General Electric Company

Bha Group, Inc.

Robert Henry Devine, Ii

Gary Michael Itzel

John Alan Eastman

Robert Alan Brittingham

Jack Thomas Clements

Alan Smithies

Charles Lewis Davis, Iii

Sanjay Chopra

Thomas Nelson Toornman

Larry Duane Brown

A composite filter media structure and an associated method of making are provided. The structure includes a base substrate that includes a nonwoven fabric substrate formed from a plurality of bicomponent synthetic fibers using a spunbond process. The composite filter media structure includes a nanofiber layer deposited on one side of the base substrate by an electro-blown spinning process. In one aspect, the base substrate and the nanofiber layer are configured to provide at least an 85% filtration efficiency measured in accordance with an ASHRAE 52.2-1999 test method. In another aspect, the nanofiber layer has a basis weight of about 2.0 g/mto about 3.0 g/m.

HEPA (H-10) performance synthetic nonwoven and nanofiber composite filter media

A turbomachine includes a compressor having a compressor intake, and an intake system mounted upstream of the compressor intake. The intake system includes a housing and a plurality of selectively positionable vanes arranged within the housing. The plurality of selectively positionable vanes are moveable between a first position to remove a first amount of foreign particles, and a second position, to remove a second amount of foreign particles.

Turbomachine including an adaptable intake system and method of controlling airflow to a turbomachine

A secondary datum scheme is used for identifying the location of the core-produced internal geometry of hollow investment cast metal parts that are made using a free-floating core design for implementing complex internal structural features. A set of datum pads are cast on a removable portion of the core print out to provide the secondary reference system. This secondary reference system precisely establishes the location of the core-produced internal geometry of the part exclusive of any fixed external primary datum structure/system so that, for example, precision machining and gauging may be performed upon such internal features during subsequent fabrication steps.

Method and apparatus for determining the location of core-generated features in an investment casting

A method for casting an airfoil for a turbine engine is provided. The method includes forming a casting core to define a hollow portion in the airfoil and forming a print out region at one end of the casting core. The method also includes coupling the casting core to the print out region with at least one frusto-conical member to facilitate structurally supporting the casting core.

Methods and apparatus for fabricating turbine engine airfoils

A turbine nozzle is disclosed having a nozzle blade with an inner band, wherein the inner band has a region to receive a nozzle cover plate and at least one raised angel wing seal land section proximate a side of the recess; the nozzle cover plate is seated on the region of the inner band and the plate has a raised angel wing seal land section aligned with the at least one raised angel wing seal land section on the inner band, wherein the perimeter of the nozzle cover is welded to the inner band; a slot in the angel wing seal land is adjacent the perimeter of the cover plate, and the slot is filled with an insert after the cover plate is welded to the nozzle inner band.

Turbine nozzle having angel wing seal lands and associated welding method

A pair of hollow elongated leg sections are disposed in one or more of the nozzle vane cavities of a nozzle stage of a gas turbine. Each leg section has an outer wall portion with apertures for impingement-cooling of nozzle wall portions in registration with the outer wall portions. The leg sections may be installed into the cavity separately and support rods support and maintain the leg sections in spaced relation, whereby the designed impingement gap between the outer wall portions of the leg sections and the nozzle wall portions is achieved. The support rods are secured to the inner wall portions of the leg sections by welding or brazing.

Divided insert for steam cooled nozzles and method for supporting and separating divided insert

A coolant flow control structure is provided to channel cooling media flow to the fillet region defined at the transition between the wall of a nozzle vane and a wall of a nozzle segment, for cooling the fillet region. In an exemplary embodiment, the flow control structure defines a gap with the fillet region to achieve the required heat transfer coefficients in this region to meet part life requirements.

Method for controlling coolant flow in airfoil, flow control structure and airfoil incorporating the same

A method of drilling holes in an component, such as a turbine airfoil or bucket platform, the method including disposing a protective insert including a water jet blocking material adjacent a backside of the structure to be drilled and water jet drilling at least one hole in the structure, through to the backside. In one embodiment, the jet blocking material is comprised of carbide or a similar material that is more resistant to water jet drilling forces than the structure being drilled.

Method and backer inserts for blocking backwall water jet strikes

An apparatus for identifying and clearing blockages in cooling orifices of an airfoil is described. The apparatus includes a processor for controlling the various functions of the apparatus. Light is directed into a cavity of the airfoil and a detector is used for detecting light passing through the orifices. The processor determines blockages of the orifices by comparing detected light pattern with a predetermined pattern. The apparatus further includes a nozzle controlled by the processor for directing pressurized water to open the blocked orifices.

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Robert Henry Devine, Ii