# US 10,370,979 B2 · Baffle for a component of a gas turbine engine

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- Number: US 10,370,979 B2
- Document ID: US10370979B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/948,511
- Filed: 2015-11-23
- Published: 2017-05-25
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-23
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Lane Thornton
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370979B2

## CPC

- F01D 5/187: {Convection cooling}
- F01D 5/189: {the insert having a tubular cross-section, e.g. airfoil shape}
- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 25/12: Cooling
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2230/80: Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods
- F05D 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
- F05D 2240/122: related to the trailing edge of a stator vane
- F05D 2240/126: Baffles or ribs
- F05D 2240/301: Cross-sectional characteristics
- F05D 2240/304: related to the trailing edge of a rotor blade
- F05D 2260/202: by film cooling
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An airfoil according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil body defining a cavity, and a baffle including a baffle body including sidewalls and defining an internal passage for conveying coolant. The baffle body is situated in the cavity such that a majority of external surfaces of the sidewalls abut the cavity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airfoil, comprising:
an airfoil body extending in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, the airfoil body extending in a thickness direction between pressure and suction sides, the airfoil body defining a first cavity and a second cavity each bounded by external walls of the airfoil body, and the airfoil body including an internal rib spanning between the pressure and suction sides to bound the first cavity and the second cavity; and
a baffle including a baffle body including sidewalls and defining an internal passage in the baffle body for conveying coolant, the baffle body situated in the first cavity such that a majority of external surfaces of the sidewalls abut internal surfaces of the airfoil body that define the first cavity, and wherein the internal passage is fluidly isolated from the first cavity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the sidewalls define an intermediate region between an inlet region and an exit region, the inlet region being configured to receive coolant, and the sidewalls are spaced apart at the exit region to define one or more exit ports configured to eject coolant outwardly of the first cavity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The airfoil as recited in claim 2, wherein the inlet region tapers towards the intermediate region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The airfoil as recited in claim 2, wherein at least some of the one or more exit ports are situated adjacent to the trailing edge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The airfoil as recited in claim 4, wherein the exit region of the baffle body extends in the chordwise direction outwardly of the trailing edge.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The airfoil as recited in claim 5, wherein the sidewalls of the baffle body have a complementary geometry to the internal surfaces.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The airfoil as recited in claim 6, wherein the baffle is removable from the airfoil body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The airfoil as recited in claim 7, wherein the first cavity is defined in the airfoil body at a position corresponding to material previously removed from the airfoil body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The airfoil as recited in claim 7, wherein the baffle is sized to form an interference fit with the first cavity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the sidewalls of the baffle body have a complementary geometry to the internal surfaces.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the baffle body includes a plurality of cooling features within the internal passage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The airfoil as recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of the plurality of cooling features extend between opposed surfaces of the internal passage.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The airfoil as recited in claim 12, wherein the sidewalls have a complementary geometry to the internal surfaces.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the airfoil body is made of a first material, and the baffle body is made of a second, different material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the airfoil body extends between a platform and an airfoil tip, the first cavity extends inwardly from the airfoil tip, and the baffle body is situated in the first cavity such that the internal passage is configured to eject coolant in a direction radially outward from the airfoil tip.

### Claim 16

A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a rotor spaced axially from a vane,
wherein at least one of the rotor and the vane includes an airfoil body, the airfoil body including external walls extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, the external walls defining a first cavity and a second cavity separated by an internal rib, the internal rib spanning between pressure and suction sides of the airfoil body to bound the first cavity and the second cavity; and
a baffle including a baffle body defining an internal passage in the baffle body for conveying coolant, sidewalls of the baffle body having a complementary geometry with the first cavity, and wherein the internal passage is fluidly isolated from the first cavity, wherein the sidewalls of the baffle body abut a majority of surfaces of the airfoil body that define the first cavity.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 16, wherein the baffle body includes an inlet region and an exit region, the inlet region being configured to receive coolant, and the sidewalls are spaced apart at the exit region to define one or more exit ports configured to eject coolant adjacent to an external surface of the airfoil body.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 17, wherein the sidewalls taper from the inlet region towards the exit region.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 16, wherein the baffle body defines one or more exit ports configured to eject coolant outward of the first cavity.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 16, wherein the airfoil body is made of a first material, and the baffle body is made of a second, different material having a lesser thermal resistance than the first material.