U.S. patent application number 16/556703 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-09 for turbine engine and method of assembling.
The applicant listed for this patent is General Electric Company. Invention is credited to Mark John Laricchiuta, Thomas Ory Moniz.
Application Number | 20200011185 16/556703 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59337900 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-09 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200011185 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Laricchiuta; Mark John ; et
al. |
January 9, 2020 |
Turbine Engine and Method of Assembling
Abstract
A turbine engine that includes a stationary assembly, and a
rotor assembly configured to rotate relative to the stationary
assembly. The rotor assembly includes a plurality of unitary
turbine and fan blades. Each unitary turbine and fan blade includes
a single turbine airfoil, a single fan airfoil positioned radially
outward from the single turbine airfoil, and a midspan shroud
segment defined between the single turbine airfoil and the single
fan airfoil.
Inventors: |
Laricchiuta; Mark John;
(West Chester, OH) ; Moniz; Thomas Ory; (Loveland,
OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
General Electric Company |
Schenectady |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59337900 |
Appl. No.: |
16/556703 |
Filed: |
August 30, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15202976 |
Jul 6, 2016 |
|
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16556703 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01D 5/146 20130101;
F05D 2240/24 20130101; F02K 3/062 20130101; Y02T 50/673 20130101;
F04D 29/326 20130101; Y02T 50/60 20130101; F01D 5/147 20130101;
F02K 3/077 20130101; F01D 5/34 20130101; F05D 2230/60 20130101;
F05D 2220/32 20130101; F05D 2230/53 20130101; F04D 29/388 20130101;
B33Y 80/00 20141201; F01D 5/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F01D 5/14 20060101
F01D005/14; F04D 29/38 20060101 F04D029/38; F04D 29/32 20060101
F04D029/32; F01D 5/02 20060101 F01D005/02 |
Claims
1. A turbine engine comprising: a stationary assembly; and a rotor
assembly configured to rotate relative to said stationary assembly,
said rotor assembly comprising: a plurality of unitary turbine and
fan blades, wherein each unitary turbine and fan blade comprises a
single turbine airfoil, a single fan airfoil positioned radially
outward from said single turbine airfoil, and a midspan shroud
segment extending between said single turbine airfoil and said
single fan airfoil; and a rotor disk formed unitarily with the
plurality of unitary turbine and fan blades as a unitary structure,
wherein said each unitary turbine and fan blade comprises at least
one reinforcing support member extending through said single
turbine airfoil, across said midspan shroud segment, and through
said single fan airfoil.
2. The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
single turbine airfoil is fabricated from a first material and said
single fan airfoil is fabricated from a second material different
from the first material.
3. The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said each
unitary turbine and fan blade comprises at least one reinforcing
support member extending through said single turbine airfoil,
across said midspan shroud segment, and through said single fan
airfoil.
4. The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at
least one reinforcing support member extends longitudinally along
thickest portions of said single turbine airfoil and said single
fan airfoil.
5. The turbine engine in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at
least one reinforcing support member comprises a first reinforcing
support member and a second reinforcing support member, said first
reinforcing support member extending longitudinally along leading
edges of said single turbine airfoil and said single fan airfoil,
and said second reinforcing support member extending longitudinally
along trailing edges of said single turbine airfoil and said single
fan airfoil.
6. A rotor assembly for use in a turbine engine, said rotor
assembly comprising: at least one unitary turbine and fan blade
comprising: a single turbine airfoil; a single fan airfoil; and a
midspan shroud segment extending between said single turbine
airfoil and said single fan airfoil; and a rotor disk formed
unitarily with the plurality of unitary turbine and fan blades as a
unitary structure, wherein said at least one unitary turbine and
fan blade comprises at least one reinforcing support member
extending through said single turbine airfoil, across said midspan
shroud segment, and through said single fan airfoil.
7. The rotor assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said
single turbine airfoil is fabricated from a first material and said
single fan airfoil is fabricated from a second material different
from the first material.
8. The rotor assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said at
least one reinforcing support member extends longitudinally along
thickest portions of said single turbine airfoil and said single
fan airfoil.
9. The rotor assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said at
least one reinforcing support member comprises a first reinforcing
support member and a second reinforcing support member, said first
reinforcing support member extending longitudinally along leading
edges of said single turbine airfoil and said single fan airfoil,
and said second reinforcing support member extending longitudinally
along trailing edges of said single turbine airfoil and said single
fan airfoil.
10. A method of assembling a turbine engine, said method
comprising: unitarily forming a plurality of unitary turbine and
fan blades and a rotor disk together as a unitary structure,
wherein each unitarily formed turbine and fan blade includes a
single turbine airfoil, a single fan airfoil, and a midspan shroud
segment defined between the single turbine airfoil and the single
fan airfoil; orienting the plurality of unitarily formed turbine
and fan blades such that the single fan airfoil is positioned
radially outward from the single turbine airfoil; and reinforcing
each unitarily formed turbine and fan blade utilizing at least one
reinforcing support member extending through said single turbine
airfoil, across said midspan shroud segment, and through said
single fan airfoil.
11. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein coupling a
plurality of unitary turbine and fan blades and a rotor disk
together comprises forming the plurality of unitary turbine and fan
blades and the rotor disk in an additive manufacturing process.
12. The method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising
orienting the plurality of unitary turbine and fan blades such that
each midspan shroud segment is radially aligned with each
other.
13. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the at least
one support member extends longitudinally along thickest portions
of said single turbine airfoil and said single fan airfoil.
14. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein reinforcing
each unitarily formed turbine and fan blade utilizing the at least
one reinforcing support member comprises reinforcing each unitarily
formed turbine and fan blade utilizing a first reinforcing support
member and a second reinforcing support member, said first
reinforcing support member extending longitudinally along leading
edges of said single turbine airfoil and said single fan airfoil,
and said second reinforcing support member extending longitudinally
along trailing edges of said single turbine airfoil and said single
fan airfoil.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein unitarily forming the plurality
of unitary turbine and fan blades and a rotor disk together as a
unitary structure comprising forming said single turbine airfoil
from a first material and said single fan airfoil from a second
material different from the first material of each unitarily formed
turbine and fan blade.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S.
application Ser. No. 15/202,976 filed Jul. 6, 2016, titled "TURBINE
ENGINE AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING," herein incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to turbine engines
and, more specifically, to unitarily formed turbine and fan blades
for use in a turbine engine.
[0003] At least some known axial flow turbine engines include a
rotor shaft and at least one turbine stage or at least one fan
stage coupled to the rotor shaft. At least some known stages
include a disk and circumferentially-spaced apart blades that
extend radially outward from the disk. Each blade includes an
airfoil and a dovetail at its root where the dovetail is radially
retained in a complementary slot in a perimeter of the disk. Other
known stages include the blades integrally manufactured with the
disk as a one-piece component conventionally known as a blisk
(i.e., bladed disk). The blisks are then coupled to the rotor shaft
with a central tie bolt or a Hirth coupling, for example, to
achieve torque transmission between the blisks and the rotor shaft,
or between adjacent blisks. In at least some known turbine engine
architectures, the turbine stages and fan stages are formed along
the same axial plane of the turbine engine. As advancements in
manufacturing techniques for turbine components continue to
develop, there may be opportunities for improving engine
performance in turbine engines that include integrated turbine and
fan stages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0004] In one aspect, a turbine engine is provided. The turbine
engine includes a stationary assembly, and a rotor assembly
configured to rotate relative to the stationary assembly. The rotor
assembly includes a plurality of unitary turbine and fan blades.
Each unitary turbine and fan blade includes a single turbine
airfoil, a single fan airfoil positioned radially outward from the
single turbine airfoil, and a midspan shroud segment extending
between the single turbine airfoil and the single fan airfoil. Each
unitary turbine and fan includes one or more reinforcing support
member extending through said single turbine airfoil, across said
midspan shroud segment, and through said single fan airfoil.
[0005] In another aspect, a rotor assembly for use in a turbine
engine is provided. The rotor assembly includes at least one
unitary turbine and fan blade including a single turbine airfoil, a
single fan airfoil, and a midspan shroud segment extending between
the single turbine airfoil and the single fan airfoil. Each unitary
turbine and fan includes one or more reinforcing support member
extending through said single turbine airfoil, across said midspan
shroud segment, and through said single fan airfoil.
[0006] In yet another aspect, a method of assembling a turbine
engine is provided. The method includes coupling a plurality of
unitary turbine and fan blades and a rotor disk together. Each
unitary turbine and fan blade includes a single turbine airfoil, a
single fan airfoil, and a midspan shroud segment defined between
the single turbine airfoil and the single fan airfoil. The method
also includes orienting the plurality of unitary turbine and fan
blades such that the single fan airfoil is positioned radially
outward from the single turbine airfoil. The method further
includes reinforcing each unitarily formed turbine and fan blade
utilizing at least one reinforcing support member extending through
said single turbine airfoil, across said midspan shroud segment,
and through said single fan airfoil.
DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present disclosure will become better understood when the following
detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout
the drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplary turbofan
assembly;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic illustration of an exemplary
aft fan section of the turbofan assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustration of an exemplary
unitary turbine and fan blade that may be used in the aft fan
section shown in FIG. 2;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side view illustration of an exemplary rotor
assembly that may be used in the aft fan section shown in FIG.
2;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a side view illustration of an alternative rotor
assembly that may be used in the aft fan section shown in FIG. 2;
and
[0013] FIG. 6 is an internal illustration of an alternative unitary
turbine and fan blade that may be used in the aft fan section shown
in FIG. 2.
[0014] Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings provided herein are
meant to illustrate features of embodiments of the disclosure.
These features are believed to be applicable in a wide variety of
systems comprising one or more embodiments of the disclosure. As
such, the drawings are not meant to include all conventional
features known by those of ordinary skill in the art to be required
for the practice of the embodiments disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] In the following specification and the claims, reference
will be made to a number of terms, which shall be defined to have
the following meanings.
[0016] The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural
references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0017] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently
described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the
description includes instances where the event occurs and instances
where it does not.
[0018] Approximating language, as used herein throughout the
specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative
representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a
change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a
value modified by a term or terms, such as "about",
"approximately", and "substantially", are not to be limited to the
precise value specified. In at least some instances, the
approximating language may correspond to the precision of an
instrument for measuring the value. Here and throughout the
specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and/or
interchanged. Such ranges are identified and include all the
sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates
otherwise.
[0019] As used herein, the terms "axial" and "axially" refer to
directions and orientations that extend substantially parallel to a
centerline of the turbine engine. Moreover, the terms "radial" and
"radially" refer to directions and orientations that extend
substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the turbine
engine. In addition, as used herein, the terms "circumferential"
and "circumferentially" refer to directions and orientations that
extend arcuately about the centerline of the turbine engine.
[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to unitary
turbine and fan blades for use in a turbine engine. More
specifically, the unitary turbine and fan blades described herein
include a single turbine airfoil and a single fan airfoil. The
turbine and fan airfoils are formed as a single unitary structure,
rather than formed separately and coupled together. As such, the
fan airfoil is not required to carry its own centrifugal load
during operation of the turbine engine, thereby reducing dead
loading on the rotor assembly of the turbine engine. Moreover, the
unitary turbine and fan blades each include a midspan shroud
segment that, when aligned radially with each other, form a
circumferential midspan shroud between turbine sections and fan
sections of the turbine and fan blades. When considered as a whole,
the design features and configuration of the unitary turbine and
fan blades described herein provide improved aerodynamic and
overall performance for a turbine engine.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary turbofan
assembly 10 including a primary turbine section 12 and an aft fan
section 14. Primary turbine section 12 includes a fan assembly 16,
a low pressure or booster compressor assembly 18, a high-pressure
compressor assembly 20, and a combustor assembly 22. Fan assembly
16, booster compressor assembly 18, high-pressure compressor
assembly 20, and combustor assembly 22 are coupled in serial flow
communication. Primary turbine section 12 also includes a
high-pressure turbine 24 coupled in flow communication with
combustor assembly 22 and a low-pressure turbine 26. Low-pressure
turbine 26 is coupled to fan assembly 16 and booster compressor
assembly 18 through a first drive shaft 28, and high-pressure
turbine 24 is coupled to high-pressure compressor assembly 20
through a second drive shaft 30. Primary turbine section 12 also
includes a bypass duct 32 and a main flow duct 34. Inlets of bypass
duct 32 and main flow duct 34 are sized such that primary turbine
section 12 has a bypass ratio of less than about 2 to 1. Primary
turbine section 12 further includes a centerline 36 about which fan
assembly 16, booster compressor assembly 18, high-pressure
compressor assembly 20, and turbines 24 and 26 rotate. In an
alternative embodiment, primary turbine section 12 has any bypass
ratio that enables turbofan assembly to function as described
herein.
[0022] In operation, air entering primary turbine section 12 is
channeled through fan assembly 16. A first portion of the air
channeled through fan assembly 16 is channeled through bypass duct
32, and a second portion of the air is channeled through main flow
duct 34 and towards booster compressor assembly 18. Compressed air
is discharged from booster compressor assembly 18 towards
high-pressure compressor assembly 20. Highly compressed air is
channeled from high-pressure compressor assembly 20 towards
combustor assembly 22, mixed with fuel, and the mixture is
combusted within combustor assembly 22. High temperature combustion
gas generated by combustor assembly 22 is channeled towards
turbines 24 and 26. Combustion exhaust gas is subsequently
discharged from main flow duct 34 of primary turbine section 12, as
will be explained in more detail below.
[0023] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic illustration of aft fan
section 14. As described above, primary turbine section 12 includes
bypass duct 32 and main flow duct 34. Bypass duct 32 channels a
stream 38 of bypass air therethrough, and main flow duct 34
discharges a stream 40 of exhaust gas therefrom. In the exemplary
embodiment, bypass duct 32 includes a discharge end 42, and main
flow duct 34 includes a discharge end 44. Discharge ends 42 and 44
are positioned such that a mixed stream 46 of bypass air and
exhaust gas is discharged from primary turbine section 12. More
specifically, discharge end 42 is positioned such that stream 38 of
bypass air, in its current form, is not exhausted from turbofan
assembly 10.
[0024] In the exemplary embodiment, aft fan section 14 includes at
least one turbine and fan blade 48 including a plurality of unitary
turbine and fan blades 50. As will be described in more detail
below, each unitary turbine and fan blade 50 includes a single
turbine airfoil 52, a single fan airfoil 54, and a midspan shroud
segment 56 defined between turbine airfoil 52 and fan airfoil 54.
More specifically, turbine airfoil 52, and fan airfoil 54, and
midspan shroud segment 56 are formed with each other as a single
unitary structure. Turbine airfoil 52 is positioned to receive
mixed stream 46 of bypass air and exhaust gas, and fan airfoil 54
is positioned radially outward from turbine airfoil 52. As such,
turbine airfoil 52 drives turbine and fan blade 48, which enables
fan airfoil 54 to discharge a stream 58 of propulsive air from aft
fan section 14. While described in the context of an aft fan
section, unitary turbine and fan blades 50 may be used in any
turbine engine including turbine and fan blades aligned and defined
along the same axial plane of the turbine engine.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustration of unitary turbine
and fan blade 50 that may be used in aft fan section 14 (shown in
FIG. 2), and FIG. 4 is a side view illustration of an exemplary
rotor assembly 60 that may be used in aft fan section 14. In the
exemplary embodiment, rotor assembly 60 includes unitary turbine
and fan blade 50 and a rotor disk 62 coupled together. More
specifically, unitary turbine and fan blade 50 includes a root
portion 64, and rotor disk 62 includes an axial slot 66 defined
therein. Root portion 64 has a dovetail feature for engagement with
rotor disk 62 at axial slot 66. Alternatively, unitary turbine and
fan blade 50 is coupled to rotor disk 62 with the use of a
circumferential slot or a pinned root connection.
[0026] As described above, turbine airfoil 52, fan airfoil 54, and
midspan shroud segment 56 are formed with each other as a single
unitary structure. For example, in one embodiment, unitary turbine
and fan blade 50 is formed from a plurality of layers of material
in an additive manufacturing process. As such, unitary turbine and
fan blade 50 is fabricated from any material that enables rotor
assembly 60 to function as described herein. In one embodiment,
turbine airfoil 52 is fabricated from a first material and fan
airfoil 54 is fabricated from a second material different from the
first material. The first material is selected to ensure turbine
airfoil 52 has strength and temperature resistance characteristics
for receiving high-temperature exhaust gas, for example.
Alternatively, the second material has lower temperature resistance
characteristics than the first material. An exemplary first
material includes, but is not limited to, a nickel-based material.
An exemplary second material includes, but is not limited to, a
titanium-based material.
[0027] Moreover, midspan shroud segment 56 is fabricated from a
combination of the first material and the second material. In one
embodiment, layers of the first material and the second material
are interlayered within midspan shroud segment 56, and
concentrations of the first material and the second material vary
across midspan shroud segment 56. For example, a concentration of
the first material in midspan shroud segment 56 is greater
proximate to turbine airfoil 52, and a concentration of the second
material in midspan shroud segment 56 is greater proximate to fan
airfoil 54. As such, a material change within unitary turbine and
fan blade 50 is progressively transitioned across midspan shroud
segment 56 to reduce stress concentrations within unitary turbine
and fan blade 50.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a side view illustration of an alternative rotor
assembly 68 that may be used in aft fan section 14 (shown in FIG.
2). In the exemplary embodiment, rotor assembly includes a rotor
disk 70 formed with unitary turbine and fan blades 50 as a single
unitary structure. As such, connection joints are eliminated
between unitary turbine and fan blades 50 and rotor disk 70,
thereby defining a blisk-type assembly.
[0029] FIG. 6 is an internal illustration of an alternative unitary
turbine and fan blade 72 that may be used in aft fan section 14
(shown in FIG. 2). In the exemplary embodiment, unitary turbine and
fan blade 72 includes at least one reinforcing support member
extending through turbine airfoil 52, across midspan shroud segment
56, and through fan airfoil 54. Reinforcing support members provide
a localized stiffening force at predetermined locations along
unitary turbine and fan blade 72. The reinforcing support members
may be fabricated from any material that enables unitary turbine
and fan blade 72 to function as described herein. Exemplary
materials for forming the reinforcing support members include, but
are not limited to, carbon fiber material and metal matrix fiber
material.
[0030] As shown, unitary turbine and fan blade 72 includes a first
reinforcing support member 74, a second reinforcing support member
76, and a third reinforcing support member 78. First reinforcing
support member 74 extends longitudinally along thickest portions of
turbine airfoil 52 and fan airfoil 54. Moreover, second reinforcing
support member 76 extends along leading edges 80 of turbine airfoil
52 and fan airfoil 54, and third reinforcing support member 78
extend longitudinally along trailing edges 82 of turbine airfoil 52
and fan airfoil 54. In one embodiment, first reinforcing support
member 74 is thicker than second reinforcing support member 76 and
third reinforcing support member 78. First reinforcing support
member 74 facilitates reducing an overall thickness of unitary
turbine and fan blade 72, and second reinforcing support member 76
and third reinforcing support member 78 facilitate providing
bending and overturning moment bend stiffness to unitary turbine
and fan blade 72. As such, the reinforcing support members
facilitate reducing an overall size of turbine and fan blade
72.
[0031] An exemplary technical effect of the systems and methods
described herein includes at least one of: (a) providing a rotor
assembly having a one-to-one ratio of turbine blades to fan blades
in the same axial plane of a turbine engine; (b) improving acoustic
performance of a turbine engine such that additional noise
attenuation is provided for an aircraft in which the engine is
attached; and (c) reducing an overall weight of a rotor assembly of
the turbine engine.
[0032] Exemplary embodiments of a turbine engine and related
components are described above in detail. The system is not limited
to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather,
components of systems and/or steps of the methods may be utilized
independently and separately from other components and/or steps
described herein. For example, the configuration of components
described herein may also be used in combination with other
processes, and is not limited to practice with only turbofan
assemblies and related methods as described herein. Rather, the
exemplary embodiment can be implemented and utilized in connection
with many applications where improving turbine engine performance
is desired.
[0033] Although specific features of various embodiments of the
present disclosure may be shown in some drawings and not in others,
this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles of
embodiments of the present disclosure, any feature of a drawing may
be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any
other drawing.
[0034] This written description uses examples to disclose the
embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode, and
also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice
embodiments of the present disclosure, including making and using
any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The
patentable scope of the embodiments described herein is defined by
the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those
skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within
the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do
not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they
include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial
differences from the literal languages of the claims.
* * * * *