United Technologies Corporation

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

Kevin L Worley

Daniel E Kane

Eric J Ward

Charles A Ellis

Gregory E Chetta

John L Mayers

Joseph H Ewing, Jr

Herbert L Burchette

Arthur J Van Suetendael

Joey C Hayes

Joseph A Oblak

William D Neff

Kenneth M Pesyna

Susan A Rose

A method of designing an outer air seal for the turbine blades of a gas turbine engine utilizes a knowledge-based product model software program for generating a parametric, three-dimensional, geometric model of the air seal. The product model software program is embodied in a knowledge-based engineering system. The model is created by the program through user selection of various structural feature options available for the air seal. The product model software program uses its internal knowledge base of configuration dependent parameter relationships and rules to design the model. Various types of analyses may then be run to validate the model. The model may be changed, if necessary, as a result of the analyses. The air seal model output from the product model software program is in a file format that defines the topology and dimensions of the geometry of the air seal. Other software programs may then use this product model output file in various ways, such as to re-generate the model for use in a CAD system.

Method of designing a turbine blade outer air seal

A shroud for a rotor assembly is provided comprising a mounting ring, an aft seal ring, a forward seal ring, and a blade outer air seal. The mounting ring is fixed within the casing surrounding the rotor assembly, and includes a first attachment apparatus. The blade outer air seal includes a plurality of body segments. Each body segment includes a first face, a second face, a plurality of passages for receiving cooling air disposed between the faces, a second attachment apparatus, and a post for biasing each the body segment in contact with the aft seal ring. The first and second attachment apparatus cooperate to suspend the blade outer seal segments in close proximity to the rotor assembly.

Rotor assembly shroud

A shroud for supporting the vanes in the hot sections of a gas turbine engine is comprised of composite segments retained in a metal ring. The metal ring has a positive coefficient of expansion, while the segments have a zero (or much smaller) coefficient. When the ring is heated and grows, it carries the segments with it, so that there is an apparent corresponding growth of the segments.

Segmented composite inner shrouds

An external fairing flap (26) is provided with an hydraulic spring (42, 44) for causing the external flap (26) to follow the motion of an exhaust nozzle control flap (18). The external flap (26) is hinged (32) at the leading edge thereof, and contacts the control flap (18) via corresponding rubstrips (40, 36) at the flap trailing edges (28, 38).

Fairing flap arrangement

Growing community of inventors

Palm Beach Gardens, FL, United States of America

Kevin L Worley