General Electric Company

Jianqiang Chen

Ronald Ralph Cairo

Jon Conrad Schaeffer

Thomas Michael Moors

Anjilivelil K Kuruvilla

Andrew Mitchell Rodwell

Amir Riahi

Donald Joseph Kasperski

Mohammad Salah Attia

Rohit Agarwal

A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the first and second blade segments includes at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface. The rotor blade also includes one or more pin joints for connecting the first and second blade segments at the chord-wise joint. The pin joint(s) includes one or more pin joint tubes received within the pin joint slot(s). The pin joint slot(s) are secured within a bearing block. Further, a gap is defined between the pin joint slot(s) and the bearing block. Moreover, the rotor blade includes a shim within the gap between the pin joint slot(s) and the bearing block so as to retain the pin joint slot(s) within the bearing block. In addition, the shim is constructed of a liquid material that hardens after being poured into the gap.

Method for installing and retaining a bushing in a bearing block of a rotor blade joint

A method and portable device for modifying or coating a surface of turbine components in the field includes an ESD torch electrically connected with ESD equipment. The ESD torch includes an inert gas source, vibration source, and electrode disk of conductive material. The electrode disk is disposed within the ESD torch, shielded by an inert gas and coupled with the vibration source. The electrode disk is rolled over the surface, which actuates the electrode disk and deposits the conductive material from the electrode disk onto the surface of the workpiece to form the compositionally controlled protective coating. The compositionally controlled protective coating deposited by the electrode disk forms a metallurgical bond with the surface of the workpiece to prevent erosion of the workpiece.

Device for coating turbine components

Method and device for coating turbine components

A precipitation-hardened stainless steel alloy comprises, by weight: about 14.0 to about 16.0 percent chromium; about 6.0 to about 8.0 percent nickel; about 1.25 to about 1.75 percent copper; greater than about 1.5 to about 2.0 percent molybdenum; about 0.001 to about 0.025 percent carbon; niobium in an amount greater than about twenty times that of carbon; and the balance iron and incidental impurities. The alloy has an aged microstructure and an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 1100 MPa and a Charpy V-notch toughness of at least about 69 J. In one embodiment, the aged microstructure includes martensite and not more than about 10% reverted austenite. In another embodiment, the alloy includes substantially all martensite and substantially no reverted austenite. The alloy is useful for making turbine airfoils.

High corrosion resistance precipitation hardened martensitic stainless steel

A metal matrix composite lightweight compressor airfoil. The airfoil comprises a braided fabric embedded in a lightweight aluminum-lithium alloy. The airfoils are fabricated by forming a plurality of fiber tows by twisting filaments or fibers. The tows are then braided into a fabric. The fabric may be impregnated with an optional fugitive polymer that temporarily occupies interstices of the fabric to facilitate handling of the pre-formed braided fabric, but which is subsequently removed. The airfoil may then be formed as a MMC by one of two separate methods. In the first method, aluminum-lithium alloy is pressure augmented casting into a die that includes a preform of fabric impregnated with fugitive polymer. In a second method, a preform is formed using a tool and mandrel by impregnating fabric with aluminum-lithium alloy. Then aluminum-lithium alloy is pressure augmented cast into a die that includes the alloy-impregnated preform.

Fiber-reinforced Al-Li compressor airfoil and method of fabricating

A precipitation-hardened stainless steel alloy comprises, by weight: about 14.0 to about 16.0 percent chromium; about 6.0 to about 7.0 percent nickel; about 1.25 to about 1.75 percent copper; about 0.5 to about 2.0 percent molybdenum; about 0.025 to about 0.05 percent carbon; niobium in an amount greater than about twenty times to about twenty-five times that of carbon; and the balance iron and incidental impurities. The alloy has an aged microstructure and an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 1100 MPa and a Charpy V-notch toughness of at least about 69 J. The aged microstructure includes martensite and not more than about 10% reverted austenite and is useful for making turbine airfoils.

A blade is disclosed. The blade includes a metallic base comprising an airfoil, a section of the airfoil comprising a recess within a surface of the airfoil, and a composite inlay disposed within and bonded to the recess.

Metallic blade having a composite inlay

A composite vane includes an airfoil portion having an inner core composed primarily of fiberglass epoxy; a carbon epoxy fabric located outward of the inner core; a relatively thin layer of fiberglass epoxy, and an outer metal sheath.

Composite inlet guide vane

A method and apparatus for detecting structural anomalies in the body of rotating members of an engine involves establishing an electric circuit in the body of the rotating members by embedding a network of electrically conductive fibers. Upon rotation of the members in the presence of a magnetic field, an electric current flows in the electrically conductive fibers of the rotating members. Detection of a structural anomaly in any of the rotating members results from detecting a break of the electric circuit.

Apparatus and related method for sensing cracks in rotating engine blades

An Fe&#x2014;Ni&#x2014;Cr alloy formulated to contain a strengthening phase that is able to maintain a fine grain structure during forging and high temperature processing of the alloy. The alloy contains a sufficient amount of titanium, zirconium, carbon and nitrogen so that fine titanium and zirconium carbonitride precipitates formed thereby are near their solubility limit in the alloy when molten. In the production of an article from such an alloy by thermomechanical processing, a dispersion of the fine titanium and zirconium carbonitride precipitates form during solidification of the melt and remain present during subsequent elevated processing steps to prohibit austenitic grain growth.

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Greer, SC, United States of America

Jianqiang Chen