Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Barton M Pepperman

Leroy D McLaurin

Andrew J Ayoob

A turbine blade has a cooling air flow path specifically directed toward cooling the platform portion of the blade root. Two cooling air passages are formed in the blade root platform just below its upper surface. Each passage extends radially outward from an inlet that receives a flow of cooling air and then extend axially along almost the entire length of the platform. Each passage also has an outlet formed in the downstream face of the platform that allows the cooling air to exit the platform and enter the hot gas flow path. The passages are formed in portions of the platform that overhang the shank portion of root.

Gas turbine blade with cooled platform

A vane for the turbine section of a gas turbine has an airfoil portion with leading edge, center and trailing edge portions. The leading edge portion is attached to the center portion by a dove tail joint that allows the leading edge portion to slide in the radial direction with respect to the center portion while preventing movement in the axial and circumferential directions, thereby eliminating thermal stresses created by differential thermal expansion between the leading edge portion and the remainder of the vane. An opening in the vane inner shroud that is normally sealed by a closure plate allows the leading edge portion to be readily replaced in the event of damage. The leading edge portion may be formed from a ceramic material and need not be supplied with cooling air.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Barton M Pepperman