Turbine blade with integral flow meter

Abstract

A turbine blade with an integral flow meter is provided. The turbine blade includes a trailing edge and a leading edge opposite the trailing edge. The turbine blade includes a plurality of cooling passages each having a respective inlet in fluid communication with a source of cooling fluid to receive a cooling fluid. The turbine blade includes a plurality of flow meters, with at least a respective one of the plurality of flow meters associated with a respective one of the plurality of cooling passages at the respective inlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A turbine blade, comprising:
 a trailing edge;   a leading edge opposite the trailing edge;   a plurality of cooling passages each having a respective inlet in fluid communication with a source of cooling fluid to receive a cooling fluid; and   a plurality of flow meters, with at least a respective one of the plurality of flow meters associated with a respective one of the plurality of cooling passages at the respective inlet.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine blade of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of flow meters comprises a volume of additional material defined about the respective inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The turbine blade of  claim 2 , wherein the volume of additional material covers about 10% to about 100% of the respective inlet. 
     
     
         4 . The turbine blade of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine blade includes an airfoil having a tip portion and a root, the root having a first surface coupled to a bottom surface of the airfoil and the first surface is opposite a second surface, with the respective inlets defined through the second surface of the root. 
     
     
         5 . The turbine blade of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of flow meters is defined to extend radially inward from the respective inlet. 
     
     
         6 . A method of manufacturing a turbine blade, comprising:
 forming the turbine blade with at least one integral cooling passage, the turbine blade having an inlet in fluid communication with a source of a cooling fluid and at least one integrally formed flow meter; and   machining at least one flow meter at the inlet to adjust a flow of the cooling fluid into the at least one cooling passage based on a determined cooling requirement for the at least one cooling passage.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 forming the turbine blade with a plurality of integral cooling passages, each having at least a respective inlet associated with a respective flow meter; and   machining the respective flow meter associated with the inlet of at least one of the plurality of cooling passages to adjust the flow of the cooling fluid to the respective one of the plurality of cooling passages based on a determined cooling requirement for each of the plurality of cooling passages.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the machining the respective flow meter further comprises:
 removing additional material about the inlet of the at least one of the plurality of cooling passages to adjust the flow of the cooling fluid.   
     
     
         9 . A turbine blade, comprising:
 a trailing edge;   a leading edge opposite the trailing edge;   a plurality of cooling passages each having a respective inlet in fluid communication with a source of cooling fluid to receive a cooling fluid; and   a plurality of flow meters, with at least a respective one of the plurality of flow meters associated with a respective one of the plurality of cooling passages at the respective inlet and each of the plurality of flow meters comprises a volume of additional material defined about the respective inlet.   
     
     
         10 . The turbine blade of  claim 9 , wherein the volume of additional material covers about 10% to about 100% of the respective inlet. 
     
     
         11 . The turbine blade of  claim 9 , wherein the turbine blade includes an airfoil having a tip portion and a root, the root having a first surface coupled to a bottom surface of the airfoil and the first surface is opposite a second surface, with the respective inlets defined through the second surface of the root. 
     
     
         12 . The turbine blade of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of flow meters is defined to extend radially inward from the respective inlet.