General Electric Company
TURBINE BLADE WITH TIP SHROUD COOLING PASSAGE

Abstract:

A turbine blade includes a root for fixing the turbine blade to a turbine rotor; and an airfoil coupled to the root, the airfoil including a suction side and a pressure side, and at least one internal wall defining a coolant chamber in the airfoil for delivering a coolant through the airfoil. A tip shroud is coupled to a radially outer end of the airfoil by a suction side fillet and a pressure side fillet. The tip shroud includes a shroud body defining a substantially trident-shaped shroud cooling passage including: a trunk cooling passage, a center cooling passage in fluid communication with the trunk cooling passage, a suction side cooling passage in fluid communication with the trunk cooling passage, and a pressure side cooling passage in fluid communication with the trunk cooling passage. The center cooling passage is fluidly coupled to the coolant chamber to receive a coolant.