U.S. patent application number 14/030645 was filed with the patent office on 2015-03-19 for systems and methods for providing one or more cooling holes in a slash face of a turbine bucket.
This patent application is currently assigned to General Electric Company. The applicant listed for this patent is General Electric Company. Invention is credited to James W. Vehr, Xiuzhang James Zhang.
Application Number | 20150075180 14/030645 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52580094 |
Filed Date | 2015-03-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150075180 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zhang; Xiuzhang James ; et
al. |
March 19, 2015 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ONE OR MORE COOLING HOLES IN A
SLASH FACE OF A TURBINE BUCKET
Abstract
A turbine bucket is disclosed herein. The turbine bucket may
include a platform and a shank portion extending radially inward
from the platform. The shank portion may include a slash face, a
radial seal pin groove formed in the slash face, and at least one
cooling hole disposed in the slash face about the radial seal pin
groove.
Inventors: |
Zhang; Xiuzhang James;
(Greenville, SC) ; Vehr; James W.; (Greenville,
SC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
General Electric Company |
Schenectady |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
General Electric Company
Schenectady
NY
|
Family ID: |
52580094 |
Appl. No.: |
14/030645 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/806 ;
416/95 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F05D 2260/202 20130101;
F01D 11/006 20130101; F01D 11/04 20130101; F01D 5/18 20130101; F01D
25/12 20130101; F05D 2260/201 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
60/806 ;
416/95 |
International
Class: |
F01D 5/18 20060101
F01D005/18 |
Claims
1. A turbine bucket, comprising: a platform; and a shank portion
extending radially inward from the platform, wherein the shank
portion comprises: a slash face; a radial seal pin groove formed in
the slash face; and at least one cooling hole disposed in the slash
face about the radial seal pin groove.
2. The turbine bucket of claim 1, further comprising a radial seal
pin positionable within the radial seal pin groove.
3. The turbine bucket of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
hole is configured to provide a flow of cooling fluid about the
radial seal pin groove.
4. The turbine bucket of claim 1, further comprising a forward
trench cavity formed about a leading edge of the shank portion,
wherein the at least one cooling hole is disposed in the slash face
about the forward trench cavity.
5. The turbine bucket of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
hole is positioned about at least one of: a radial outer portion of
the radial seal pin groove; an upstream portion of the radial seal
pin groove; a downstream portion of the radial seal pin groove; or
a combination thereof.
6. The turbine bucket of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
hole comprises a plurality of cooling holes.
7. The turbine bucket of claim 1, wherein the slash face comprises
at least one of a pressure side slash face or a suction side slash
face.
8. The turbine bucket of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
hole is in communication with a cooling circuit.
9. A gas turbine engine system, comprising: a compressor; a
combustor in communication with the compressor; and a turbine in
communication with the combustor, wherein the turbine comprises one
or more turbine buckets, comprising: a platform; and a shank
portion extending radially inward from the platform, wherein the
shank portion comprises: a slash face; a radial seal pin groove
formed in the slash face; and at least one cooling hole disposed in
the slash face about the radial seal pin groove.
10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a radial seal pin
positionable within the radial seal pin groove.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one cooling hole is
configured to provide a flow of cooling fluid about the radial seal
pin groove.
12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a forward trench
cavity formed about a leading edge of the shank portion, wherein
the at least one cooling hole is disposed in the slash face about
the forward trench cavity.
13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one cooling hole is
positioned about at least one of: a radial outer portion of the
radial seal pin groove; an upstream portion of the radial seal pin
groove; a downstream portion of the radial seal pin groove; or a
combination thereof.
14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one cooling hole
comprises a plurality of cooling holes.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein the slash face comprises at
least one of a pressure side slash face or a suction side slash
face.
16. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one cooling hole is
in communication with a cooling circuit.
17. A shank portion of a turbine bucket, the shank portion
comprising: a slash face; a radial seal pin groove formed in the
slash face; and at least one cooling hole disposed in the slash
face about the radial seal pin groove.
18. The shank portion of claim 17, further comprising a radial seal
pin positionable within the radial seal pin groove.
19. The shank portion of claim 17, wherein the at least one cooling
hole is configured to provide a flow of cooling fluid about the
radial seal pin groove.
20. The shank portion of claim 17, further comprising a forward
trench cavity formed about a leading edge of the shank portion,
wherein the at least one cooling hole is disposed in the slash face
about the forward trench cavity.
Description
FIELD
[0001] Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to a gas
turbine engine and more particularly relate to systems and methods
for providing one or more cooling holes in a slash face of a
turbine bucket.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A gas turbine engine typically includes a compressor, a
combustor, and a turbine. The efficiency of the turbine depends in
part on the amount of cooling air flow from the compressor that is
used to cool components in the hot gas path in the turbine section.
The cooling air flow may be introduced into the wheel space of the
turbine to limit (or purge) high-temperature gases from entering
into the wheel space. Excess purge flow to the wheel space may
decrease turbine efficiency since the cooling air flow may not be
available for work production.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0003] Some or all of the above needs and/or problems may be
addressed by certain embodiments of the disclosure. According to
one embodiment, there is disclosed a turbine bucket. The turbine
bucket may include a platform and a shank portion extending
radially inward from the platform. The shank portion may include a
slash face, a radial seal pin groove formed in the slash face, and
at least one cooling hole disposed in the slash face about the
radial seal pin groove.
[0004] According to another embodiment, there is disclosed a gas
turbine engine system. The system may include a compressor, a
combustor in communication with the compressor, and a turbine in
communication with the combustor. The turbine bucket may include a
platform and a shank portion extending radially inward from the
platform. The shank portion may include a slash face, a radial seal
pin groove formed in the slash face, and at least one cooling hole
disposed in the slash face about the radial seal pin groove.
[0005] Further, according to another embodiment, there is disclosed
a shank portion of a turbine bucket. The shank portion may include
a slash face, a radial seal pin groove formed in the slash face,
and at least one cooling hole disposed in the slash face about the
radial seal pin groove.
[0006] Other embodiments, aspects, and features of the invention
will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following
detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings,
which are not necessarily drawn to scale.
[0008] FIG. 1 schematically depicts an example view of a gas
turbine engine.
[0009] FIG. 2 schematically depicts an example cross-sectional view
of a turbine bucket.
[0010] FIG. 3 schematically depicts an example perspective
cross-sectional view of a turbine bucket, according to an
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 4 schematically depicts an example perspective
cross-sectional view of a turbine bucket, according to an
embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Illustrative embodiments will now be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
some, but not all embodiments are shown. The disclosure may be
embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as
limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like numbers refer to
like elements throughout.
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic view of gas turbine engine 10 as
may be used herein. The gas turbine engine 10 may include a
compressor 15. The compressor 15 compresses an incoming flow of air
20. The compressor delivers the compressed flow of air 20 to a
combustor 25. The combustor 25 mixes the compressed flow of air 20
with a compressed flow of fuel 30 and ignites the mixture to create
a flow of combustion gases 35. Although only a single combustor 25
is shown, the gas turbine engine 10 may include any number of
combustors 25. The flow of combustion gases 35 is in turn delivered
to a downstream turbine 40. The flow of combustion gases 35 drives
the turbine 40 to produce mechanical work. The mechanical work
produced in the turbine 40 drives the compressor 15 via a shaft 45
and an external load 50, such as an electrical generator or the
like.
[0014] The gas turbine engine 10 may use natural gas, various types
of syngas, and/or other types of fuels. The gas turbine engine 10
may be anyone of a number of different gas turbine engines such as
those offered by General Electric Company of Schenectady, New York
and the like. The gas turbine engine 10 may have different
configurations and may use other types of components. Other types
of gas turbine engines also may be used herein. Multiple gas
turbine engines, other types of turbines, and other types of power
generation equipment also may be used herein together.
[0015] FIG. 2 schematically depicts one example embodiment of a
portion of the turbine 40. The turbine 40 may include a rotor 52
positioned about a longitudinal axis. A number of buckets 54 may be
mounted to the rotor 52. For example, the buckets 54 may be
circumferentially position adjacent to one another and extend
radially outward from the rotor 52. The buckets 54 may form one or
more stages in the turbine 40. For example, the buckets 54 may form
a first stage, a last stage, or any stage therebetween. The buckets
54 may include a platform 56, a shank portion 58, an airfoil 60,
and a dovetail 62. The dovetail 62 may be configured to mate with a
corresponding dovetail 64 of the rotor 52.
[0016] The shank portion 56 may include a slash face 66. The slash
face 66 is the circumferential edge of the shank portion 58. In
some instances, the leading edge of the shank portion 58 may
include a forward trench cavity 68. The forward trench cavity 68
may be formed between an angle wing seal 70 and a leading edge 72
of the platform 56. The forward trench cavity 68 may provide an
area where purge air from the wheelspace interfaces with the hot
combustion gases. Other components and other configurations may be
used herein.
[0017] FIGS. 3 and 4 depict an example embodiment of a turbine
bucket 100 as may be used herein. The turbine bucket 100 may
include may include a platform 102, a shank portion 104, an airfoil
106, and a dovetail 108. The shank portion 104 may extend radially
inward from the platform 102, and the airfoil 106 may extend
radially outward from the platform 102. The shank portion 104 may
include a slash face 110. The slash face 110 is the circumferential
edge of the shank portion 104. Depending on the orientation of the
airfoil 106, the slash face 110 may be a pressure side slash face
(as depicted in FIG. 3) or a suction side slash face (as depicted
in FIG. 4). That is, the slash face 110 positioned about the
pressure side of the airfoil 106 is the pressure side slash face,
and the slash face 110 positioned about the suction side of the
airfoil 106 is the suction side slash face.
[0018] In some instances, the leading edge of the shank portion 104
may include a forward trench cavity 112. The forward trench cavity
112 may be formed between an angle wing seal 114 and a leading edge
116 of the platform 102. The forward trench cavity 112 may provide
an area where purge air from the wheelspace interfaces with the hot
combustion gases.
[0019] In certain embodiments, the turbine bucket 102 may include a
radial seal pin groove 118 formed in the slash face 110. The radial
seal pin groove 118 may extend at least partially from the platform
102 to the dovetail 108. In some instances, a radial seal pin 120
(depicted in dashed lined for clarity) may be positioned within the
radial seal pin groove 118. That is, each radial seal pin groove
118 may be sized and shaped to receive a radial seal pin 120
therein to facilitate sealing between adjacent shanks portions 104
when a number of turbine buckets 100 are coupled to the rotor. U.S.
Patent Pub. No. 2011/0081245 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,600,972 both
describe example embodiments of a radial seal pin groove and a
radial seal pin and are both hereby incorporated by reference. In
some instances, only the pressure side slash face and/or the
suction side slash face may include the radial seal pin groove 118
and/or the radial seal pin 120. In this manner, a slash face that
does not include the radial seal pin groove 118 and/or the radial
seal pin 120 may still form a seal with an adjacent turbine bucket
100 that does include the radial seal pin groove 118 and/or the
radial seal pin 120.
[0020] The turbine bucket 100 may include at least one cooling hole
122 disposed in the slash face 110 about the radial seal pin groove
118. The cooling hole 122 may be disposed within a pressure side
slash face and/or a suction side slash face. The cooling hole 122
may be configured to provide a flow of cooling fluid (e.g., air) to
the area about the radial seal pin groove 118 and/or the radial
seal pin 120. For example, the cooling hole 122 may be in
communication with a flow of diverted air from the compressor by
way of a cooling circuit 124. Other sources of air may be used. In
some instances, the cooling circuit 124 may include a number of
channels 126 or the like disposed within the turbine bucket 100. In
this manner, the cooling hole 122 may be in fluid communication
with any one of the channels 126. The orientation, configuration,
and number of cooling circuits 124 and/or channels 126 may
vary.
[0021] In certain embodiments, the cooling hole 122 may be disposed
in the slash face 110 about the forward trench cavity 112. That is,
the cooling hole 122 may be disposed in the slash face 110 between
the angle wing seal 114 and the leading edge 116 of the platform
102. Alternatively, or in addition, the cooling hole 122 may be
positioned about a radial outer portion of the radial seal pin
groove 118. In another instance, the cooling hole 122 may be
positioned about an upstream portion of the radial seal pin groove
118 and/or a downstream portion of the radial seal pin groove 118.
The cooling hole 122 may be positioned at any location about the
radial seal pin groove 118. Furthermore, in some instances, the
cooling hole 122 may include a number of cooling holes 122. That
is, a number of cooling holes 122 may be disposed in the slash face
110 at various locations about the radial seal pin groove 118.
[0022] The location of the cooling holes 122 facilitates cooling of
the area about the radial seal pin groove 118 and/or the radial
seal pin 120. In turn, the forward trench cavity 112 may require
less purge air, resulting in greater efficiency of the gas turbine
engine.
[0023] Although embodiments have been described in language
specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is
to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to
the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific
features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of
implementing the embodiments.
* * * * *