Turbine tip shroud assembly with plural shroud segments having internal cooling passages

Abstract

A shroud assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a shroud support and a plurality of shroud segments that are attached to the shroud support. The shroud segment includes an internal cooling passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shroud assembly for a gas turbine engine, the shroud assembly configured to receive a cooling fluid flow, the shroud assembly comprising:
 a shroud support that extends arcuately about an axis; and   a plurality of shroud segments that are attached to the shroud support and that are arranged annularly about the axis at different circumferential positions with respect to the axis, at least one of the plurality of shroud segments including an internal cooling passage that extends through the at least one of the plurality of shroud segments, at least one inlet for receiving and directing the cooling fluid flow into the internal cooling passage, and at least one outlet;   the at least one of the plurality of shroud segments cooperating with the shroud support to define an outlet chamber, the at least one outlet configured for outputting the cooling fluid flow from the internal cooling passage to the outlet chamber of the shroud assembly;   the internal cooling passage being substantially hermetically sealed from the at least one inlet to the at least one outlet; and   the shroud segment including a first member and a second member that are attached together at a sealed joint to cooperatively define the internal cooling passage, the sealed joint being substantially planar.   
     
     
         2 . The shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the internal cooling passage includes a first chamber and a second chamber, the internal cooling passage including a first impingement aperture directed into the first chamber, the internal cooling passage including a second impingement aperture directed into the second chamber, the internal cooling passage configured to direct the cooling fluid flow from the first impingement aperture into the first chamber and downstream into the second chamber via the second impingement aperture. 
     
     
         3 . The shroud assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the shroud segment includes an inner diameter surface configured to oppose a turbine blade as the turbine blade rotates about the axis;
 wherein at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber is partly defined by a backside surface that is disposed opposite the inner diameter surface; and   wherein at least one of the first impingement aperture and the second impingement aperture is directed generally toward the backside surface.   
     
     
         4 . The shroud assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first chamber is partly defined by a first backside surface and the first impingement aperture is directed generally toward the first backside surface; and
 wherein the second chamber is partly defined by the second backside surface and the second impingement aperture is directed generally toward the second backside surface.   
     
     
         5 . The shroud assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the shroud assembly includes a leading edge and a trailing edge;
 wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are spaced apart along the axis; and   wherein the first chamber is disposed closer to the trailing edge than the second chamber with respect to the axis; and   wherein the second chamber is disposed closer to the leading edge than the first chamber with respect to the axis.   
     
     
         6 . The shroud assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the shroud segment includes a first diameter wall and a second diameter wall;
 wherein the second diameter wall divides the first chamber from the second chamber;   wherein the first diameter wall includes an inner diameter surface configured to oppose a turbine blade as the turbine blade rotates about the axis;   wherein the second diameter wall is cantilevered over the first diameter wall; and   wherein the second diameter wall includes the second impingement aperture.   
     
     
         7 . The shroud assembly of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second impingement apertures includes an upstream end and a downstream end; and
 wherein the upstream end is tapered.   
     
     
         8 . The shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed joint is disposed within a plane that is tangential to an imaginary circle, the imaginary circle being substantially centered on the axis and having a radius that is substantially perpendicular to the axis. 
     
     
         9 . The shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud assembly defines an inward direction and an outward direction with respect to the axis;
 wherein the shroud segment includes an inner diameter surface configured to oppose a turbine blade as the turbine blade rotates about the axis;   wherein the second member includes a wall that at least partly extends in the outward direction, away from the inner diameter surface, the wall including an end that is spaced apart from the inner diameter surface at a radial distance in the outward direction; and   wherein the end is attached to the first member at the sealed joint.   
     
     
         10 . The shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first member and the second member cooperate to define a first chamber of the internal cooling passage; and
 wherein the second member defines, independent of the first member, a second chamber of the internal cooling passage.   
     
     
         11 . The shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud support includes a shroud support inlet;
 further comprising a sealing member that fluidly connects and seals together the shroud support inlet and the at least one inlet of the internal cooling passage of the shroud segment; and   wherein the sealing member is flexible in a radial direction with respect to the axis.   
     
     
         12 . The shroud assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud support extends continuously and annularly about the axis; and
 wherein the at least one inlet extends in a radial direction with respect to the axis.   
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a shroud assembly that is configured to receive a cooling fluid flow, the method comprising:
 providing a shroud support that extends arcuately about an axis, the shroud support including a shroud support inlet;   attaching a plurality of shroud segments to the shroud support at different circumferential positions about the axis to arrange the plurality of shroud segments annularly about the axis, at least one of the plurality of shroud segments cooperating with the shroud support to define an outlet chamber, the at least one shroud segment including a first member and a second member that are attached together at a sealed joint to cooperatively define the internal cooling passage, the sealed joint being substantially planar, the at least one of the plurality of shroud segments including an internal cooling passage that extends therethrough from an inlet to at least one outlet, the at least one outlet configured for outputting the cooling fluid flow from the internal cooling passage to the outlet chamber of the shroud assembly; and   fluidly connecting the inlet of the internal cooling passage to the shroud support inlet, the internal cooling passage being substantially hermetically sealed from the inlet to the at least one outlet.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising attaching the first member and the second member together at the sealed joint. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein attaching the first member and the second member at the sealed joint includes attaching the first member and the second member with a transient liquid phase (TLP) bond. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the sealed joint is disposed within a plane that is tangential to an imaginary circle, the imaginary circle being substantially centered on the axis and having a radius that is substantially perpendicular to the axis. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the shroud assembly defines an inward direction and an outward direction with respect to the axis;
 wherein the shroud segment includes an inner diameter surface configured to oppose a turbine blade as the turbine blade rotates about the axis;   wherein the second member includes a wall that at least partly extends in the outward direction, away from the inner diameter surface, the wall including an end that is spaced apart from the inner diameter surface at a radial distance in the outward direction; and   wherein the end is attached to the first member at the sealed joint.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first member and the second member cooperate to define a first chamber of the internal cooling passage; and
 wherein the second member defines, independent of the first member, a second chamber of the internal cooling passage.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the shroud support extends continuously and annularly about the axis; and
 wherein the at least one inlet extends in a radial direction with respect to the axis.   
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a shroud segment for a shroud assembly of a gas turbine engine, the shroud segment configured to receive a cooling fluid flow, the method comprising:
 providing a first member of the shroud segment and a second member of the shroud segment; and   attaching the first member and the second member at a sealed joint to cooperatively define an internal cooling passage of the shroud segment, the sealed joint being substantially planar, the internal cooling passage extending through the shroud segment from an inlet to at least one outlet, the internal cooling passage being substantially hermetically sealed from the inlet to the at least one outlet, the shroud segment configured to attach to a shroud support and cooperatively define an outlet chamber, the at least one outlet configured for outputting the cooling fluid flow from the internal cooling passage to the outlet chamber.