Gas turbine engine components with blade tip cooling
First Claim
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1. A turbine rotor blade for a turbine section of an engine, comprising:
- a platform; and
an airfoil extending from the platform into a mainstream gas path of the turbine section, the airfoil comprisinga pressure side wall,a suction side wall joined to the pressure side wall at a leading edge and a trailing edge, anda tip cap extending between the suction side wall and the pressure side wall,an internal cooling circuit having a tip cap passage configured to deliver cooling air to the tip cap, the airfoil including an interior wall that defines the tip cap passage with the tip cap, the pressure side wall, and the suction side wall, wherein the tip cap passage has a chordwise length between an inlet and an outlet at the trailing edge; and
a flow accelerator positioned within the tip cap passage of the internal cooling circuit, the flow accelerator extending in a radial direction from the tip cap toward the interior wall to define at least a first flow area for the cooling air between the flow accelerator and the pressure side wall and a second flow area for the cooling air between the flow accelerator and the suction side wall,wherein the tip cap passage has at least a first cross-sectional area defined between the tip cap, the internal wall, the suction side wall, and the pressure side wall, and wherein the flow accelerator, at a position corresponding to the first cross-sectional area, has a second cross-sectional area that is at least 50% of the first cross-sectional area, andwherein the flow accelerator is generally tear-drop or airfoil shaped and generally extends in a chordwise direction to accelerate a flow of the cooling air through the tip cap passage,wherein the flow accelerator is hollow with an outer wall and interior space, and wherein the internal cooling circuit includes a central passage that delivers cooling air that impinges on an underside of the outer wall within the interior space.
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Abstract
A turbine rotor blade for a turbine section of an engine is provided. The rotor blade includes a platform and an airfoil extending from the platform into a mainstream gas path of the turbine section. The airfoil includes a pressure side wall, a suction side wall joined to the pressure side wall at a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a tip cap extending between the suction side wall and the pressure side wall. The rotor blade further includes an internal cooling circuit having a tip cap passage configured to deliver cooling air to the tip cap and a flow accelerator positioned within the tip cap passage of the internal cooling circuit.
59 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A turbine rotor blade for a turbine section of an engine, comprising:
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a platform; and an airfoil extending from the platform into a mainstream gas path of the turbine section, the airfoil comprising a pressure side wall, a suction side wall joined to the pressure side wall at a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a tip cap extending between the suction side wall and the pressure side wall, an internal cooling circuit having a tip cap passage configured to deliver cooling air to the tip cap, the airfoil including an interior wall that defines the tip cap passage with the tip cap, the pressure side wall, and the suction side wall, wherein the tip cap passage has a chordwise length between an inlet and an outlet at the trailing edge; and a flow accelerator positioned within the tip cap passage of the internal cooling circuit, the flow accelerator extending in a radial direction from the tip cap toward the interior wall to define at least a first flow area for the cooling air between the flow accelerator and the pressure side wall and a second flow area for the cooling air between the flow accelerator and the suction side wall, wherein the tip cap passage has at least a first cross-sectional area defined between the tip cap, the internal wall, the suction side wall, and the pressure side wall, and wherein the flow accelerator, at a position corresponding to the first cross-sectional area, has a second cross-sectional area that is at least 50% of the first cross-sectional area, and wherein the flow accelerator is generally tear-drop or airfoil shaped and generally extends in a chordwise direction to accelerate a flow of the cooling air through the tip cap passage, wherein the flow accelerator is hollow with an outer wall and interior space, and wherein the internal cooling circuit includes a central passage that delivers cooling air that impinges on an underside of the outer wall within the interior space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
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a compressor section configured to receive and compress air; a combustion section coupled to the compressor section and configured to receive the compressed air, mix the compressed air with fuel, and ignite the compressed air and fuel mixture to produce combustion gases; and a turbine section coupled to the combustion section and configured to receive the combustion gases, the turbine section defining a combustion gas path and comprising a turbine rotor positioned within the combustion gas path, the turbine rotor comprising a suction side wall; a pressure side wall joined to the suction side wall at a leading edge and a trailing edge; a tip cap extending between the pressure side wall and the suction side wall; an interior wall extending between the pressure side wall and the suction side wall; an internal cooling circuit including a tip cap passage at least partially defined the pressure side wall, the suction side wall, the tip cap, and the interior wall and configured to direct cooling air to the tip cap, wherein the tip cap passage has a chordwise length between an inlet and an outlet at the trailing edge; and a flow accelerator positioned within the tip cap passage, the flow accelerator extending in a radial direction from the tip cap toward the interior wall to define at least a first flow area for the cooling air between the flow accelerator and the pressure side wall and a second flow area for the cooling air between the flow accelerator and the suction side wall, wherein the tip cap passage has at least a first cross-sectional area defined between the tip cap, the internal wall, the suction side wall, and the pressure side wall, and wherein the flow accelerator, at a position corresponding to the first cross-sectional area, has a second cross-sectional area that is at least 50% of the first cross-sectional area, and wherein the flow accelerator is generally tear-drop or airfoil shaped and generally extends in a chordwise direction to accelerate a flow of the cooling air through the tip cap passage, wherein the flow accelerator is hollow with an outer wall and interior space, and wherein the internal cooling circuit includes a central passage that delivers cooling air that impinges on an underside of the outer wall within the interior space. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
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a compressor section configured to receive and compress air; a combustion section coupled to the compressor section and configured to receive the compressed air, mix the compressed air with fuel, and ignite the compressed air and fuel mixture to produce combustion gases; and a turbine section coupled to the combustion section and configured to receive the combustion gases, the turbine section defining a combustion gas path and comprising a turbine rotor positioned within the combustion gas path, the turbine rotor comprising airfoil side walls; a tip cap extending between the airfoil side walls; an internal cooling circuit at least partially defined by the airfoil side walls and including a tip cap passage configured to direct cooling air to the tip cap; and a flow accelerator positioned within the tip cap passage, wherein the flow accelerator is hollow with an outer wall and interior space, and wherein the internal cooling circuit includes a central passage that delivers cooling air that impinges on an underside of the outer wall within the interior space.
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Specification