# US 10,502,070 B2 · Airfoil with laterally insertable baffle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,070 B2 - Document ID: US10502070B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/354,172 - Filed: 2016-11-17 - Published: 2018-05-17 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-17 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502070B2 ## CPC - F01D 5/188: {with an insert in the blade cavity to guide the cooling fluid, e.g. forming a separation wall} - F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)} - F01D 5/189: {the insert having a tubular cross-section, e.g. airfoil shape} - F01D 9/065: {Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26)} - F04D 29/324: {Blades} - F04D 29/584: {cooling or heating the machine (F04D29/5846, F04D29/5853 take precedence)} - F01D 17/162: {for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence)} - F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines - F05D 2230/60: Assembly methods - F05D 2230/80: Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods - F05D 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes - F05D 2240/126: Baffles or ribs - F05D 2240/30: Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor - F05D 2240/35: Combustors or associated equipment - F05D 2260/20: Heat transfer, e.g. cooling - F05D 2260/201: by impingement of a fluid - F05D 2260/22141: using fins or ribs - 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) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - 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 includes an airfoil section that defines an aerodynamic profile that has leading and trailing ends. The airfoil section spans in a longitudinal direction between first and second end sections. The airfoil section includes an internal cavity that extends between the first and second end sections and a lateral side. The internal cavity includes a baffle seat therein. A baffle is laterally insertable into the internal cavity through the lateral side into a seated position in the baffle seat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An airfoil comprising: an airfoil section defining an aerodynamic profile having leading and trailing ends, the airfoil section spanning in a longitudinal direction between first and second end sections, the first end section including a first spindle and the second end section including a second spindle, and the airfoil section being rotatable about the first spindle and the second spindle, the airfoil section including an internal cavity extending between the first and second end sections and a lateral side, the internal cavity including a baffle seat therein; and a baffle laterally insertable into the internal cavity through the lateral side into a seated position in the baffle seat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the second spindle includes an internal cooling passage that opens into the internal cavity of the airfoil section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The airfoil as recited in claim 2, wherein the first spindle also includes an internal cooling passage, and the internal cooling passage of the first spindle opens into a different internal cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the lateral side includes a rib guide and a rib piece that is insertable into the rib guide, the rib piece retaining the baffle in the baffle seat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the airfoil section includes a wall, the wall having interior and exterior sides, the interior side bounding the internal cavity and the external side defining a portion of the aerodynamic profile, and the baffle seat spaces the baffle from the wall such that there is a passage between the baffle and the wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the airfoil section includes forward and aft internal cavities, and the internal cavity is between the forward and aft cavities. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The airfoil as recited in claim 6, wherein the first spindle includes an internal cooling passage, and the internal cooling passage of the first spindle is in flow communication with the forward cavity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the baffle tapers in a chord-wise direction of the airfoil section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the baffle includes a baffle wall circumscribing an internal baffle cavity, the baffle wall including a plurality of cooling holes. ### Claim 10 A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor section; a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section; and a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor, at least one of the turbine section or the compressor section including an airfoil having an airfoil section defining an aerodynamic profile having leading and trailing ends, the airfoil section spanning in a longitudinal direction between first and second end sections, the first end section including a first spindle and the second end section including a second spindle, and the airfoil section being rotatable about the first spindle and the second spindle, the airfoil section including an internal cavity extending between the first and second end sections and a lateral side, the internal cavity including a baffle seat therein, and a baffle laterally insertable into the internal cavity through the lateral side into a seated position in the baffle seat. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The gas turbine section as recited in claim 10, wherein the second spindle includes an internal cooling passage that opens into the internal cavity of the airfoil section. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, wherein the first spindle also includes an internal cooling passage, and the internal cooling passage of the first spindle opens into a different internal cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 10, wherein the lateral side includes a rib guide and a rib piece that is insertable into the rib guide, the rib piece retaining the baffle in the baffle seat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 10, wherein the airfoil section includes a wall, the wall having interior and exterior sides, the interior side bounding the internal cavity and the external side defining a portion of the aerodynamic profile, and the baffle seat spaces the baffle from the wall such that there is a passage between the baffle and the wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 10, wherein the airfoil section includes forward and aft internal cavities, and the internal cavity is between the forward and aft cavities. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: inserting a baffle through a lateral side of an internal cavity of an airfoil section into a seated position in a baffle seat in the internal cavity, wherein the airfoil section defines an aerodynamic profile having leading and trailing ends, the airfoil section spans in a longitudinal direction between first and second end sections, the first end section including a first spindle and the second end section including a second spindle, and the airfoil section being rotatable about the first spindle and the second spindle, and the internal cavity extends between the first and second end sections and the lateral side. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the lateral side includes a rib guide, and inserting a rib piece into the rib guide, the rib piece retaining the baffle in the baffle seat. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the second spindle has an internal cooling passage that opens into the internal cavity of the airfoil section, and rotating the airfoil section about the first spindle and the second spindle. ### Claim 19 An airfoil comprising: first and second end sections; an airfoil section spanning in a longitudinal direction between the first and second end sections, the airfoil section defining an aerodynamic profile having leading and trailing ends; the airfoil section including a plurality of internal cavities extending between the first and second end sections, the plurality of cavities including forward and aft cavities; an auxiliary cavity disposed radially of the aft cavity and a divider wall separating the auxiliary cavity from the aft cavity; one of the first or second end sections including an inlet passage disposed radially of the auxiliary cavity, the inlet passage opening to the auxiliary cavity, and the auxiliary cavity opening to the forward cavity, wherein the inlet passage is in a spindle about which the airfoil section is rotatable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The airfoil as recited in claim 19, wherein the forward cavity is a forward-most cavity in the airfoil section. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The airfoil as recited in claim 20, wherein the plurality of cavities includes an aft-most cavity, and the aft cavity is between the aft-most cavity and the forward-most cavity. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The airfoil as recited in claim 21, wherein the auxiliary cavity and the forward-most cavity are sealed from the aft cavity and the aft-most cavity. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The airfoil as recited in claim 19, wherein the aft cavity includes a baffle seat, and further comprising a baffle laterally insertable into the aft cavity through a lateral side of the aft cavity into a seated position in the baffle seat.