TURBINE BLADE HAVING VARIABLE CONFIGURATION TURBULATORS

Abstract

A turbine blade includes an airfoil having opposite first and second sides and an internal passage extending longitudinally therebetween. A plurality of turbulator ribs extend from the first side into the passage and have substantially identical configurations including first and second ends having a span axis extending therebetween, first and second sides having a width therebetween, and a base and a tip having a height e measured therebetween. The passage includes a height H for defining a rib-to-passage height ratio e/H. Adjacent ribs are spaced apart at a longitudinal spacing S for defining a rib spacing-to-height ratio S/e. The rib configuration varies along the span axis between the rib first and second ends for correspondingly varying at least one of the ratios e/H and S/e to effect a varying convective heat transfer enhancement along the rib span axis for increasing enhancement and reducing cooling airflow.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1DAVID M. KERCHER

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