General Electric Company
Interior cooling configurations for turbine rotor blades

Abstract:

A turbine rotor blade that includes an interior cooling configuration having a section configuration that includes: a main channel divided into three non-overlapping segments in which an upstream segment connects to a downstream segment via a transition segment positioned therebetween; and one or more branching channels extending from the main channel via connections each makes to the transition segment. The transition segment includes a variable cross-sectional flow area that accommodates a main channel flow area reduction occurring between the upstream segment and the downstream segment. The one or more branching channels having a total branching channel flow area. The section configuration is configured according to a section channel ratio that is defined as the main channel flow area reduction divided by the total branching channel flow area, with the value of the section channel ratio being configured according a desired coolant flow characteristic.