Component for a turbine engine with a cooling hole

Abstract

An apparatus and method relating to a cooling hole of a component of a turbine engine. The cooling hole can extend from an inlet to an outlet to define a connecting passage. The cooling hole can contain a diffusing section. The diffusing section can be defined by an interior surface having variable geometries.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A component for a turbine engine, which generates a hot gas flow, and provides a cooling fluid flow, comprising:
 a wall separating the hot gas flow from the cooling fluid flow and having a heated surface along which the hot gas flows and a cooled surface facing the cooling fluid flow; and   at least one cooling hole comprising a connecting passage having a centerline and extending between an inlet at the cooled surface and an outlet at the heated surface, with the outlet defining a diffusing section having an increasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the heated surface, wherein the inlet has an inlet dimension measured along a first plane perpendicular to the centerline and the outlet has an outlet dimension measured along a second plane parallel to the first plane at the outlet, and wherein the inlet dimension is greater than the outlet dimension.   
     
     
         2 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the at least one cooling hole includes a recessed portion extending from the inlet along the passage and defining at least a portion of the inlet dimension. 
     
     
         3 . The component of  claim 2  wherein the outlet defines a first bound area and the inlet defines a second bound area and, when viewed along a centerline of the passage, at least a portion of the second bound area lies within the first bound area. 
     
     
         4 . The component of  claim 3  wherein a portion of the second bound area defines the inlet dimension of the recessed portion and lies outside the first bound area. 
     
     
         5 . The component of  claim 4  wherein the portion of the second bound area is above the first bound area. 
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 4  wherein the portion of the second bound area is below the first bound area. 
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the smallest inlet dimension is less than or equal to 50% of the largest outlet dimension. 
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the cooling hole comprises a metering section located upstream of the diffusing section and the metering section comprises a recessed portion. 
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 9  wherein the metering section is located in at least one of the passage or the inlet. 
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 10  wherein the recessed portion defines at least a portion of the inlet dimension. 
     
     
         12 . An airfoil for a turbine engine, which generates a hot gas flow, and provides a cooling fluid flow, comprising:
 a wall separating the hot gas flow from the cooling fluid flow and having a heated surface along which the hot gas flows and a cooled surface facing the cooling fluid flow; and   at least one cooling hole comprising a connecting passage having a centerline and extending between an inlet at the cooled surface and an outlet at the heated surface, with the outlet defining a diffusing section having an increasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the heated surface, wherein the inlet has an inlet dimension measured along a first plane perpendicular to the centerline and the outlet has an outlet dimension measured along a second plane parallel to the first plane at the outlet, and wherein the inlet dimension is greater than the outlet dimension.   
     
     
         13 . The airfoil of  claim 12  wherein the at least one cooling hole includes a recessed portion extending from the inlet along the passage and defining at least a portion of the inlet dimension. 
     
     
         14 . The airfoil of  claim 13  wherein the outlet defines a first bound area and the inlet defines a second bound area and, when viewed along a centerline of the passage, at least a portion of the second bound area lies within the first bound area. 
     
     
         15 . The airfoil of  claim 14  wherein a portion of the second bound area defines the inlet dimension of the recessed portion and lies outside the first bound area. 
     
     
         16 . The airfoil of  claim 15  wherein the portion of the second bound area is above the first bound area. 
     
     
         17 . The airfoil of  claim 15  wherein the portion of the second bound area is below the first bound area. 
     
     
         18 . The airfoil of  claim 12  wherein the smallest inlet dimension is less than or equal to 50% of the largest outlet dimension. 
     
     
         19 . The airfoil of  claim 12  wherein the cooling hole comprises a metering section located downstream of the diffusing section and the metering section comprises a recessed portion. 
     
     
         20 . The airfoil of  claim 19  wherein the metering section is located in at least one of the passage or the inlet. 
     
     
         21 . The airfoil of  claim 20  wherein the recessed portion defines at least a portion of the inlet dimension. 
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a cooling hole for an engine component, having a wall separating a hot gas flow from a cooling fluid flow and having a heated surface along which the hot gas flows and a cooled surface facing the cooling fluid flow, the method comprising:
 forming a cooling passage having an inlet, defining an inlet dimension, on the cooled surface and an outlet on the heated surface;   forming a diffusing section with the outlet along the heated surface to define an outlet dimension less than the inlet dimension.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising forming a recessed portion along the passage wherein the recessed portion defines at least a portion of the inlet dimension. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further includes forming the recessed portion on one of an upper surface or a lower surface of the passage. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  further includes forming the recessed portion on both an upper surface and a lower surface of the passage. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising overlapping the diffusing section with the recessed portion. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising forming a metering section located upstream of the diffusing section and fluidly coupled to the inlet wherein the metering section includes the recessed portion. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22  further includes asymmetrically aligning an inlet center point with an outlet center point.