General Electric Company

James Harvey Laflen

Ching-Pang Lee

Eric Alan Estill

Paul Hadley Vitt

Michael Elliot Wymore

Katherine Jaynetorrence Andersen

Daniel Vern Jones

Dustin Alfred Placke

Daniel Verner Jones

Steven Robert Brassfield

Richard William Albrecht, Jr

Patrick Jarvis Scoggins

George A Durgin

George Elliott Moore

Wilson Frost

Wymore Michael Elliot Elliot

Vitt Paul Hadley Hadley

A turbine nozzle includes a row of vanes extending radially between annular outer and inner bands. The outer band includes a pair of radial flanges defining an annular seal groove therebetween. One of the flanges is crenelated to improve nozzle life.

Crenelated turbine nozzle

A turbine shroud includes a shroud hanger having an arcuate panel from which three inner hooks extend inwardly, and from which two outer hooks extend outwardly therefrom. The two outer hooks effect a statically determinate configuration of the shroud.

Dual stage turbine shroud

A method of assembling a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes coupling at least one turbine nozzle segment within the gas turbine engine. The at least one turbine nozzle segment includes at least one airfoil vane extending between an inner band and an outer band that includes an aft flange and a radial inner surface. The method also includes coupling at least one turbine shroud segment downstream from the at least one turbine nozzle segment, wherein the at least one turbine shroud segment includes a leading edge and a radial inner surface, and coupling a cooling fluid source in flow communication with the at least one turbine nozzle segment such that cooling fluid channeled to each turbine nozzle outer band aft flange is directed at an oblique discharge angle towards the leading edge of the at least one turbine shroud segment.

Method and system to facilitate cooling turbine engines

A method for cooling a shroud segment of a gas turbine engine includes providing a turbine shroud assembly including a shroud segment having a leading edge defining a forward face. A turbine nozzle is coupled to the turbine shroud assembly such that a gap is defined between an aft face of an outer band of the turbine nozzle and the forward face, wherein a lip formed on the aft face is positioned radially inwardly with respect to the gap and extends substantially axially downstream from the gap. Cooling air is directed into the gap. Cooling air exiting the gap impinges against the lip to facilitate film cooling the shroud segment.

Methods and system for cooling integral turbine nozzle and shroud assemblies

A method for cooling a turbine shroud assembly includes providing a turbine shroud assembly including a shroud segment having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a midsection defined therebetween. A shroud support circumferentially spans and supports the shroud segment. The shroud support includes a forward hanger coupled to the leading edge, a midsection hanger coupled to the midsection and an aft hanger coupled to the trailing edge. An annular shroud ring structure includes a midsection position control ring coupled to the midsection hanger and an aft position control ring coupled to the aft hanger. Cooling air is extracted from a compressor positioned upstream of the turbine shroud assembly. Cooling air is metered through the shroud support directly into only at least one active convection cooling zone defined between the shroud segment and the shroud support while substantially preventing cooling air from entering an inactive convection cooling zone positioned radially outwardly from the at least one active convection cooling zone and defined between the shroud support and the shroud ring structure and between the midsection position control ring and the aft position control ring.

Methods and system for cooling integral turbine shround assemblies

A method of assembling a gas turbine engine includes coupling a turbine shroud assembly within the gas turbine engine. The turbine shroud assembly includes a shroud segment having a leading edge defining a forward face and a radial inner surface. A turbine nozzle is coupled to the turbine shroud assembly such that a gap is defined between an aft face of an outer band of the turbine nozzle and the forward face. A plurality of recuperated cooling openings are defined through the leading edge at an oblique inlet angle with respect to a centerline of the gap and between the forward face and the radial inner surface to direct cooling fluid through the leading edge to facilitate preferential cooling of the leading edge.

Method and system to facilitate preferentially distributed recuperated film cooling of turbine shroud assembly

A method for cooling a shroud segment of a gas turbine engine includes providing a turbine shroud assembly including a shroud segment having a leading edge defining a forward face. A turbine nozzle is coupled to the turbine shroud assembly such that a gap is defined between an aft face of an outer band of the turbine nozzle and the forward face, wherein a lip formed on the aft face is positioned radially inwardly with respect to the gap and extends substantially axially downstream from the gap. Cooling air is directed into the gap. Cooling air exiting the gap impinges against the lip. Post impingement cooling air is directed at the forward face to facilitate forming a film cooling layer on the shroud segment. The film cooling layer is shielded from combustion gases flowing through the gas turbine engine.

Methods and system for shielding cooling air to facilitate cooling integral turbine nozzle and shroud assemblies

A method for cooling a shroud segment of a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing a turbine shroud assembly including a shroud segment having an inner surface and a leading edge that is substantially perpendicular to the inner surface, and coupling a turbine nozzle to the turbine shroud segment such that a gap is defined between an aft edge of an outer band of the turbine nozzle and the leading edge. The method also includes directing cooling air into the gap, and directing the cooling air in the gap through at least one cooling hole extending between the leading edge and the inner surface.

Methods and system for recuperated cooling of integral turbine nozzle and shroud assemblies

A method of assembling a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes coupling at least one turbine nozzle segment within the gas turbine engine. The at least one turbine nozzle segment includes at least one airfoil vane extending between an inner band and an outer band that includes an aft flange and a radial inner surface. The method also includes coupling at least one turbine shroud segment downstream from the at least one turbine nozzle segment, wherein the at least one turbine shroud segment includes a leading edge and a radial inner surface, coupling a cooling fluid source in flow communication with the at least one turbine nozzle segment such that cooling fluid channeled to each turbine nozzle outer band aft flange is directed at an oblique discharge angle towards the leading edge of the at least one turbine shroud segment, and channeling the cooling fluid through at least a first group of cooling openings having a larger aggregate cross-sectional area and a second group of cooling openings having a smaller aggregate cross-sectional area to facilitate preferential cooling of the turbine shroud.

Method and system to facilitate enhanced local cooling of turbine engines

A method for cooling a shroud segment of a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing a turbine shroud assembly including a shroud segment having an inner surface and a leading edge that is substantially perpendicular to the inner surface, and coupling a turbine nozzle to the turbine shroud segment such that a gap is defined between an aft edge of an outer band of the turbine nozzle and the leading edge. The method also includes directing cooling air into the gap, circumferentially mixing the cooling air in a plenum defined within the leading edge to substantially uniformly distribute the cooling air throughout the gap, and directing the cooling air in the gap through at least one cooling hole formed between the plenum and the inner surface.

Methods and system for recuperated circumferential cooling of integral turbine nozzle and shroud assemblies

The present invention provides a gas turbine engine blade having a dovetail, a shank extending radially outward from the dovetail, and a platform joined to the shank. An inner surface of the platform faces radially inwardly and an opposite outer surface of the platform faces radially outwardly. An airfoil extends radially outwardly from the platform and has pressure and suction airfoil sides that define pressure and suction blade sides of the blade. The platform extends axially between leading and trailing platform edges and transversely between pressure and suction side platform edges of the platform. At least one transversely extending bracing rib is in a corner of the shank and the platform between one of the blade sides and the inner surface of the platform. The preferred embodiment further includes the bracing rib, the shank, and the platform being integrally cast. The bracing rib is preferably wider along the platform and the shank than at a distal edge of the rib. In one embodiment this may is accomplished with fillets in triangular corners formed by the rib, platform, and shank. The rib, preferably, includes tapered rib sides that are tapered in a radially inwardly direction away from the platform and in the transverse direction away from the shank. The rib is preferably on the pressure side of the blade.

Growing community of inventors

Loveland, OH, United States of America

James Harvey Laflen