General Electric Company

Clayton M Grondahl

Malcolm R Germain

Myron C Muth

Bruce W Gerhold

Leo C Willmott

An improved cooling system utilizes flow resistant devices distributing liquid coolant to air foil coolant channels in a bucket of a turbine. A separate flow resistance device associated with each of the air foil coolant channels resist the flow of liquid coolant into the coolant channels whereby a fluid head is developed in a standpipe upstream of the flow resistance devices. The fluid head, together with the outward radial acceleration meters the flow of fluid through each flow resistance device according to the head. In the disclosed embodiments, the flow resistant devices alternately take the form of a tortuous passage, an orifice and a plurality of vortex flow chambers.

Cooling system utilizing flow resistance devices to distribute liquid

A method for forming a liquid cooled airfoil for a gas turbine is disclosed. A plurality of holes are formed at spaced locations in an oversized airfoil blank. A pre-formed composite liquid coolant tube is bonded into each of the holes. The composite tube includes an inner member formed of an anti-corrosive material and an outer member formed of a material exhibiting a high degree of thermal conductivity. After the coolant tubes have been bonded to the airfoil blank, the airfoil blank is machined to a desired shape, such that a portion of the outer member of each of the composite tubes is contiguous with the outer surface of the machined airfoil blank. Finally, an external skin is bonded to the exposed outer surface of both the machined airfoil blank and the composite tubes.

Method for forming a liquid cooled airfoil for a gas turbine

An improved cooling system for a gas turbine is disclosed. A plurality of V-shaped notch weirs are utilized to meter a coolant liquid from a pool of coolant into a plurality of platform and airfoil coolant channels formed in the buckets of the turbine. The V-shaped notch weirs are formed in a separately machined cylindrical insert and serve to desensitize the flow of coolant into the individual platform and airfoil coolant channels to design tolerances and non-uniform flow distribution.

Cooling system for a gas turbine using a cylindrical insert having

An improved trap seal for open circuit liquid cooled turbines is disclosed. The trap seal of the present invention includes an annular recess formed in the supply conduit of cooling channels formed in the airfoil of the turbine buckets. A cylindrical insert is located in the annular recesses and has a plurality of axial grooves formed along the outer periphery thereof and a central recess formed in one end thereof. The axial grooves and central recess formed in the cylindrical insert cooperate with the annular recess to define a plurality of S-shaped trap seals which permit the passage of liquid coolant but prohibit passage of gaseous coolant.

Trap seal for open circuit liquid cooled turbines

Integration of separate ceramic parts and metal parts to form a unified combustor is described. The flame holding portion and any other portion where air is introduced into the combustor are made of metal while insulated, imperforate ceramic construction is used for the balance of the combustor liner. In this manner the regions of high local stress are accommodated by cooled metal and the regions of uniform thermal stress are accommodated by resiliently-mounted thermally-insulated ceramic.

Growing community of inventors

Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

Clayton M Grondahl