sidewall to reach said bend.

16. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said bend joins said tip cap at a fillet recessed behind said bend.

17. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said tip cap includes a first external corner adjoining said pressure sidewall above said flute, and a second external corner adjoining said suction sidewall, and said bend is disposed behind said first corner, and said fillet is disposed behind said second corner.

18. A blade according to claim 17 wherein said tip cap is flat between said first and second corners.

19. A blade according to claim 17 wherein said tip cap includes a tip groove spaced inboard from said first corner and aligned atop said bend.

20. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said sidewalls have a nominal thickness near said tip cap, and said tip cap has a similar nominal thickness.

21. A blade according to claim 20 wherein said flute extends in depth into said pressure sidewall greater than said sidewall nominal thickness to extend in part into said bend.

22. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said first corner is aligned coplanar with said external surface of said pressure sidewall below said flute.

23. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said flute comprises a concave center fillet blending laterally with outer and inner convex radii.

24. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said bend is convex inside said cooling circuit.

25. A blade according to claim 14 wherein said airfoil further comprises a plurality of tip holes extending through said tip cap laterally between said first and second corners.