Siemens Energy, Inc.

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Zhihong Gao

George P Liang

Ching-Pang Lee

Gm Salam Azad

Kok-Mun Tham

David G Sansom

Neil Hitchman

Ramesh Subramanian

Nicholas F Martin, Jr

Brian J Wessell

Joseph B Gilliam

Barrry L Allmon

Gary Brian Merrill

Eric Joseph Schroeder

Cora Schillig

Nan Jiang

Dimitrios Zois

Jonathan E Shipper

Erik Johnson

Turbine and compressor casing/housing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, have abradable surfaces with asymmetric forward and aft ridge surface area density. The forward ridges have greater surface area density than the aft ridges to compensate for greater ridge erosion in the forward zone during engine operation and reduce blade tip wear in the aft zone. Some abradable component embodiments increase forward zone ridge surface area density by incorporating wider ridges than those in the aft zone.

Turbine abradable layer with compound angle, asymmetric surface area ridge and groove pattern

Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with composite grooves and vertically projecting asymmetric non-parallel walls or trapezoidal cross section ridges that reduce, redirect and/or block blade tip airflow leakage downstream into the grooves rather than from turbine blade airfoil high to low pressure sides. In some embodiments at least one angularly oriented first groove formed in the ridge plateau is adapted for angular orientation upstream a turbine blade rotation direction to resist blade tip airflow leakage and the ridges are separated by second grooves that are skewed relative to the respective ridge plateaus and the substrate that are also adapted for orientation upstream the turbine blade rotation direction to resist blade tip airflow leakage.

Turbine abradable layer with asymmetric ridges or grooves

Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with composite grooves and vertically projecting rows of ridges in planform patterns, establishing upper and lower wear zones. The lower wear zone reduces, redirects and/or blocks blade tip downstream airflow leakage, while the upper wear zone is optimized to minimize blade tip gap and wear by being more easily abradable than the lower zone. An elongated first ridge in the lower wear zone terminates in a continuous surface plateau. A plurality of second ridges or nibs, separated by grooves, project from the plateau, forming the upper wear zone. Each of the second ridges has a planform cross section smaller than the plateau planform cross section and a height smaller than the first ridge height. Some embodiments of the second ridges have spacing, planform cross sections, heights and separating groove dimensions selected for shearing when contacted by turbine blade tips.

Turbine abradable layer with progressive wear zone having a frangible or pixelated nib surface

Turbine and compressor casing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, with composite grooves and vertically projecting rows of stepped first ridges in planform patterns, to reduce, redirect and/or block blade tip airflow leakage downstream into the grooves rather than from turbine blade airfoil high to low pressure sides. Each stepped first ridge has a first portion proximal the substrate surface with a pair of first opposed lateral walls terminating in a plateau, and a second portion terminating in a ridge tip. These ridge or rib embodiments have first lower and second upper wear zones. The lower zone, which at and below first portion height, optimizes engine airflow characteristics, while the upper zone, between the plateau and the second portion ridge is optimized to minimize blade tip gap and wear by being more easily abradable than the lower zone.

Turbine abradable layer with progressive wear zone terraced ridges

A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine with an internal cooling system formed from a serpentine cooling channel with one or more flow blocking ribs is disclosed. The serpentine cooling channels may be configured to receive cooling fluids from internal cooling fluids supply channels. The serpentine cooling channels may include flow blocking ribs to form concurrent flow channels to reduce the cross-sectional area within the midchord region of the airfoil to maintain the internal through flow channel Mach number. The flow blocking ribs may include slots therein and may have any appropriate configuration. In at least one embodiment, the flow blocking ribs may be have a nonuniform taper or a uniformed taper.

Turbine vane for a gas turbine engine having serpentine cooling channels with internal flow blockers

A cooling system for a turbine airfoil of a turbine engine having a trailing edge cooling region formed from endwall cooling channels having a higher density of cooling channels than other areas in order to cool the material forming the intersection between the trailing edge of the airfoil and the endwall to prevent premature cracking. The increased density of cooling channels in the endwall at the trailing edge forms a heat sink that draws heat from the airfoil, thereby lowering the temperature of the airfoil and increasing the useful life of the airfoil.

Turbine airfoil cooling system with high density section of endwall cooling channels

A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine including an endwall and an airfoil extending from the endwall. An inner rail extends radially inwardly of the endwall, and an overhang portion extends axially from a location of the inner rail to a downstream edge. A recess cavity is defined in the overhang portion between the inner rail and the downstream edge. The recess cavity extends radially into the overhang portion and defines a cavity surface. A plurality of grooves extend radially into the cavity surface and have an elongated dimension extending in a direction from the inner rail toward the downstream edge. A plurality of cooling passages extend axially through the overhang portion, and are located between the grooves.

Turbine endwall with grooved recess cavity

A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine having an internal cooling system formed from at least one serpentine cooling channel with enhanced cooling elements. The serpentine cooling channel may include a first turn manifold with purge air discharge orifices inline with a first pass of the serpentine cooling channel. Cooling fluids may be used to cooling the leading edge of the vane and passed through the purge air discharge orifices to purge the rim cavity proximate to the endwall. The first turn manifold may also include a plurality of trip strips. The trips strips may be positioned on the suction and pressure sidewalls and may be offset from trip strips on the opposing sidewall. The cooling system may also include an aft purge rim orifice.

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

Zhihong Gao