US 2026/0258754 A1Published application

Gas turbine engines with blade assemblies having cooling holes

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsMary Nguyen, Matthew Good, Zachary R. Noeth, Kelli Fishback, Marie Myers

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

Blade assemblies for gas turbine engines are described herein. The blade assembly includes a shank, a platform, and an airfoil. The airfoil has a plurality of cooling holes. Cooling fluid flows through internal conduits of the airfoil and is vented by the cooling holes. The exterior surface of the airfoil is divided into zones with certain metering areas defined by the cooling holes.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a turbomachine configured to generate a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in a range of 988 degrees Celsius (° C.) to 1120° C. and having a redline core speed (CS) in a range of 306 Hertz to 353 Hertz, the turbomachine extending along an centerline axis and including:
a compressor section;
a combustor;
and
a turbine section, the turbine section including a blade assembly rotatable about the centerline axis, the blade assembly comprising:
a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a shank coupled to the lower surface, the shank having a base defining a base plane;
and
an airfoil having:
an outer wall defining an exterior surface, the exterior surface defining a pressure side and a suction side;
a leading edge and a trailing edge;
and
a root and a tip, the airfoil coupled to the upper surface at the root,
wherein one or more internal cooling conduits are defined in the airfoil,
wherein a plurality of cooling holes are defined in the outer wall that extend between the exterior surface and the one or more internal cooling conduits,
wherein each of the cooling holes defines a cooling hole metering area that is a minimum area of the cooling hole between an inlet opening of the cooling hole and an outlet opening of the cooling hole,
wherein a first plane extends through the airfoil, the first plane being parallel to the base plane and located a first radial distance RD1 from the base plane, the first radial distance RD1 being about 0.0445 meters,
wherein a second plane extends through the airfoil, the second plane being parallel to the base plane and located a second radial distance RD2 from the base plane, the second radial distance RD2 being about 0.0559 meters,
wherein a first perimeter line is defined by an intersection of the first plane and the exterior surface,
wherein a second perimeter line is defined by an intersection of the second plane and the exterior surface, wherein a first line is defined by a first point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a second point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip of the airfoil,
wherein a second line is defined a third point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a fourth point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip,
wherein a third line is defined by a fifth point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a sixth point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip,
wherein the first point corresponds to 19.6% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, the second point corresponds to 16.7% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, the third point corresponds to 30% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, the fourth point corresponds to 34% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, the fifth point corresponds to 60% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, and the sixth point corresponds to 60% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, wherein the percentages of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth points are measured as starting at the trailing edge and increasing along the pressure side, the leading edge, and the suction side to the trailing edge of the airfoil,
wherein a first zone is defined between the first perimeter line, the root, the first line, and the second line, wherein a sum of the cooling hole metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the first zone defines a first zone metering area (MA1), wherein the first zone metering area (MA1) is 1.02E-06 to 1.46E-06 m2,
wherein a second zone is defined between the tip, the second perimeter line, the second line, and the third line, wherein a sum of the cooling hole metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the second zone defines a second zone metering area (MA2), wherein the second zone metering area (MA2) is 1.24E-06 to 1.61E-06 m2,
wherein a third zone is defined between the tip, the second perimeter line, the third line, and the trailing edge, wherein a sum of the cooling hole metering areas of the cooling holes having outlets in the third zone defines a third zone metering area (MA3), wherein the third zone metering area (MA3) is 0 to 1.46E-07 m2, and
wherein,
6038.072
≤
(
(
100
*
(
MA
⁢
1
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.005
m
2
)
-
2
*
(
MA
⁢
2
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.1
m
2
+
MA
⁢
3
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.107
m
2
)
)
(
0.2
*
(
Redline
⁢
CS
⁡
(
Hz
)
329
⁢
Hz
)
*
(
Redline
⁢
EGT
⁡
(
°
⁢
C
.
)
500
⁢
°
⁢
C
.
)
3
)
≤
29238.554
.

111 more elements

A blade assembly for a gas turbine engine having a turbomachine configured to generate a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in a range of 988 degrees Celsius (° C.) to 1120° C. and having a redline core speed (CS) in a range of 306 Hertz to 353 Hertz, the blade assembly to be mounted to a disk of a turbine section and rotatable about a centerline axis of the gas turbine engine, the blade assembly comprising:

a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a shank coupled to the lower surface, the shank having a base defining a base plane;
and
an airfoil having:
an outer wall defining an exterior surface, the exterior surface defining a pressure side and a suction side;
a leading edge and a trailing edge;
and
a root and a tip, the airfoil coupled to the upper surface at the root, wherein one or more internal cooling conduits are defined in the airfoil,
wherein a plurality of cooling holes are defined in the outer wall that extend between the exterior surface and the one or more internal cooling conduits,
wherein each of the cooling holes defines a metering area that is a minimum area of the cooling hole between an inlet opening of the cooling hole and an outlet opening of the cooling hole,
wherein a first plane extends through the airfoil, the first plane being parallel to the base plane and located a first radial distance RD1 from the base plane, the first radial distance RD1 being about 0.0445 meters,
wherein a second plane extends through the airfoil, the second plane being parallel to the base plane and located a second radial distance RD2 from the base plane, the second radial distance RD2 being about 0.0559 meters,
wherein a first perimeter line is defined by an intersection of the first plane and the exterior surface,
wherein a second perimeter line is defined by an intersection of the second plane and the exterior surface,
wherein a first line is defined by a first point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a second point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip of the airfoil,
wherein a second line is defined a third point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a fourth point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip,
wherein a third line is defined by a fifth point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a sixth point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip,
wherein the first point corresponds to 19.6% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, the second point corresponds to 16.7% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, the third point corresponds to 30% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, the fourth point corresponds to 34% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, the fifth point corresponds to 60% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, and the sixth point corresponds to 60% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, wherein the percentages of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth points are measured as starting at the trailing edge and increasing along the pressure side, the leading edge, and the suction side to the trailing edge of the airfoil,
wherein a first zone is defined between the first perimeter line, the root, the first line, and the second line, wherein a sum of the metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the first zone defines a first zone metering area (MA1), wherein the first zone metering area (MA1) is 1.02E-06 to 1.46E-06 m2,
wherein a second zone is defined between the tip, the second perimeter line, the second line, and the third line, wherein a sum of the metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the second zone defines a second zone metering area (MA2), wherein the second zone metering area (MA2) is 1.24E-06 to 1.61E-06 m2,
wherein a third zone is defined between the tip, the second perimeter line, the third line, and the trailing edge, wherein a sum of the metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the third zone defines a third zone metering area (MA3), wherein the third zone metering area (MA3) is 0 to 1.46E-07 m2, and
wherein,
6038.072
≤
(
100
*
(
MA
⁢
1
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.005
m
2
)
-
2
*
(
MA
⁢
2
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.1
m
2
+
MA
⁢
3
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.107
m
2
)
(
0.2
*
(
Redline
⁢
CS
⁡
(
Hz
)
329
⁢
Hz
)
*
(
Redline
⁢
EGT
⁡
(
°
⁢
C
.
)
500
⁢
°
⁢
C
.
)
3
)
≤
29238.554
.

104 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/552,244Filed 27 Feb 2026
Priority: 28 Feb 2025
Published: 3 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F01D 5/186
Hollow blades, i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities ; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades: film cooling
F02C 7/18
Characterised by cooling medium: the medium being gaseous, e.g. air
F01D 5/187
Hollow blades, i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities ; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades: convection cooling
F05D 2240/30
Rotors: characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to…

Family

Application63/765,216Us provisional application · filed 28 Feb 2025
US 2026/0258754 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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Abstract

A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a turbomachine configured to generate a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in a range of 988 degrees Celsius (° C.) to 1120° C. and having a redline core speed (CS) in a range of 306 Hertz to 353 Hertz, the turbomachine extending along an centerline axis and including:
a compressor section;
a combustor;
and
a turbine section, the turbine section including a blade assembly rotatable about the centerline axis, the blade assembly comprising:
a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a shank coupled to the lower surface, the shank having a base defining a base plane;
and
an airfoil having:
an outer wall defining an exterior surface, the exterior surface defining a pressure side and a suction side;
a leading edge and a trailing edge;
and
a root and a tip, the airfoil coupled to the upper surface at the root,
wherein one or more internal cooling conduits are defined in the airfoil,
wherein a plurality of cooling holes are defined in the outer wall that extend between the exterior surface and the one or more internal cooling conduits,
wherein each of the cooling holes defines a cooling hole metering area that is a minimum area of the cooling hole between an inlet opening of the cooling hole and an outlet opening of the cooling hole,
wherein a first plane extends through the airfoil, the first plane being parallel to the base plane and located a first radial distance RD1 from the base plane, the first radial distance RD1 being about 0.0445 meters,
wherein a second plane extends through the airfoil, the second plane being parallel to the base plane and located a second radial distance RD2 from the base plane, the second radial distance RD2 being about 0.0559 meters,
wherein a first perimeter line is defined by an intersection of the first plane and the exterior surface,
wherein a second perimeter line is defined by an intersection of the second plane and the exterior surface, wherein a first line is defined by a first point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a second point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip of the airfoil,
wherein a second line is defined a third point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a fourth point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip,
wherein a third line is defined by a fifth point on the first perimeter line on the exterior surface and a sixth point on the second perimeter line on the exterior surface and extending between the root and the tip,
wherein the first point corresponds to 19.6% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, the second point corresponds to 16.7% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, the third point corresponds to 30% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, the fourth point corresponds to 34% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, the fifth point corresponds to 60% along the first perimeter line on the exterior surface, and the sixth point corresponds to 60% along the second perimeter line on the exterior surface, wherein the percentages of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth points are measured as starting at the trailing edge and increasing along the pressure side, the leading edge, and the suction side to the trailing edge of the airfoil,
wherein a first zone is defined between the first perimeter line, the root, the first line, and the second line, wherein a sum of the cooling hole metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the first zone defines a first zone metering area (MA1), wherein the first zone metering area (MA1) is 1.02E-06 to 1.46E-06 m2,
wherein a second zone is defined between the tip, the second perimeter line, the second line, and the third line, wherein a sum of the cooling hole metering areas of the cooling holes having outlet openings in the second zone defines a second zone metering area (MA2), wherein the second zone metering area (MA2) is 1.24E-06 to 1.61E-06 m2,
wherein a third zone is defined between the tip, the second perimeter line, the third line, and the trailing edge, wherein a sum of the cooling hole metering areas of the cooling holes having outlets in the third zone defines a third zone metering area (MA3), wherein the third zone metering area (MA3) is 0 to 1.46E-07 m2, and
wherein,
6038.072
≤
(
(
100
*
(
MA
⁢
1
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.005
m
2
)
-
2
*
(
MA
⁢
2
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.1
m
2
+
MA
⁢
3
⁢
(
m
2
)
0.107
m
2
)
)
(
0.2
*
(
Redline
⁢
CS
⁡
(
Hz
)
329
⁢
Hz
)
*
(
Redline
⁢
EGT
⁡
(
°
⁢
C
.
)
500
⁢
°
⁢
C
.
)
3
)
≤
29238.554
.

111 more elements

Facts

Application

19/552,244Filed 27 Feb 2026

Priority

28 Feb 2025

Published

3 Sep 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F01D 5/186
Hollow blades, i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities ; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades: film cooling
F02C 7/18
Characterised by cooling medium: the medium being gaseous, e.g. air
F01D 5/187
Hollow blades, i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities ; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades: convection cooling
F05D 2240/30
Rotors: characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to…