Claims
- 1. A gas turbine engine blade comprising:a dovetail; an airfoil integrally joined to said dovetail, and including first and second sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges and longitudinally between a root and tip, and said sidewalls being spaced laterally apart to define a flow channel for channeling cooling air through said airfoil; and said tip includes a floor atop said flow channel, a first rib laterally offset from said first sidewall atop said floor, and a second rib laterally offset from second sidewall atop said floor, and said ribs being longitudinally tapered to converse outwardly from said tip floor, and laterally offset from said sidewalls to define respective shelves thereatop.
- 2. A blade according to claim 1 wherein:said ribs are spaced laterally apart to define a tip slot therebetween; and said tip floor includes a plurality of holes extending therethrough in flow communication between said flow channel and said tip slot.
- 3. A blade according to claim 2 wherein:said ribs are offset from said first and second sidewalls to define respective first and second shelves atop said flow channel; and said tip floor further includes a plurality of outboard holes extending therethrough at said shelves in flow communication with said flow channel for film cooling said ribs.
- 4. A blade according to claim 2 wherein said ribs join together adjacent said leading edge, and said shelves join together at said leading edge to offset said ribs away therefrom.
- 5. A blade according to claim 2 wherein said ribs collectively have a crescent shaped aerodynamic profile extending between said leading and trailing edges.
- 6. A blade according to claim 5 wherein said profile of said ribs corresponds with a profile of said sidewalls.
- 7. A blade according to claim 6 wherein:said tip slot has a substantially constant width between said leading and trailing edges; and said tip shelves vary in width.
- 8. A blade according to claim 6 wherein:said tip slot has a varying width between said leading and trailing edges; and said tip shelves have a substantially constant width.
- 9. A blade according to claim 6 wherein said tip slot is as deep as said ribs are high.
- 10. A turbine airfoil comprising first and second laterally spaced apart sidewalls extending between leading and trailing edges, and including a tip having a floor extending between said sidewalls and a pair of tapered ribs extending between said leading and trailing edges laterally offset from said sidewalls to define respective shelves therealong, and each of said ribs converges outwardly from said tip floor.
- 11. An airfoil according to claim 10 wherein said ribs join together adjacent said leading edge, and said shelves wrap around said leading edge at said tip.
- 12. An airfoil according to claim 11 wherein said ribs join together at said trailing edge, with said shelves blending in thereat.
- 13. An airfoil according to claim 12 wherein said ribs collectively have a crescent shaped aerodynamic profile extending between said leading and trailing edges.
- 14. An airfoil according to claim 13 wherein said profile of said ribs corresponds with a profile of said sidewalls.
- 15. An airfoil according to claim 14 wherein said tip shelves vary in width along said sidewalls.
- 16. An airfoil according to claim 14 wherein said tip shelves have a substantially constant width along said sidewalls.
- 17. An airfoil according to claim 14 wherein:said airfoil includes an internal flow channel; said tip floor is disposed atop said flow channel; and said ribs are laterally spaced apart to define a tip slot therebetween.
- 18. An airfoil according to claim 17 wherein said tip floor includes:a plurality of inboard holes extending therethrough in flow communication between said flow channel and said tip slot; and a plurality of outboard holes extending therethrough in flow communication between said flow channel and said shelves.
Government Interests
The Government has rights to this invention pursuant to Contract No N00421-97-C-1232, awarded by the Department of the Navy.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2155558 |
Mar 1984 |
GB |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
U.S. application No. 09/323,375, filed Jun. 1, 1999, entitled “Turbine Blade Tip with Offset Squealer,” filed by General Electric Company. |
Ching-Pang Lee, “Tapered Tip Turbine Blade,” U.S. application No. 09/217 105, filed Dec. 21, 1998 (GE Docket No. 10827). |