Robust microcircuits for turbine airfoils
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsFrancisco J. Cunha, Keith A. Santeler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cooling microcircuit for use in a turbine engine component, such as a turbine blade, having an airfoil portion is provided. The cooling microcircuit has at least one inlet slot for introducing a flow of coolant into the cooling microcircuit, a plurality of fluid exit slots for distributing a film of the coolant over the airfoil portion, and structures for substantially preventing one jet of the coolant exiting through one of the fluid exit slots from overpowering a second jet of the coolant exiting through the one fluid exit slot.
Claims17
A cooling microcircuit for use in a turbine engine component having an airfoil portion, said microcircuit comprising:
- at least one inlet slot for introducing a flow of coolant into said cooling microcircuit;
- a plurality of fluid exit slots for distributing a film of said coolant over said airfoil portion;
- each of said exit slots being provided with means for substantially preventing one jet of said coolant exiting through said fluid exit slot from overpowering a second jet of said coolant exiting through said fluid exit slot;
- each said exit slot being formed by a pair of first sidewall portions and a pair of second sidewall portions joined to said first sidewall portions;
- said means for substantially preventing one jet from overpowering a second jet comprising a pedestal aligned with said first sidewall portions so as to form a pair of channel each having a length sufficient to allow a flow of cooling fluid to settle down and straighten out;
- each said pedestal having an arcuately shaped leading edge portion, arcuately shaped portions joined to ends of said leading edge portion, and a trailing edge portion formed by two side portions joined to said arcuately shaped portions and a tip portion joining said two side portions;
- and
- each of said first sidewall portions beginning from a point substantially aligned with said leading edge portion of each said pedestal and extending to a point substantially aligned with said tip portion of each said pedestal.
A cooling microcircuit for use in a turbine engine component having an airfoil portion, said microcircuit comprising:
- at least one inlet slot for introducing a flow of coolant into said cooling microcircuit;
- a plurality of fluid exit slots for distributing a film of said coolant over said airfoil portion;
- each of said exit slots being provided with means for substantially preventing one jet of said coolant exiting through said fluid exit slot from overpowering a second jet of said coolant exiting through said fluid exit slot;
- each said exit slot being formed by a pair of first sidewall portions and a pair of second sidewall portions joined to said first sidewall portions;
- and
- said means for substantially preventing one jet from overpowering a second jet comprising a first pedestal aligned with said exit slot and a second pedestal intermediate said first pedestals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.