Turbine vane with divided turbine vane platform

Abstract

A turbine vane with endwalls, wherein at least one endwall is formed from two or more sections configured such that the sections form releasable joints with a generally elongated airfoil of the turbine vane. The sections may be configured to both support the generally elongated airfoil and to establish cooling fluid flowpaths between the sections and the generally elongated airfoil to cool the aspects of the turbine vane proximate to the intersection of the endwalls and the generally elongated airfoil. In addition, the joints between the generally elongated airfoil and the sections may be formed from a connection system that enables forces to be transmitted from the generally elongated airfoil to the endwalls without creating stresses found in conventional turbine vane fillets at the intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the endwalls.

1 . A turbine vane, comprising:
 a generally elongated airfoil formed from an outer wall, and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side, a first endwall at a first end, a second endwall at a second end opposite the first end;   wherein the first endwall is formed from at least first and second sections positioned adjacent to each other and to the airfoil such that each section forms a releasable joint with the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the first section includes a hot gas path surface generally orthogonal to the generally elongated airfoil, a cold side surface opposite to the hot gas path surface, an upstream edge, a downstream edge opposite to the upstream edge, and first and second side edges opposite to each other, wherein the first side edge of the first section is positioned in close proximity with the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the first section includes a first section attachment system on the first side edge of the first section, the first section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the first section so that the first section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the first section and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the first section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the first section and the generally elongated airfoil.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine vane of  claim 1 , wherein the second section includes a hot gas path surface generally orthogonal to the generally elongated airfoil, a cold side surface opposite to the hot gas path surface, an upstream edge, a downstream edge opposite to the upstream edge, and first and second side edges opposite to each other, wherein the first side edge of the second section is positioned in close proximity with the generally elongated airfoil.
 wherein the second section includes a second section attachment system on the first side edge of the second section, the second section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the second section so that the second section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the second section and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the second section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the second section and the generally elongated airfoil.   
     
     
         3 . The turbine vane of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one load bearing surface of the first section attachment system is positioned on a projection extending from the first side edge of the first section that is received within a groove in the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine vane of  claim 3 , wherein the projection extends along the first side edge of the first section a length generally equal to a distance between the leading and trailing edges of the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine vane of  claim 3 , wherein the projection extends along the first side edge of the first section a length generally equal to a distance between the upstream edge to the downstream edge of the first section and wherein the projection is received within the groove in the generally elongated airfoil and within grooves in the first side edge of the second section. 
     
     
         6 . The turbine vane of  claim 1 , wherein the second side edge of the first section is shaped with a cutaway section that fits around an outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine vane of  claim 1 , wherein the second endwall is formed from at least first and second sections positioned adjacent to each other such that each section forms a releasable joint with the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine vane of  claim 7 , wherein the first section of the second endwall includes a hot gas path surface generally orthogonal to the generally elongated airfoil, a cold side surface opposite to the hot gas path surface, an upstream edge, a downstream edge opposite to the upstream edge, and first and second side edges opposite to each other, wherein the first side edge of the first section of the second endwall is positioned in close proximity with the generally elongated airfoil;
 wherein the first section of the second endwall includes a third section attachment system on the first side edge of the first section, the third section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the first section so that the first section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the first section of the second endwall and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the first section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the first section of the second endwall and the generally elongated airfoil.   
     
     
         9 . The turbine vane of  claim 8 , wherein the second section of the second endwall includes a hot gas path surface generally orthogonal to the generally elongated airfoil, a cold side surface opposite to the hot gas path surface, an upstream edge, a downstream edge opposite to the upstream edge, and first and second side edges opposite to each other, wherein the first side edge of the second section of the second endwall is positioned in close proximity with the generally elongated airfoil;
 wherein the second section of the second endwall includes a fourth section attachment system on the first side edge of the second section, the fourth section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the second section of the second endwall so that the second section of the second endwall supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the second section of the second endwall and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the second section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the second section of the second endwall and the generally elongated airfoil.   
     
     
         10 . The turbine vane of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one load bearing surface of the third section attachment system is positioned on a projection extending from the first side edge of the first section that is received within a groove in the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine vane of  claim 9 , wherein the projection extends along the first side edge of the first section of the second endwall a length generally equal to a distance between the leading and trailing edges of the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine vane of  claim 9 , wherein the projection extends along the first side edge of the first section of the second endwall a length generally equal to a distance between the upstream edge to the downstream edge of the first section and wherein the projection is received within the groove in the generally elongated airfoil and within grooves in the first side edge of the second section of the second endwall. 
     
     
         13 . The turbine vane of  claim 8 , wherein the second side edge of the first section of the second endwall is shaped with a cutaway section that fits around an outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil. 
     
     
         14 . A turbine vane, comprising:
 a generally elongated airfoil formed from an outer wall, and having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side, a first endwall at a first end, a second endwall at a second end opposite the first end;   wherein the first endwall is formed from at least first and second sections positioned adjacent to each other such that each section forms a releasable joint with the generally elongated airfoil, and wherein the second endwall is formed from at least first and second sections positioned adjacent to each other such that each section forms a releasable joint with the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the first and second sections of the first and second endwalls each include a hot gas path surface generally orthogonal to the generally elongated airfoil, a cold side surface opposite to the hot gas path surface, an upstream edge, a downstream edge opposite to the upstream edge, and first and second side edges opposite to each other, wherein the first side edge is positioned in close proximity with the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the first section of the first endwall includes a first section attachment system on the first side edge of the first section of the first endwall, the first section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the first section of the first endwall so that the first section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the first section of the first endwall and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the first section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the first section and the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the second section of the first endwall includes a second section attachment system on the first side edge of the second section of the first endwall, the second section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the second section of the first endwall so that the first section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the second section of the first endwall and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the second section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid, pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the second section of the first endwall and the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the first section of the second endwall includes a third section attachment system on the first side edge of the first section of the second endwall, the third section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the first section of the second endwall so that the first section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the first section of the second endwall and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the first section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the first section and the generally elongated airfoil;   wherein the second section of the second endwall includes a fourth section attachment system on the first side edge of the second section of the second endwall, the fourth section attachment system being formed from at least one loading bearing surface for transferring loads from the generally elongated airfoil to the second section of the second endwall so that the first section supports and positions the turbine vane within a turbine engine and including at least one cooling fluid channel on the first side edge that is defined by the first side edge of the second section of the second endwall and the outer surface of the generally elongated airfoil to cool a region of the airfoil at an intersection between the generally elongated airfoil and the second section, wherein the at least one cooling fluid channel creates a cooling fluid pathway for cooling fluids to flow between the second section of the second endwall and the generally elongated airfoil.