Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Gerald L Hillier

Ching-Pang Lee

Jae Y Um

Eric Joseph Schroeder

Zhengxiang Pu

Wayne J McDonald

Gm Salam Azad

Erik Johnson

Anthony Waywood

Mohamed Abdullah

Ralph W Matthews

A core structure () includes a first core element () including a leading edge section (), a tip section (), and a turn section () joining the leading edge and tip sections (). The first core element () is adapted to be used to form a leading edge cooling circuit () in a gas turbine engine airfoil (). The leading edge cooling circuit () includes a cooling fluid passage () having a leading edge portion () formed by the first core element leading edge section (), a tip portion () formed by the first core element tip section (), and a turn portion () formed by the first core element turn section (). Each of the leading edge portion (), the tip portion (), and the turn portion () of the cooling fluid passage () are formed concurrently in the airfoil () by the first core element ().

Gas turbine airfoil including integrated leading edge and tip cooling fluid passage and core structure used for forming such an airfoil

An airfoil () for a gas turbine engine in which the airfoil () includes an internal cooling system () with one or more internal cavities () having an insert () contained therein that forms nearwall cooling channels () having enhanced flow patterns is disclosed. The flow of cooling fluids in the nearwall cooling channels () may be controlled via a plurality of cooling fluid flow controllers () extending from the outer wall () forming the generally hollow elongated airfoil (). The cooling fluid flow controllers () may be collected into spanwise extending rows (), and the internal cooling system () may include one or more bypass flow reducers () extending from the insert () toward the outer wall () to direct the cooling fluids through the channels () created by the cooling fluid flow controllers (), thereby increasing the effectiveness of the internal cooling system ().

Internal cooling system with insert forming nearwall cooling channels in midchord cooling cavities of a gas turbine airfoil

An investment casting method for a cast ceramic core (), including an airfoil portion () shaped to define an inner surface () of an airfoil () of a vane segment () and an integral shell portion () having a backside-shaping surface () shaped to define a backside surface () of a shroud () of the vane segment. The backside-shaping surface has a higher elevation () and a lower elevation (). The higher elevation is set apart from a nearest point () on the airfoil portion by the lower elevation. The airfoil portion and the shell portion are cast as a monolithic body during a single casting pour.

Investment casting method for gas turbine engine vane segment

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Charlottesville, VA, United States of America

Gerald L Hillier