FORMING COOLING PASSAGES IN COMBUSTION TURBINE SUPERALLOY CASTINGS

摘要

Cooling passages (99, 105) are formed in components for combustion turbine engines, such as blades (92), vanes (104, 106), ring segments (110) or castings in transitions (85), during investment casting, through use of ceramic shell inserts (130) within the casting mold (152). Ceramic posts (134) formed in the ceramic shell insert (130) have profiles conforming to corresponding profiles of partially completed cooling passages (156). Posts (134) are removed after superalloy component casting, forming the partially completed cooling passages, which are subsequently completed by removing remaining superalloy material along the cooling passage path.