Ge Infrastructure Technology, LLC

General Electric Company

Caitlin Shea Lucking

Patrick Yerkes

Kyle J Lewis

Stanley Frank Simpson

Daniel James Dorriety

A turbine system component includes a body having an exterior surface, and a cooling passage defined in the body. The cooling passage has a first cross-sectional area in the body. The component also includes a hollow member defining a first exit opening at the exterior surface of the body and coupled in the cooling passage. The hollow member, at the first exit opening, has a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area, creating an exit opening with a smaller dimension than the original cooling passage. The hollow member is made of a material having a melt temperature higher than an operating temperature of the turbine system. The hollow member(s) reduces the cooling capabilities of the cooling passage. A cooling profile of the component can be generated to identify those cooling passages having excess cooling so they can have their exit openings reduced in cross-sectional area.

Cooling passage exit opening cross-sectional area reduction for turbine system component

A method for redirection of coolant flow is provided. The method includes an identifying step that identifies a hot spot on an exterior surface of a body of a component of a turbine system. A first parameter of the component indicates that a temperature of the exterior surface in the hot spot exceeds a threshold value. Another identifying step identifies a cool spot on the exterior surface. A second parameter of the component indicates that the temperature of the exterior surface in the cool spot is below the threshold value. A reconfiguring step reconfigures a plurality of cooling passages of the component to direct a portion of a coolant from the cool spot to the hot spot.

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Mauldin, SC, United States of America

Caitlin Shea Lucking