Airfoil for a turbine engine

Abstract

A method and apparatus for minimizing engine weight for a turbine engine by utilizing one or more discrete protuberances disposed on an engine component wall. The wall can have a nominal thickness to decrease engine weight while the protuberances can provide increased discrete thicknesses for providing one or more cooling holes. The increased thickness at the protuberances provides for an increased thickness to provide sufficient length to increase cooling hole effectiveness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A component for a turbine engine, with the turbine engine generating a hot combustion gas flow and providing a cooling fluid flow, the component comprising:
 a wall having a nominal thickness separating the hot combustion gas flow from the cooling fluid flow having a hot surface facing the hot combustion gas flow and a cool surface facing the cooling fluid flow;   at least one localized, protuberance extending from the cool surface; and   a film hole extending through the protuberance and the wall, having a length greater than the nominal thickness of the wall.   
     
     
         2 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the film hole is angled relative to a local normal between the hot surface and the cool surface. 
     
     
         3 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the film hole is non-linear. 
     
     
         4 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the film hole includes an inlet and an outlet, having a passage connecting the inlet to the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The component of  claim 4  wherein at least one of the inlet, outlet, or passage is shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 4  wherein the protuberance includes an upstream side and a downstream side having the inlet disposed on the upstream side. 
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the protuberance includes a height and the height is at least 50% of the nominal thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The component of  claim 7  wherein the height is at least 100% of the nominal thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the protuberance is symmetrical about an axis parallel to a direction of the cooling fluid flow within the component. 
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the protuberance includes a height and the height is a function of one of a length, diameter, or length-to-diameter ratio of the film hole. 
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the protuberance includes an upstream side and a downstream side having the film hole disposed on the upstream side. 
     
     
         12 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the at least one protuberance includes a recess. 
     
     
         13 . The component of  claim 12  wherein the film hole is disposed in the recess. 
     
     
         14 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the nominal thickness is a function of at least one of a thermal load, vibratory force, pressure differential between the fluid flows, or manufacturer required load for the component. 
     
     
         15 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the protuberances are formed by additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         16 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the protuberance is one of rounded, conical, frustoconical, or non-rectilinear. 
     
     
         17 . The component of  claim 1  wherein there is one film hole disposed in the at least one protuberance. 
     
     
         18 . An airfoil for a turbine engine comprising:
 a wall having a first side adjacent to a first fluid flow and a second side adjacent to a second fluid flow and having a nominal thickness;   at least one localized, protuberance extending from the wall; and
 a cooling hole extending through the protuberance and the wall, having a length greater than the nominal thickness of the wall. 
   
     
     
         19 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the first side is an interior surface of the airfoil and the protuberance is disposed on the first side. 
     
     
         20 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the wall is a rib of the airfoil. 
     
     
         21 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the cooling hole includes an inlet and an outlet, having a passage connecting the inlet to the outlet. 
     
     
         22 . The airfoil of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the inlet, outlet, or passage is shaped. 
     
     
         23 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the protuberance includes an upstream side and a downstream side having the inlet disposed on the upstream side. 
     
     
         24 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the protuberance includes a height and the height is at least 50% of the nominal thickness. 
     
     
         25 . The airfoil of  claim 24  wherein the height is at least 100% of the nominal thickness. 
     
     
         26 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the protuberance includes a height and the height is a function of one of a length, diameter, or length-to-diameter ratio of the cooling hole. 
     
     
         27 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the at least one protuberance includes a recess. 
     
     
         28 . The airfoil of  claim 27  wherein the cooling hole is disposed in the recess. 
     
     
         29 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the nominal thickness is a function of at least one of a thermal load, vibratory force, pressure differential between the first and second fluids, or manufacturer required load for the airfoil. 
     
     
         30 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the protuberances are formed by additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         31 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein the protuberance is one of rounded, conical, frustoconical, or non-rectilinear. 
     
     
         32 . The airfoil of  claim 18  wherein there is one film hole disposed in the at least one protuberance. 
     
     
         33 . A method of cooling an engine component having a hot surface and a cool surface comprising:
 passing a cooling fluid flow along the cool surface; and   providing at least a portion of the cooling fluid flow through a film hole in a localized protuberance extending from the cool surface.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein providing at least a portion of the cooling fluid flow includes providing the portion of the cooling fluid flow through a recess in the protuberance prior to providing the cooling fluid flow to the film hole. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein providing the portion of the cooling fluid flow through the recess minimizes dust accumulation.