Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.

United Technologies Corporation

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Siemens Energy, Inc.

Siemens Power Generation, Inc.

Alstom (switzerland) Ltd

Alfred Paul Matheny

Chen Yu Chou

Jay Alan Morrison

Gary Brian Merrill

James W Norris

Alexander Ralph Beeck

Thomas A Auxier

Brian Denver Potter

Wesley D Brown

Christian Michael Hansen

Edwin Lee Kite

Brian Potter

Kenneth I Nelson

John C Jones

Steve James Vance

Wendell V Twelves, Jr

Richard A Holmes

Brian H Terpos

Bradley S Carter

John N Keune

A centrifugal impeller having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, the outlets including at least one outlet in a forward direction of the impeller and at least one outlet in a rearward direction of the impeller. A flow path distance of the outlet in the forward direction can be greater than a flow path distance of the outlet in the rearward direction in order to provide a greater pressure in the outlet having the greater flow path distance. In another embodiment, the flow path volume in the forward direction can be greater than the flow path volume in the rearward direction in order to provide a greater flow volume in the forward direction. In another embodiment, the number of flow paths in the forward direction can be greater than the number of flow paths in the rearward direction in order to provide a greater flow volume in the forward direction. The impeller is also used in a gas turbine engine in which the impeller also includes a turbine blade, and the forward directing outlets deliver compressed air to a combustor while the rearward directed outlets bypass the combustor.

Centrifugal impeller having forward and reverse flow paths

A turbomachine with a row of blades in which the blades are structured such that the blades can untwist at higher rotational speeds in order to provide optimal aerodynamics at different rotational speeds. Each blade is formed with a thin slot between the pressure side wall and the suction side wall so that stresses from centrifugal forces occurring during high rotations will not pass from adjacent walls and allow for the blade to untwist more than a solid blade. Each blade is formed from a fiber laminated composite material with the fibers oriented at different directions to form different stiffness in each direction so that a desired untwist can occur based upon a given blade mass and rotational speed. A thin sheet of a slippery material can be placed within the thin slot and between the adjacent airfoil walls to allow slippage between the adjacent walls and to promote damping for the blade.

High twist composite blade

The interlocking of two or more sections via the insertion of one or more out-of-plane features in one section or combination of sections through a void in one or more a complementary sections can result in a reinforced ceramic matrix composite article upon securing of the sections. The sections can be secured by friction between two tightly matched sections or by the use of a pin, hook, or clamp. The sections can be constructed from one or more CMC laminate sheets. The out-of-plane feature can be a loop or a flange and the void can be an orifice or a matched loop in the complementary sheet. The securing of the sections can result in a CMC article where the delamination between sheets is inhibited.

Three dimensional reinforced CMC articles by interlocking two dimensional structures

A compressor blade for a gas turbine engine that includes a composite leading edge insert attached to a titanium blade by a row of fastener pins along an aft edge of the insert to prevent unzipping. Each insert is also secured by an electrochemically disbondable composition for easy removable of a damaged insert from an integrally bladed disk. One or more of the fastener pins provides for an electrical conductive path that bypasses the disbondable composition during a lightening strike so that the insert does not release. Each replaceable insert includes a root portion that fits within a slot of the rotor disk, with each insert being secured against radial displacement by two shear pins secured within two shear pin slots formed in both the insert root portion and the rotor disk slot. The shear pin slots are curved and follow the curvature of the airfoil at the junction to the rotor disk. A retaining and balancing ring is secured within an annular groove and functions to retain the shear pins within the slots and to balance the rotor disk. The combination of the fastener pins, the electrochemically disbondable composition, and the shear pins in the slot provide for three methods of securing an insert to the blade so that a damaged insert can be easily replaced.

Replaceable leading edge insert for an IBR

A thin compressor blade used in a small aircraft gas turbine engine, in which the blade includes a main blade portion formed from a fiber reinforced resinous composite material to provide a lightweight and strong blade, and in which the leading edge or the trailing edge of the blade is formed from a foam metal reinforced composite material that defines a sharp edge for improved performance of the thin blade. The fibers of the main body extend into the edge region in order that the resin used to bind the foam metal will also bind with the fibers of the laminates to secure the edge to the main blade body. The blade tip can also be formed from the porous foam metal and resin material to make a strong and lightweight rotor blade.

Turbine blade with a foam metal leading or trailing edge

A turbine blade and platform assembly in which the platform is a separate piece that is secured to the blade through shear pins that extend along slots formed between opposed abutting parts of the blade and the platform. Because the platform is detached from the blade, the blade can be made of a single crystal superalloy with a reduction in casting defects. The platform has one or more airfoil shaped openings or slots on the outer surface in which a blade is inserted. The shear pins are inserted to secure the platform to the blade. In another embodiment, the blade root is inserted into an opening formed in the rotor disk, and shear pins are inserted into slots formed in the root and the disk opening in order to secure the blade to the rotor disk. With this embodiment, the blade can be made of a ceramic material because only compressive forces are formed to hold the blade in place.

Composite blade and platform assembly

A rotor disc and rotor blade assembly in which the rotor blades include curved shear pins to secure the blade to the rotor disc. The blade includes an airfoil portion with an airfoil outline shape at the junction of the airfoil with the platform, and the root extends below the platform and has the general shape of the airfoil at the junction. An opening in the rotor disc also has the shape of the airfoil outline such that the root will fit snuggly within the opening in the rotor disc. Curved slots in both the opening and the root wall are formed on both sides of the opening and the blade root. Shear pins having a rectangular cross sectional shape fit within the slots to secure the blade to the disc. Because the root curvature follows the airfoil shape, the shear pins are located below the airfoil walls and absorb the shear stress caused by bending forces acting on the airfoil from the fluid reaction.

Turbine blade with attachment shear inserts

A stator vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the stator vane including an airfoil portion formed from a single crystal material and two platforms attached to the ends of the airfoil by shear pins that fit within slots formed between the platform and airfoil. The shear pin slots extend along the contour of the airfoil where the lowest stress levels are located. The platforms include openings having the same cross sectional shape as the curved airfoil. Because of the shear pin retainers between the airfoil and the platforms, the airfoil can be formed from a single crystal material while the platforms are un-coupled from the airfoil and can be made from a different material.

Bladed rotor with shear pin attachment

A turbo machine airfoil, such as a blade or a vane in a compressor, in which the airfoil root portion includes screw threads having a dove tail cross sectional shape, and the rotor disk includes holes having similar screw threads such that a blade or vane can be easily replaced by unscrewing the old blade or vane and screwing in a new blade or vane. A locking pin biased by a spring is located in the root of the airfoil to lock the airfoil in the threaded hole to prevent the airfoil from loosening due to vibrations and to lock the airfoil in place at a desired angle of attack for maximum efficiency of the turbo machine. The removable cover plate is located on the casing and over the rotor disk such that the blade can be removed through the opening without the need to disassemble the turbo machine.

Screw in blade/vane

A fan type compressor includes a rotor disk with a plurality of root insertion openings to receive a blade. Each insertion opening includes two shear pin slots on the sides, and the blade includes a root portion with shear pin slots formed on the pressure side and the suction side of the root. The blade is inserted into the insertion opening such that the slots are aligned, and a shear pin is inserted into both slots to secure the blade within the rotor disk. The shear pin slots are formed below the airfoil curvature and follow the airfoil curvature at the root portion. The shear pins are flexible enough to bend during insertion into the slots, and are strong enough to prevent from shearing off during rotor disk operation. The blade attachment structure provides for reduction of the dead weight from the attachment structure in order to simulate an IBR while providing for easy removal and replacement of a damaged blade.

A gas turbine engine used in an aircraft includes a fan to provide a bypass flow through the engine. The fan delivers some airflow to the compressor for compression, and a fuel is mixed with the compressed air and delivered to a turbine to drive the engine and compressor and fan. The fan also delivers airflow to a central bypass passage located inward of the compressor. Guide vanes both upstream and downstream of the combustor each with cooling air passages therein, pass the bypass airflow from the inner bypass passage into an outer bypass passage located outward of the combustor and the turbine. The bypass flow through the guide vanes also cool the guide vanes and pass over and around the combustor to cool the combustor. The bypass airflow exits the engine at a location outward of the hot gas flow from the turbine. In an alternative embodiment, an inner bypass passage located inward of the central bypass passage also carries bypass airflow from the fan and through the engine to be mixed with the hot gas flow and the outward bypass flow.

Gas turbine having a single shaft bypass configuration

A rotor shaft that drives a load and is supported by a plurality of bearings includes a first bearing to support a distal end of the shaft, a second bearing to support a distal end of the load, and a third bearing to support both proximal ends of the shaft and the load in order to dynamically uncouple the load from the rotor shaft and to eliminate a fourth bearing of the prior art. The invention is also used in a small gas turbine engine in which the turbine shaft is connected to an electric generator, and the third or middle bearing supports the proximal ends of the generator and the rotor shaft to dynamically uncouple the turbine shaft from the generator rotor.

Integrated turbine and generator

A composite turbine blade and fan blade assembly for use in a turbo machine such as a gas turbine engine. The turbine blade assembly includes a plurality of metallic turbine blades secured to a rotor disk and forming an outer shroud assembly. A fiber reinforced composite fan blade assembly includes an annular ring with a plurality of fan blades extending there from. The annular ring has a conical shape to allow for easy installation over the outer shroud assembly, and is secured to the outer shroud assembly to force the fan blade assembly to rotate with the turbine blades, yet allow for a slight radial movement between the fan blades and the turbine blades. The turbine blades are formed of a high temperature super alloy to allow for use in a gas turbine engine, and the fan blade assembly is made from a fiber reinforced composite to allow for higher rotational speeds and smaller diameters for smaller gas turbine engines without exceeding allowable stress limits.

Composite gas turbine fan blade

A welded joint between two metal members in which the weld must support a structural load. The abutting faces of the welded members have step portions formed therein, in which the step portions extend beyond the surface of the adjoining welded members. The outer step portion of one member extends beyond an inner step portion of the adjacent member, and a weld is applied on abutting faces of the members and the step portions. The welded joint of this invention is intended to be used for two adjacent rotor discs in a gas turbine engine. But, the weld arrangement of this invention can be used for welding two pipes together, or two adjacent plate members. The weld arrangement of this invention provides for reduced stress distribution along the weld line that acts to increase part life.

Blind weld configuration for a rotor disc assembly

A compressor includes a stator having a plurality of vane sectors each with an outer shroud having a forward and a rearward guide vane extending there form, the vane sector being mounted in an annular slot of the casing, the guide vanes forming a gap between the tips and an inner shroud, and a spring member located on the outer shroud in the rearward portion to bias the rearward shroud in a radial direction, where a space is formed in the slot to allow for the outer shroud to move in the radial direction when the rearward guide vane tip makes contact with the inner shroud due to thermal growth of the stator components. This arrangement allows for the rearward guide vane tip to maintain contact with the inner shroud without inducing high compressive stresses in the stator components due to the thermal growth.

Growing community of inventors

Jupiter, FL, United States of America

Alfred Paul Matheny