# US 11,992,875 B2 · Investment casting core with cooling feature alignment guide and related methods

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- Number: US 11,992,875 B2
- Document ID: US11992875B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/594,689
- Filed: 2019-05-22
- Published: 2022-06-23
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-22
- Assignees: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
- Applicants: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
- Inventors: Gary B. Merrill; Jose L. Rodriguez; Megan Schaenzer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992875B2

## CPC

- B22C 9/103: {Multipart cores}
- B22C 7/02: Lost patterns
- B22C 9/108: {Installation of cores}
- B22C 9/24: for hollow articles
- F01D 5/18: Hollow blades, {i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities (structure of hollow blades in general F01D5/147)}; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades
- F01D 9/04: forming ring or sector
- F05D 2230/211: by precision casting, e.g. microfusing or investment casting
- F05D 2250/184: sinusoidal
- F05D 2260/201: by impingement of a fluid
- F05D 2260/22141: using fins or ribs
- B22C: FOUNDRY MOULDING (moulding refractory materials in general B28B)
- 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

## Abstract

An investment casting core (10) incorporates an alignment guide (24) extending through a body (12) of the core. The alignment guide (24) defines a coolant flow path (92) in a later-cast metal component (76) extending from a coolant outlet opening (90) in an impingement structure (88) to an impingement target area (86) of a cooling feature (84) formed on an impingement cooled surface (82) of the component (76). Methods of making the core (10) and using the core (10) in lost wax investment casting processes are also described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A casting mold for use in an investment casting process, the casting mold comprising:
a body (12) comprising an outer surface that defines both an impingement plate side (14) and an impingement surface side (16) opposed to the impingement plate side;
a shape (18) of an impingement cooling feature formed on the impingement surface side, the impingement cooling feature shape defining an impingement target area (22);
an alignment guide (24) extending through the body from the impingement target area to the impingement plate side, and a portion (26) of the alignment guide extending away from the body beyond the impingement plate side; and
a shell disposed around the body;
wherein the body and the alignment guide form a core;
wherein the alignment guide comprises a first portion disposed in the shell, a second portion disposed in the body, and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion is not disposed in the shell or in the body and is thereby effective to hold the body apart from the shell;
wherein an end of the second portion of the alignment guide (24) terminates flush with the impingement surface side (16);
wherein the core and the shell are configured to form a component therebetween; and
wherein the impingement target area constitutes a part of an external surface of the core.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The core casting mold of claim 1, wherein the impingement plate side of the body defines peaks (29) and valleys (30) relative to the impingement surface side.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The casting mold of claim 2, wherein a valley of the impingement plate side (14) is aligned with the impingement target area (22) by the alignment guide (24).

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The casting mold of claim 3, wherein the impingement plate side of the body defines an auxetic surface shape (32).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The casting mold of claim 1, wherein the impingement plate side of the body comprises an auxetic surface shape (32), and a valley (30) of the auxetic surface shape relative to the impingement surface side is aligned with the impingement target area by the alignment guide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The casting mold of claim 1, wherein the end of the second portion of the alignment guide defines at least part of the impingement target area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The casting mold of claim 1,
wherein the body consists of ceramic; and
wherein the shell consists of ceramic.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The casting mold of claim 1,
wherein the body comprises ceramic; and
wherein the shell comprises ceramic.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The casting mold of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the alignment guide terminates in a blind hole in the shell.