System and method for airfoil film cooling
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMonty Lee Shelton, Thomas Tracy Wallace, Robert Alan Frederick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An airfoil for a gas turbine engine including an inflection that facilitates enhancing film cooling of the airfoil, without adversely affecting aerodynamic efficiency of airfoil is described. The airfoil includes a generally concave first sidewall and a generally convex second sidewall joined at a leading edge and at a trailing edge of the airfoil. A plurality of cooling openings extend between an internal cooling chamber and an external surface of the first sidewall. One cooling opening extends from the cooling chamber into the inflection at a relatively shallow injection angle with respect the airfoil external surface.
Claims13
A method for contouring an airfoil for a gas turbine engine to facilitate improving film cooling effectiveness of the airfoil, the airfoil including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall, the first and second sidewalls connected chordwise at the leading and trailing edges to define a cavity, the first and second sidewalls extending radially between an airfoil root to an airfoil tip, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming an inflection in an outer surface of at least one of the airfoil first sidewall and the airfoil second sidewall, such that the inflection extends a distance radially between the airfoil root and the airfoil tip and such that the inflection is a distance downstream from the stagnation line of the leading edge of the airfoil, wherein the inflection is defined between a concave surface and a convex surface;
- and
- forming at least one opening immediately adjacent the inflection and through at least one of the convex surface and the concave surface immediately upstream of the inflection point of the inflection for receiving cooling fluid therethrough from the airfoil cavity to the airfoil outer surface wherein said opening through the airfoil sidewall is at an injection angle measured with respect to the airfoil outer surface that is less than about 16 degrees.
An airfoil for a gas turbine engine, said airfoil comprising:
- a leading edge;
- a trailing edge;
- a first sidewall extending in radial span between an airfoil root and an airfoil tip, said first sidewall comprising an outer surface;
- a second sidewall connected to said first sidewall at said leading edge and said trailing edge, said second sidewall comprising an outer surface, and extending in radial span between the airfoil root and the airfoil tip, at least one of said first sidewall and said second side wall further comprising an inflection defined between a concave surface and a convex surface such that the inflection is a distance downstream of the stagnation line of the leading edge of the airfoil, at least one of said first sidewall and said second sidewall comprising at least one cooling opening extending therethrough immediately adjacent and upstream of the inflection point of said inflection, said at least one cooling opening configured to receive cooling fluid therethrough, wherein said at least one cooling opening is configured at an injection angle measured with respect to the airfoil outer surface that is less than about 16 degrees.
A gas turbine engine comprising a plurality of airfoils, each said airfoil comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first sidewall comprising an outer surface, and a second sidewall comprising an outer surface, said airfoil first and second sidewalls connected chordwise at said leading and trailing edges, said first and second sidewalls extending radially from an airfoil root to an airfoil tip, at least one of said first sidewall and said second sidewall further comprising an inflection defined between a convex surface and a concave surface, wherein said inflection is a distance downstream of the stagnation line of the leading edge of the airfoil, at least one of said airfoil first and second sidewalls further comprises an opening extending therethrough immediately adjacent and upstream of the inflection point of said inflection, wherein said at least one cooling opening is configured at an injection angle measured with respect to the airfoil outer surface that is less than about 16 degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.