United Technologies Corporation

Robert F Kasprow

Phyllis L Kurz

Douglas A Welch

Kurt M Dembeck

Jeffrey S LeShane

Robert H Zipps

Joseph J Cafasso

Edward S Todd

Reginald H Spaulding

Herman C Klapproth

Grant Eckfeldt

Michael A Weisse

Herbert J Lillibridge

Edmund D Trousdell

Joseph H Rodgers

A fan in an axial flow gas turbine engine includes a plurality of fan blades. Each fan blade includes an airfoil portion and a root portion with a platform disposed radially therebetween. The platform of each blade extends circumferentially from the blade and is dimensioned to define, with an adjacent platform, an enlarged gap to insure that contact between adjacent platforms is avoided when a blade is released during a blade loss condition. A seal is provided to seal the enlarged gap between adjacent platforms during normal operation of the gas turbine engine.

Frangible fan blade

The present invention relates to a seal interposed between platforms of blades for a fan in an axial gas turbine engine. Modern impact resistant fan blades have larger interplatform gaps. As a result, the interplatform seals have to seal a large gap. The seal is stiffened such that it can withstand centrifugal forces due to fan operation. In addition, various construction details are developed for the stiffened seal.

Fan blade interplatform seal

The present invention relates to a fan blade in an axial gas turbine engine. The blade platform is constructed to fracture adjacent the airfoil portion of the blade so as to locate the fractured edge of the platform in the root portion. As a result of this benign platform, damage to successive fan blades during a blade loss condition is reduced. In addition, various construction details are developed in the airfoil and root portion of the fan blade to reduce damage to fan blades during impact with adjacent blades.

The present invention relates to a seal interposed between platforms of blades for a fan in an axial gas turbine engine. Modern impact resistant fan blades have larger interplatform gaps. As a result, the interplatform seals have to seal a large gap. The seal is stiffened such that it can withstand centrifugal forces due to fan operation. In addition, various construction derails are developed for the stiffened seal.

A method of operating a gas turbine engine powerplant 10 for an aircraft is disclosed. Various construction details are developed which decrease the temperature of failed components to decrease maintenance time for the aircraft engine. In one particular embodiment, the method includes the step of increased cooling of the engine oil at the end of the cruise operative condition and at the beginning of idle descent to overcool oil and components in contact with the oil during the descent mode of the aircraft.

Method of operating a gas turbine engine powerplant for an aircraft

Woven fiber ballistic fabric (22) of multiple layers surrounds an isogrid support structure (20). A cuff portion (38) has shorter warp threads than the major portion (3) and also is impregnated with epoxy resin. A diameter restrains the fabric from aft movement during a blade ejection event.

Aircraft fan containment structure restraint

An axial flow turbomachine's engine core (16) and radially outwardly disposed fan case (18) are joined together with a radially extending segmented fan case strut (10). The strut (10) is segmented into a radially inner portion (20) and a radially outer portion (20) at a midspanly disposed strut joint (14). The strut joint (14) has an axially extending tapered tongue (26) which slidably engages with a mating axially extending groove (46). A radially extending flange (36) disposed proximate to the trailing edge (35) of the inner portion (20) is bolted to the radially extending flange (56) disposed proximate to the trailing edge (55) of the outward portion (40) when the tongue (26) is fully engaged with the groove (46) to releasably secure the strut joint (14). Another embodiment shows a pair of interlocked axially extending channels (60) each having a U-shaped cross-section replacing the interlocked tongue and groove (26,46) of the first embodiment. Radially extending flanges (36,56) disposed proximate to the portions' (20,40) trailing edges 935,55) are likewise bolted together to releasably secure the strut joint (14) when the channels' three corresponding pairs of contact surfaces (62) are fully slidably engaged.

Fan case strut for turbomachine

In a compressor rotor assembly of an axial flow gas turbine engine, wherein the rotor disk has a circumferential blade retaining slot for receiving the root of each blade of a row of blades, a ladder seal is provided between the slot and the blade platforms to limit the leakage of working medium gases from the flow path and through the slot. During engine operation, the seal moves radially outwardly into sealing relation with the underside surface of each platform. At the same time, radially inwardly extending flanges of the seal move radially outwardly into sealing relation with the sidewalls of the disk slot.

Flanged ladder seal

In an axial flow compressor rotor stage having a tangential slot in the periphery of the rotor to receive the blade roots, a seal is positioned below the blade platforms to seal these platforms against air recirculation. The seal extends under the platforms of several blades and is ladder shaped with the rungs sealing the platform spaces and the struts serving to interconnect and hold the rungs in place.

Growing community of inventors

Wethersfield, CT, United States of America

Robert F Kasprow