# US 12,000,305 B2 · Airfoil with ribs defining shaped cooling channel

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- Number: US 12,000,305 B2
- Document ID: US12000305B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/682,453
- Filed: 2019-11-13
- Published: 2021-05-13
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-13
- Assignees: Rtx Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Brandon W. Spangler; David R. Pack
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000305B2

## CPC

- 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)}
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2230/211: by precision casting, e.g. microfusing or investment casting
- F05D 2240/126: Baffles or ribs
- F05D 2250/75: given by its similarity to a letter, e.g. T-shaped
- F05D 2260/201: by impingement of a fluid
- F05D 2260/221: Improvement of heat transfer
- 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)
- 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 wall that defines a leading end, a trailing end, a pressure side, a suction side, and a mean line. First and second ribs each connect the pressure side and the suction side. Each of the first and second ribs define a tube portion that circumscribes a rib passage, and first and second connector arms that solely join the tube portion to, respectively, the pressure side and the suction side. The first rib, the second rib, and the airfoil wall bound a continuous cooling channel there between. The continuous cooling channel has a pressure side portion to the pressure side of the mean line and a suction side portion to the suction side of the mean line. The pressure side portion and the suction side portion each have a cross-sectioned shape selected from an L-shape, a T-shape, and an l-shape.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airfoil comprising: an airfoil wall defining a leading end, a trailing end, a pressure side, a suction side, and a mean line from the leading end to the trailing end that is equidistant from the pressure side and the suction side; and first and second ribs each connecting the pressure side and the suction side, the first rib being forward of the second rib, each of the first and second ribs defining: a tube portion circumscribing a rib passage, the tube portion having fore and aft tube walls, a pressure side tube wall parallel to the pressure side of the airfoil wall, and a suction side tube wall parallel to the suction side of the airfoil wall, the pressure side tube wall and the suction side tube wall meeting the each of the fore and aft tube walls at a forward pressure side corner, a forward suction side corner, an aft pressure side corner, and an aft suction side corner such that the tube portion has a quadrilateral shape in cross-section taken in a plane perpendicular to a radial direction of the airfoil wall, and first and second connector arms located at, respectively, the forward suction side corner and the aft pressure side corner, the first and second connector arms solely joining the tube portion to, respectively, the suction side and the pressure side; the first rib, the second rib, and the airfoil wall bounding a continuous cooling channel there between, the continuous cooling channel having, when taken in the plane perpendicular to the radial direction of the airfoil wall, a first leg elongated in a direction transverse to the mean line and bound by the fore tube wall of the second rib and the aft tube wall of the first rib, a second leg initiating at, and aftly extending from, an end of the first leg and bound by the pressure side of the airfoil wall, the pressure side tube wall of the second rib, and the second connector arm, and a third leg initiating at, and forwardly extending from, an opposed end of the first leg and bound by the suction side of the airfoil wall, the suction side tube wall of the first rib, and the first connector arm, the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg together defining a Z-configuration when taken in the plane perpendicular to the radial direction of the airfoil wall.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein at least the fore and aft tube walls are, relative to the rib passage, convex.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second ribs include cooling holes configured in an axial cooling flow circuit arranged, in flow order, from the rib passage of the first rib, to the third leg, to the first leg, to the second leg, and to the rib passage of the second rib.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The airfoil as recited in claim 3, wherein the suction side tube wall of the first rib includes a cooling hole connecting the rib passage of the first rib with the third leg, and the pressure side tube wall of the second rib includes a cooling hole connecting the rib passage of the second rib with the second leg.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the first connector arm is located forward of an axial midpoint of the section side tube wall of the first rib, and the second connector arm is located aft of an axial midpoint of the pressure side tube wall of the second rib.