APPARATUS FOR REDUCING A TEMPERATURE GRADIENT OF MAINSTREAM FLUID DOWNSTREAM OF AN AIRFOIL IN A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

摘要

An apparatus (100) is presented for reducing a temperature gradient (30) of mainstream fluid (118) downstream of an airfoil (112) in a gas turbine engine (110). The apparatus includes a passage (116) in a trailing edge (114) of the airfoil having an inlet (132) and an outlet (134). The apparatus also includes a cooling fluid source (136) coupled to the inlet to transmit cooling fluid into the passage. The apparatus also includes a vortex generator (138) within the passage effective to generate a vortex fluid (140) at the outlet. The outlet is positioned to inject the vortex fluid into the mainstream fluid with sufficient mixing energy to cause a reduced temperature gradient (130) downstream of the airfoil.