Composite Blade Patents (Class 29/889.71)
  • Patent number: 9376917
    Abstract: A fan rotor blade includes a blade body constructed of a composite material, a blade root constructed of the composite material, and a sheath attached to a leading edge of the blade body. The sheath includes a sheath main body and a pair of joint flanges, and is segmented into a sheath base segment and a sheath top segment. The sheath top segment has a longer length than a length of the sheath base segment along a span direction. A sheath length of the sheath main body at an assumed impact position with an obstacle is not shorter than 10% chord and not longer than 60% chord. A sheath length of the sheath along an end edge of the fan rotor blade is not shorter than 40% chord. The fan rotor blade possesses sufficient impact resistance and can be simplified and light-weighted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Murooka, Hiroshi Kuroki, Rintaro Kajiwara, Kenro Obuchi
  • Patent number: 9328614
    Abstract: A metal reinforcing piece for mounting on a leading edge or trailing edge of a composite blade for a turbine engine is made by shaping two metal sheets, positioning them on either side of a core, assembling the two sheets together around the core under a vacuum, shaping them on the core by hot isostatic compression, and cutting them to separate the reinforcing piece and release the core. A predetermined roughness is given to at least a portion of the surface of the core and is transferred to a corresponding portion of an inside surface of the reinforcing piece by the hot isostatic compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Gilles Charles Casimir Klein, Jean-Michel Patrick Maurice Franchet, Gilbert Michel Marin Leconte, Dominique Magnaudeix
  • Patent number: 9222362
    Abstract: A leading edge for use as a leading edge reinforcement on a blade or airfoil part. The leading edge has a main body that includes two leg sections. A metal deposition layer is applied to the main body to form the outer end portion of the leading edge. The main body can be formed of one or more pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Barnes Group Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffery L. Ford, Benjamin Adams, Michael Schroder, Eric Cutiongco
  • Patent number: 9157454
    Abstract: A flow straightener device for a turbomachine including an inner shell ring and an outer shell ring surrounding the inner shell ring, at least one out of the inner shell ring and outer shell ring having first orifices; at least two flow straightener vanes each including, at least at one same first end, an attachment platform having second orifices positioned facing the first orifices; the at least two vanes being assembled with at least one of the inner shell ring and outer shell ring by at least one first device of attachment introduced into the first orifices and the second orifices. The flow straightener device includes a covering platform covering the at least one first device of attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Jean Marc Claude Perrollaz
  • Publication number: 20150147185
    Abstract: Turbine buckets include a pressure side, a suction side opposite the pressure side, and a bucket squealer tip attached to the pressure side and the suction side. The bucket squealer tip includes a plurality of high hot hardness shroud-cutting deposits deposited on its exterior surface that have a hardness of at least about 1100 kg mm?2 and a melting temperature of at least about 1500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Surinder Singh Pabla, Brian Lee Tollison
  • Patent number: 9032622
    Abstract: An elongate web is attached to the root end of a spar of a wind turbine rotor blade to provide additional support along the width of the blade. The root end is formed by a winding operation, and a recess is then cut into the surface of the spar. The recess is defined by a relatively large first, cylindrical surface, which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the root end, and a relatively small second, conical surface. A tapered end of the elongate web is attached within the recess of the root end using a layer of suitable adhesive and an array of pins. Resilient spacer elements are arranged within the recess so as to surround the pins. The large area of the cylindrical surface causes the tensile and compressive stresses which arise along the elongate web in use to be transmitted to the spar as shear stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Mark Hancock, Anton Bech, Rens Christiaan Verhoef, Adrian Gill, Karl Gregory
  • Patent number: 9032621
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a work piece is provided. The method includes preparing fiberglass in a mold, preparing a closed mold cavity around the fiberglass, flushing the closed mold cavity with an oxygen-free gas, injecting resin in the closed mold cavity, and curing the casted work piece. Furthermore, a work piece manufactured by the above method is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Karsten Schibsbye
  • Patent number: 9011085
    Abstract: A Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) airfoil for a gas turbine engine includes at least one CMC ply which defines a suction side, an outer platform, a pressure side and an inner platform with a continuous “I”-shaped fiber geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Ioannis Alvanos
  • Patent number: 8998581
    Abstract: An impeller for a turbo-machine and is provided. The impeller includes a metallic base having a central hole, a back surface and a front surface opposite to the back surface; at least one blade extending on the front surface of the metallic base; a composite shroud attached to the at least one blade such that plural closed paths or vanes are formed by the front surface of the metallic base, the at least one blade and the composite shroud; and a connector configured to attach the composite shroud to the metallic base or the at least one blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone S.p.A.
    Inventors: Iacopo Giovannetti, Massimo Giannozzi, Dino Bianchi, Leonardo Tognarelli, Manuele Bigi, Andrea Massini
  • Publication number: 20150093250
    Abstract: In one aspect, a rotor blade for a wind turbine may include a body extending between a root end and a tip end. The body may include a root portion extending from the root end. The root portion may include an inner surface defining an inner circumference. In addition, the rotor blade may include a root stiffener assembly disposed within the root portion of the body. The root stiffener assembly may include a plurality of stiffening ribs coupled to the root portion so as to extend along the inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Clark Busbey, Darren John Danielsen
  • Publication number: 20150093249
    Abstract: Disclosed is a blade for a gas turbine, in particular for an aircraft engine, wherein the blade comprises at least one internal and/or external supporting structure of a metallic and/or intermetallic material. Also disclosed are a blade cluster having at least one such blade for a gas turbine, a method for producing such a blade cluster and a gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Christine LANG, Guenter RAMM
  • Publication number: 20150082634
    Abstract: A method of assembling a rotor blade assembly includes determining a first spanwise moment of a first component of the rotor blade assembly and comparing the first spanwise moment to a target first spanwise moment. The first spanwise moment of the first component is adjusted based on a result of the comparison. A second spanwise moment of a second component of the rotor blade assembly is determined and compared to a target second spanwise moment. The second spanwise moment of the second component is adjusted based on a result of the comparison. The first component is assembled to the second component, resulting in a rotor blade assembly meeting a target spanwise moment of the rotor blade assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin P. Leahy, Frank Caputo
  • Publication number: 20150086377
    Abstract: A method of making a metal reinforcing member that is to be mounted on a leading edge or a trailing edge of a composite blade of a turbine engine, the method including: shaping two metal sheets, positioning them on either side of a core including at least one recess that is to form a mold for a spacer for positioning the reinforcing member, assembling them together under a vacuum, conforming them against the core by hot isostatic compression, and cutting them to separate the reinforcing member and release the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Gilbert Michel Marin Leconte, Gilles Charles Casimir Klein, Jean-Michel Patrick Maurice Franchet, Dominique Magnaudeix
  • Patent number: 8985962
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stirrer organ (1) in composite construction comprised of a metallic part (4) and a hybrid casting (9), with the hybrid casting (9) being fixed to the metallic part (4) by means of at least one anchoring element which forms at least one back-cutting in the hybrid casting (9). Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for rehabilitating a damaged metallic stirrer organ which when applied provides a rehabilitated stirrer organ (1) in composite construction. The invention tackles the task of creating a stirrer organ (1) in hybrid construction which features a largest possible metallic part (4) because higher strength can hereby be achieved. This task is inventively solved in that the anchoring element is provided with a perforated plate (5) which is spot-wise fastened to the metallic part (4) and which is arranged at least partly at a small distance to the surface of the metallic part (4) so as to configure the at least one back-cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignees: SICcast Mineralguss GmbH & Co. KG, EKATO Ruehr- und Mischtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20150064013
    Abstract: A composite assembly has an outer spar component having an outer spar component inner profile, an inner spar component having an inner spar component outer profile substantially complementary to the outer spar component inner profile, and an adhesive disposed between the outer spar component and the inner spar component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Measom, Mitchell Elvin Rains
  • Patent number: 8967974
    Abstract: A composite blade assembly for mounting on a turbine wheel includes a ceramic airfoil and an airfoil platform. The ceramic airfoil is formed with an airfoil portion, a blade shank portion and a blade dovetail tang. The metal platform includes a platform shank and a radially inner platform dovetail. The ceramic airfoil is captured within the metal platform, such that in use, the ceramic airfoil is held within the turbine wheel independent of the metal platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Andres Jose Garcia-Crespo
  • Patent number: 8961143
    Abstract: A rotor blade of a wind power plant in which the rotor blade has a longitudinal extension that extends from a rotor blade root substantially to a rotor blade tip. At least in one region of the rotor blade, an aerodynamic cross-sectional profile is provided, which has a leading edge (nose) and a trailing edge, which are connected via a suction side and a pressure side of the cross-sectional profile. The rotor blade is subdivided at least in a longitudinally extended section into a front rotor blade section with the leading edge and a rear rotor blade section with the trailing edge. The rear region of the front rotor blade section and the adjacent front region of the rear rotor blade section are connected through an I-beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Jens Kulenkampff, Claus Weegen, Mario Kontis
  • Publication number: 20150044054
    Abstract: A retention feature for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The retention feature includes a ceramic post, an insert, and a braze layer coupling the insert to the ceramic post. The ceramic post includes a body adapted to be coupled to a turbine engine component and a head coupled to the body. The insert is arranged in a space formed in the head and the braze layer extends from the ceramic post to the insert to bond the insert to the ceramic post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Loftus, Adam L. Chamberlain, Ted J. Freeman
  • Publication number: 20150040396
    Abstract: Multilayer weaving is used to form a fiber blank having a longitudinal direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the vane to be made and comprising across its thickness a first woven portion with a plurality of layers of yarns interlinked by weaving, and also a second and third woven portions. The first portion is situated between the second and third portions and interlinked thereto by weaving over only a fraction of its longitudinal dimension. A preform for the vane is formed by folding out, on either side of the first portion, segments of the second and third portions not interlinked with the first portion, by shaping the first portion to form a preform portion for the airfoil of the vane, and by shaping the folded-out segments of the second and third portions to form preform portions for the inner and outer platforms of the vane to be fabricated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicants: HERAKLES, SNECMA
    Inventors: Elric Fremont, Romain Nunez, Max Massot
  • Publication number: 20150033561
    Abstract: A method for hardfacing a surface including: depositing a powder (68) having alloy particles onto a surface (70) of a substrate (66); rastering a laser beam (60) across the surface to melt the powder and to form a weld pool (78) having a width (64); directing particles (74) of a material exhibiting a different property than the substrate into the weld pool in a spray pattern having a width less than the width of the weld pool; and establishing the rastering and directing steps such that material circulation within the weld pool is effective to distribute the particles in the weld pool into a pattern having a width greater than the width of the spray pattern prior to re-solidification of the weld pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Gerald J. Bruck, Ahmed Kamel
  • Publication number: 20150037165
    Abstract: A turbine blade is provided and includes pressure and suction surfaces connected to define an interior through which coolant is passable and first and second pedestal arrays, each of the first and second pedestal arrays including pedestals respectively coupled to radially outboard portions of respective interior faces of one of the pressure and suction surfaces. The pedestals of the first pedestal array are separated from pedestals of the second pedestal array by gaps respectively defined therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Andrew Jones, Bradley Taylor Boyer, Robert Alan Brittingham, Gregory Thomas Foster, Christopher William Kester
  • Publication number: 20150017009
    Abstract: A blade of an impeller has a blade surface made up of line elements. The line elements forming the blade surface are not parallel to each other. A relationship between a twist angle of the line elements and a distance between the origin and an intersection of a central line of the impeller and an extension line of a Z-axis projection line obtained by projecting each of the line elements onto a Z-axis projection plane is represented by a curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Shinji OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20150017018
    Abstract: A turbine component is provided. The turbine component includes an airfoil having a first surface and a second surface. A thermal barrier coating is coupled to the second surface, wherein the thermal barrier coating includes a first portion, a second portion and a trench defined between the first and second portions. A channel is coupled in flow communication to the first surface and the trench, wherein the channel includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite of the first sidewall. The first and second sidewalls extend from the first surface and toward the trench at an angle. The turbine component includes a cover coupled to the second surface, wherein the cover includes a first end coupled to the first portion and a second end extending into the trench and spaced from the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Brian Gene Brzek, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, David Edward Schick
  • Publication number: 20150017003
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine bladed component, such as a turbine blade, is shown as including a shroud located above a blade portion and a stiffener located above the shroud. The stiffener is generally located in a central interior region of the shroud and includes a raised portion that extends above a top surface of the shroud. In one non-limiting form the stiffener can have a central ridge that is oriented in an axial direction. Seal members can be included in the shroud that can be used to interact with corresponding seal members in static gas turbine engine structure to discourage a flow of fluid. In one form the shroud includes an upturned leading edge portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Don L. Shaffer
  • Publication number: 20150010405
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a wind turbine blade is described which utilises a post-moulding station in the manufacturing process. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Bernard Willem De Waal Malefijt
  • Publication number: 20150010396
    Abstract: A device such as a drum for positioning at least one guide blade row from a plurality of guide blade groups in a turbomachine, the device on the outer circumferential side including at least one flange for attachment to a housing section of the turbomachine and on the inner circumferential side including a plurality of uniformly distributed receptacles for accommodating holding elements of the guide blade groups and a plurality of recesses, the device having a depth-reduced inner circumferential section, relative to the accommodating grooves, between at least two adjoining receptacles, which extends in each case from the one receptacle to the other receptacle; a blade-device combination; a method for assembling such a blade-device combination; and a turbomachine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Hans STRICKER, Stefan Rauscher, Willem Bokhorst
  • Publication number: 20150004000
    Abstract: A method for making a gas turbine engine ceramic matrix composite airfoil is disclosed. The method includes fabricating an airfoil preform that has a slotted forward end and a continuous trailing end. The slotted forward end of the airfoil preform is coupled to an airfoil core insert. A ceramic matrix composite covering is applied to cover the slots of the airfoil perform. The continuous trailing end of the airfoil preform is removed to expose the slots. A gas turbine engine airfoil is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Richard C. Uskert
  • Publication number: 20150003997
    Abstract: A monolithic composite turbine component includes at least one first region of a first material and one second region of a second material formed by solid freeform fabrication (SFF). The first material may be a metal and the second material may be a ceramic or a ceramic matrix composite. Transition regions between the metal region and ceramic region are functionally graded regions to minimize internal stress during temperature fluctuations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Sergey Mironets, Alexander Staroselsky, Thomas J. Martin, Thomas N. Slavens
  • Publication number: 20150003994
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade is provided. The wind turbine blade includes a root region, a tip region, and a body extending from the root region to the tip region. The tip region includes a first winglet and a second winglet that extend arcuately away from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Edward Braaten, Anurag Gupta, Arathi Kamath Gopinath
  • Patent number: 8918997
    Abstract: A method provides for assembling a wind turbine blade from at least two blade segments, with each of the blade segments having a pressure side shell member, a suction side shell member, internal support structure, and ends with joint sections that are offset span-wise from the pressure side shell member to the suction side shell member. The blade segments are aligned in an end-to-end orientation and moved into a mating configuration with relative movement that includes overlapping the respective joint sections of adjacent blade segments. The overlapped joint sections are subsequently moved into engagement with each other and joined along respective joint profiles at a chord-wise joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Alan Kyriakides, Scott Gabell Riddell, Alan Majors Walker
  • Publication number: 20140377076
    Abstract: A joint assembly is provided. The joint assembly includes a first component formed from a first material and a second component including a portion that extends at least partially into the first component and that has an uneven outer profile. The first material is configured to form the first component into a shape that is substantially complementary to a shape of the portion to facilitate restricting movement of the second component in an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Dennis K. Kennedy, Zach K. Stahlecker, Saul Opie
  • Publication number: 20140366374
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the manufacture or repair of a blade of a turbomachine, which blade has cooling air bores. In a machining step the cooling air bores are temporarily closed for their protection, a dual-cure epoxy resin being used for closing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Markus WALTEMATHE, Tobias WENSKY
  • Publication number: 20140356186
    Abstract: This method is a method for manufacturing a gas turbine blade, including: producing a gas turbine blade having a cooling pass inside thereof; and partially coating an inner surface of the cooling pass with Al. The step of partially coating an inner surface of the cooling pass with Al further including: a first step of specifying a temperature range which satisfies both of oxidation resistance and fatigue strength and the temperature distribution of the inner surface of the cooling pass based on an examination result or result of a numerical analysis; a second step of setting an Al-coating-applying portion of the inner surface of the cooling pass as the temperature range specified at the first step; and a third step of applying Al coating only into the set Al-coating-applying portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi IZUMI, Hideyuki ARIKAWA, Yoshitaka KOJIMA, Akira MEBATA, Tadashi KASUYA, Shinya IMANO, Koji MIYAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140356182
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade (162) and a method of forming a wind turbine blade. The method includes: forming an inner segment (10) of an airfoil, leaving a portion (16) of an inner weave (12) extending from the inner segment; forming an outer segment (18) of the airfoil, leaving a portion (24) of an outer weave (20) extending from the outer segment; overlapping the extending portion of the inner weave with the extending portion of the outer weave; infusing the overlapped extending portions with additional resin; and curing the additional resin to form a monolithic airfoil (160).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventor: JOHN M. OBRECHT
  • Patent number: 8898901
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a blade spar for a wind turbine blade includes positioning a first spar segment having a first adhering portion; positioning a second spar segment having a second adhering portion at the first spar segment such that the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion are at least partially overlapping, wherein an adhesive is at least partially provided between the overlapping adhering portions; providing at least one fiber layer impregnated with an uncured resin on the outer surfaces of the first and second spar segments at least in the joint region of the first and second spar segments; and simultaneously curing the adhesive and the resin, thereby fixating the first and the second spar segments to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Jed Richter, Toby Collard, Andrew Hedges, Arne Haahr
  • Publication number: 20140348659
    Abstract: Rotor blade assembly and methods for forming rotor blade assemblies are provided. A rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade including a shell and defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge and a trailing edge each extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade further defines a span and a chord. The shell includes an inner skin, an outer skin, and a core disposed between the inner skin and the outer skin. The rotor blade assembly further includes a reinforcement assembly bonded to the shell, the reinforcement assembly comprising a reinforcement core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Edward McBeth Stewart
  • Publication number: 20140341746
    Abstract: A main rotor blade assembly is provided including a spar which comprises a main section. A main core is positioned adjacent a trailing side of the main section of the spar. A tip assembly includes a main tip core and a tip end pocket core. The tip assembly is positioned adjacent an outboard end of the main core and the spar such that the main tip core is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the main core and the tip end pocket core is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the spar. At least a portion of both the main tip core and the tip end pocket core comprises a high density core. An upper composite skin and a lower composite skin extend over the spar, the main core, the main tip core, and the tip end pocket core. A portion of the upper composite skin and the lower composite skin has a thickness sufficient to be load bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin P. Leahy, Richard Joseph Simkulak
  • Publication number: 20140334930
    Abstract: A blade (10) for a rotor of a wind turbine (2) is disclosed. The blade is assembled from an inboard blade part (50) closest to the hub and an outboard blade part (110) farthest from the hub of the wind turbine. The inboard part (50) comprises a load carrying structure (60) with a first aerodynamic shell (70) fitted to the load carrying structure (60), and the outboard part (110) comprises a blade shell (141, 143) with a load carrying structure (142, 144) integrated in the blade shell (141, 143).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Fons Rob, Jesper Madsen, Flemming Ejlersen, Peter Quiring
  • Publication number: 20140334938
    Abstract: A method and assembly for aligning airflow modifying elements on a rotor blade is disclosed. The airflow modifying assembly may be mounted onto a suction side surface or a pressure side surface of the rotor blade. Further, the airflow modifying assembly includes an alignment structure having a chord-wise extending face that may be fixed relative to the rotor blade at a predetermined position. The airflow modifying assembly further includes a first base having a root end, a tail end having an interconnecting profile, and a first plurality of airflow modifying elements. The root end is aligned with the chord-wise extending face such that the first base extends span-wise along the rotor blade. Additionally, the airflow modifying assembly includes at least one second base having a connector end with a complementary interconnecting profile and a plurality of airflow modifying elements, wherein the connector end is coupled to the tail end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Gabell Riddell, Michael Christopher Booth
  • Patent number: 8884182
    Abstract: A method of modifying an end wall contour is provided. The method includes creating a weld pool using a laser, adding a metal or a ceramic powder or a wire filler to the melt pool and modifying the part of the turbine in a manner that results in a change of about 0.005 to about 50 volume percent in the part of the turbine. The weld pool is created on a turbine component and contains molten metal or ceramic derived as a result of a heat interaction between the laser and the turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Hsin-Pang Wang, Ronald Scott Bunker, Sudhir Kumar Tewari, Magdi Naim Azer
  • Patent number: 8882442
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine, especially a blisk or a bling, whereby the component includes a rotor base (12) made of a high temperature-resistant nickel alloy and a plurality of turbine blades (14) joined to the rotor base, whereby each turbine blade includes a rotor blade (16) made of a titanium alloy and a blade root. The blade root is configured as an adapter element (18) that is made of a material that can be welded to the titanium alloy as well as to the high temperature-resistant nickel alloy and that is integrally joined to the rotor base (12) and to the rotor blade (16) fusion. A method for the production of the component is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Smarsly, Joachim Bamberg, Joerg Esslinger
  • Publication number: 20140328690
    Abstract: A composite component for a wind turbine blade is provided. The composite component includes a stack of at least one fibre layer and a membrane which has a first surface and a second surface which is an opposite surface with respect to the first surface. The membrane is arranged with the first surface on top of the stack. The membrane is perforated with openings, wherein the membrane is formed in such a way that the openings are permeable for a fluid flowing along a first direction directing from the first surface to the second surface and impermeable for a fluid flowing along a second direction directing from the second surface to the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Peter Kybelund
  • Publication number: 20140328692
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine includes a rotor blade having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. A vortex generator accessory is mounted to either of the suction side or pressure side and includes a base portion and a protrusion member extending upwardly from the base portion. An attachment layer connects the base portion to the suction or pressure side. The attachment layer has a lower shear modulus than the base portion to allow for shear slippage between the base portion and the underlying suction or pressure side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Gabell Riddell, Michael Christopher Booth, James Robert Tobin
  • Patent number: 8876481
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil component assembly for use with a turbine engine including a attachment assembly having an inner surface defining a cavity. The attachment assembly includes a metal alloy substrate. An airfoil assembly is at least partially positioned within the attachment assembly and extends outwardly from the attachment assembly. The airfoil assembly includes a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) substrate. A reaction barrier coating is disposed over at least a portion of the airfoil assembly. The reaction barrier coating is positioned between the attachment assembly and the airfoil assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shyh-Chin Huang, Frederic Joseph Klug, Robert John Zabala, Andrea Jeanne Howard, Toby George Darkins, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140322023
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade in a production facility. The method comprises the steps of positioning a first overhung gantry to extend transversely over an elongated first mould part for manufacturing one of a first part and a second part of the blade, performing a first working action at the first mould part with a first tool mounted on the first overhung gantry, moving the first overhung gantry from the first mould part to an elongated second mould part for manufacturing the other of the first and the second part of the blade, positioning the first overhung gantry to extend transversely over the second mould part, and performing a second working action at the second mould part by means of the first tool or a second tool mounted on the first overhung gantry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventor: Raul Garcia Tapia
  • Patent number: 8869397
    Abstract: A method reinforcing an axisymmetric annular metal part by including a winding of composite material. A metal blank for the part is prepared, a cavity is formed therein that opens out into a coaxial inside face thereof, and that presents a right cross-section of axial extent that decreases from the inside towards the outside, a reinforcing yarn is wound in the cavity, the cavity is closed, the assembly is subjected to a hot isostatic compression process, and the blank is machined to obtain a final part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
    Inventors: Patrick Dunleavy, Jean-Michel Patrick Maurice Franchet, Gilles Charles Casimir Klein, Richard Masson
  • Patent number: 8863382
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade and a wind turbine incorporating the rotor blade include a first and second composite skin. A first and a second spar pultrusion having a base and a plurality of integral ribs generally normal to base are attached to the inside surface of the first and second composite skins and extend the span of the rotor blade. At least one shear web connects a rib of the first spar pultrusion to a corresponding rib of the second spar pultrusion. The width of the spar pultrusions decreases in a step-wise fashion along the span of the rotor blade from the root to the tip. The leading or trailing edge of the rotor blade may be selectably opened for inspection and repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Piasecki Aircraft Corp.
    Inventor: Frederick W Piasecki
  • Patent number: 8858183
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a core member having a first end that extends to a second end, and a spar member positioned about the core member. The spar member includes a first end section that extends to a second end section. A tip core assembly is mounted at the second end section of the spar member. The tip core assembly is formed from a honeycombed material. The rotor blade also includes a rotor blade skin mounted about the spar member and the tip core assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Joseph Simkulak, Kevin P. Leahy, Frank Caputo, Daniel Ciesielski
  • Publication number: 20140301852
    Abstract: A blade cascade for a turbomachine, in particular a gas turbine, including multiple identical blade groups which are situated next to each other and which each include a first individual blade (10) having a vane (12) having a blade profile and a first side wall (11), and a second individual blade (20), which differs from the first, having a vane (22) having a blade profile and a second side wall (21), the first and second side walls (11, 21) having different contourings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventor: Carsten ZSCHERP
  • Publication number: 20140301856
    Abstract: An airfoil member can have a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The airfoil member can include an upper skin, a lower skin, and a composite core member having a plurality of cells, an upper surface network of the cells can be bonded to the upper skin, a lower surface network of the cells can be bonded to the lower skin. The composite core can have a septum layer embedded in the cells that form the composite core, the septum layer being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Oldroyd, Wei-Yueh Lee, James D. Hethcock, JR., John R. McCullough, Patrick R. Tisdale