Vane platform cooling

• US 7,625,172 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Wasserman, David J., Evans, Donald E., Wong, Alex D., Walz, Christopher S., Hlavaty, Kirk D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): White; Dwayne J
• Application Number:
  US11/412,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20070253816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 415/115, 415/116, 416/96.R, 416/97.R, 298/892, 298/892.1
• US Class Current: 415/115
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/186 Film cooling F01D5/187 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/81 Cooled platforms
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A vane cluster has a platform, a shroud, and at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud. Each airfoil has a pressure side and a suction side. The pressure side of the first airfoil faces the suction side of the second airfoil. The cluster includes a cooling passageway system. The system includes at least one inlet in the shroud. At least one first feed passageway extends from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil. At least one second feed passageway extends from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil. A first platform cooling plenum is to the pressure side of the first airfoil. A second platform cooling plenum is to the suction side of the first airfoil.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a vane cluster, the vane cluster comprising:

a platform;

a shroud;

at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud, each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side of the first airfoil facing the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a cooling passageway system, wherein;

the cooling passageway system includes;

at least one inlet in the shroud;

at least one first feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil;

at least one second feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil;

a first platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the first airfoil;

a second platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the first airfoil; and

first and second pluralities of outlet holes extending to first and second circumferential ends of the platform, the method comprising;

manufacturing a casting by an investment casting process, the casting including precursors of the platform, shroud, first and second airfoils, first and second feed passageways, and first and second platform cooling plenums; and

securing at least one cover over the first platform cooling plenum, wherein;

the investment casting uses first and second feed cores to cast the first and second feed passageways and a single separate core for casting the first and second platform cooling plenums; and

in the as-cast casting, the first platform cooling plenum precursor is open along an inboard surface of the platform precursor, but the second platform cooling plenum precursor is subsurface to said inboard surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first platform cooling plenum is coupled to the at least one first feed passageway; and

the second platform cooling plenum is coupled to the at least one first feed passageway via the first platform cooling plenum and a connector.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

a third platform cooling plenum is located to the suction side of the second airfoil and coupled to the at least one second feed passageway.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming a plurality of outlet passageways extending from the first platform cooling plenum to respective outlets along the outer face of the platform.

5. A method for manufacturing a vane cluster, the vane cluster comprising:

a platform;

a shroud;

at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud, each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side of the first airfoil facing the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a cooling passageway system, wherein;

the cooling passageway system includes;

at least one inlet in the shroud;

at least one first feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil;

at least one second feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil;

a first platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the first airfoil;

a second platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the second airfoil;

a plurality of first outlet passageways extending from the first platform cooling plenum to a first circumferential end of the platform; and

a plurality of second outlet passageways extending from the second platform cooling plenum to a second circumferential end of the platform, the method comprising;

manufacturing a casting by an investment casting process, the casting including precursors of the platform, shroud, first and second airfoils, first and second feed passageways, and first and second platform cooling plenums; and

securing at least one cover over the second platform cooling plenum, wherein;

the investment casting uses first and second feed cores to cast the first and second feed passageways and at least one separate core for casting the first and second platform cooling plenums; and

in the as-cast casting, the second platform cooling plenum precursor is open along an inboard surface of the platform precursor but the first platform cooling plenum precursor is subsurface to said inboard surface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the cooling passageway system further includes;

a third platform cooling plenum between the first and second airfoils.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

forming a plurality of outlet passageways extending from the third platform cooling plenum to respective outlets along the outer face of the platform.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the cooling passageway system further includes;

third and fourth platform cooling plenums between the first and second airfoils.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

a first connector passageway in the platform is positioned to feed the first platform cooling plenum from the third platform cooling plenum; and

a second connector passageway in the platform is positioned to feed the fourth platform cooling plenum from the second platform cooling plenum.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

at least one first feeder hole extends from the at least one first feed passageway to the third platform cooling plenum; and

at least one second feeder hole extends from the at least one second feed passageway to the second platform cooling plenum.

11. The method of claim 9 comprising:

a casting, essentially forming the airfoils and at least main body portions of the platform and shroud; and

three cover plates welded to the platform main body portion to respectively enclose the second, third, and fourth platform cooling plenums.

12. A vane cluster comprising:

a platform;

a shroud;

at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud, each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side of the first airfoil facing the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a cooling passageway system, wherein;

the cooling passageway system includes;

at least one inlet in the shroud;

at least one first feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil;

at least one second feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil;

a first platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the second airfoil; and

a second platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a connector passageway, connecting the first platform cooling plenum to the second platform cooling plenum.

13. The cluster of claim 12 wherein:

a plurality of first outlet passageways extend from the first platform cooling plenum to an adjacent circumferential end of the platform; and

the connector passageway extends around a trailing edge of the second airfoil.

14. A method for manufacturing the cluster of claim 12 comprising:

manufacturing a casting by an investment casting process, the casting including precursors of the platform, shroud, first and second airfoils, first and second feed passageways, and first and second platform cooling plenums; and

securing at least one cover over the first and second platform cooling plenums.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the investment casting uses first and second feed cores to cast the first and second feed passageways and at least one separate core for casting the first and second platform cooling plenums; and

in the as-cast casting, the first and second platform cooling plenum precursors are open along an inboard surface of the platform precursor and the connector passageway is subsurface.

16. A vane cluster comprising:

a platform;

a shroud;

at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud, each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side of the first airfoil facing the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a cooling passageway system, wherein;

the cooling passageway system includes;

at least one inlet in the shroud;

at least one first feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil;

at least one second feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil;

a first platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the first airfoil and coupled to the at least one first feed passageway; and

a second platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the first airfoil and coupled to the at least one first feed passageway.

17. The vane cluster of claim 16 comprising:

a casting forming at least portions of the platform, shroud, and first and second airfoils; and

at least one cover plate on the platform.

18. The vane cluster of claim 17 wherein:

the at least one cover plate comprises a first cover plate covering the first platform cooling plenum.

19. The vane cluster of claim 18 wherein:

the second platform cooling plenum is subsurface.

20. The vane cluster of claim 19 wherein:

the cooling passageway system includes a third platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the second airfoil; and

a fourth platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the second airfoil.

21. The vane cluster of claim 20 wherein:

the at least one cover plate includes a second cover plate covering the third platform cooling plenum and a third cover plate covering the fourth platform cooling plenum.

22. The vane cluster of claim 21 wherein:

the fourth platform cooling plenum is between the second airfoil and the first platform cooling plenum.

23. The vane cluster of claim 22 wherein:

a first subsurface connector connects the first and second platform cooling plenums and a second subsurface connector connects the third and fourth platform cooling plenums.

24. A vane cluster comprising:

a platform;

a shroud;

at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud, each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side of the first airfoil facing the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a cooling passageway system, wherein;

the cooling passageway system includes;

at least one inlet in the shroud;

at least one first feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil;

at least one second feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil;

a first platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the first airfoil;

a second platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the first airfoil; and

a third platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the second airfoil and coupled to the at least one second feed passageway.

25. A vane cluster comprising:

a platform;

a shroud;

at least first and second airfoils extending between an outer face of the platform and an inner face of the shroud, each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, the pressure side of the first airfoil facing the suction side of the second airfoil; and

a cooling passageway system, wherein;

the cooling passageway system includes;

at least one inlet in the shroud;

at least one first feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the first airfoil;

at least one second feed passageway from the shroud to the platform through the second airfoil;

a first platform cooling plenum to the suction side of the first airfoil;

a second platform cooling plenum to the pressure side of the second airfoil;

third and fourth platform cooling plenums between the first and second airfoils;

a first connector passageway in the platform and positioned to feed the first platform cooling plenum from the third platform cooling plenum; and

a second connector passageway in the platform and positioned to feed the fourth platform cooling plenum from the second platform cooling plenum.

26. The cluster of claim 25 wherein:

at least one first feeder hole extends from the at least one first feed passageway to the third platform cooling plenum; and

at least one second feeder hole extends from the at least one second feed passageway to the second platform cooling plenum.

27. The cluster of claim 25 comprising:

a casting, essentially forming the airfoils and at least main body portions of the platform and shroud; and

three cover plates welded to the platform main body portion to respectively enclose the second, third, and fourth platform cooling plenums, the first cooling plenum being internal to the casting.