With Heating, Cooling Or Thermal Insulation Means Patents (Class 416/95)
  • Publication number: 20140030093
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade 2 comprises a profiled contour including a leading edge 34 and a trailing edge 33 as well as a pressure side and a suction side. The profiled contour is formed by a first shell part 10 and a second shell part 15 being bonded together in a bonding region between the first and the second shell part by a curable bonding means 40. The first and the second shell part 10; 15 are formed in a fibre-reinforced polymer. The wind turbine blade further comprises resistive heating means 50 being arranged in thermal connection with the bonding means 40 such that the resistive heating means 50 supplies heat for curing of the curable bonding means 40 during assembling of the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Martin Dahl, Bjarne Krab Mortensen, Benjamin Hornblow
  • Publication number: 20140023501
    Abstract: A turbofan and air-conditioning apparatus that can suppress the separation of an airflow from the surface of each blade, and can reduce noise due to turbulence is obtained. At least one of a blade pressure surface of the blade that is the front surface in the rotation direction, and a blade suction surface of the blade that is the rear surface in the rotation direction has a blade leading edge side jagged portion formed near the blade leading edge portion, the blade leading edge side jagged portion including a recessed portion a extending substantially along the blade inner peripheral side leading edge portion and the blade shroud side leading edge portion and recessed in the thickness direction of the blade, and an inclined portion in which the thickness of the blade gradually increases toward the blade trailing edge portion from the recessed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Ikeda, Masahiko Takagi, Makoto Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20140017085
    Abstract: A rotorcraft rotor fitted with a device for damping lead-lag oscillations of the blades (2) of the rotor. The blades (2) are hinge-mounted on a rotary hub (1) of the rotor via respective sleeves (3). The damper device comprises a set of dampers (6), each individually housed in a respective one of said sleeves (3) and deformable between two fastening points (8, 9), one with the sleeve and the other with an engagement member (7) for engaging the hub (1) via a linkage (10). For each of the sleeve (3), the damper (6) housed by a given sleeve (3) is in hinged engagement with the linkage (10) via a lever arm (11) hinged to the sleeve (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Andre Amari, Jacques Gaffiero
  • Patent number: 8622701
    Abstract: A turbine rotor disk with rotor blades secured within slots, where the rotor disk includes a radial extension that occupies a space where a dead rim cavity would be formed, and in which the radial extension includes a cooling air chamber with impingement cooling air holes directed to discharge impingement cooling air to a backside surface of the platforms of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Publication number: 20140003937
    Abstract: A component and method of cooling a component are provided. The component includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, at least one cavity between the leading edge and the trailing edge, at least one diffusion member adjacent to the cavity. The diffusion member includes an inlet adjacent to the cavity, a metering zone adjacent to the inlet, a diffusion zone adjacent to the metering zone, and an outlet adjacent the diffusion zone and adjacent the trailing edge. The diffusion member provides up to about 70% reduction in flow and uniform cooling of the trailing edge of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Hamilton GROOMS, Darrell Glenn SENILE, Robert Alan FREDERICK
  • Patent number: 8616828
    Abstract: A cooling system for turbine engines for controlling cooling of rotor cooling air and heating of fuel gas is disclosed. The cooling system may be formed from a housing formed from a main plenum, a rotor air cooler positioned at least partially in the main plenum and a fuel gas heater positioned at least partially in the main plenum downstream from rotor air cooler. The cooling system may include a by-pass plenum for returning used cooling air back to a region upstream of the rotor air cooler. An exhaust fluid control device may control fluid flow out of the first exhaust opening at the second end of the main plenum, and a by-pass fluid control device may control fluid flow into the by-pass inlet opening of the by-pass plenum. The control devices and a fan may control circulation of cooling fluids through the main plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald A. Myers, Jason M. Reichow
  • Patent number: 8596976
    Abstract: The amount of cooling air (cooling medium) can be reduced, and low-temperature cooling air is prevented from being blown out through film cooling holes. Part of a cooling medium impingement-cooling an inner circumferential surface of a blade main body located on a ventral side further impingement-cools the inner circumferential surface of the blade main body located on a dorsal side and is blown out through film cooling holes in the blade main body that are located on the dorsal side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hada, Tomoko Hashimoto, Masanori Yuri, Masamitsu Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20130309093
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a wind turbine generator system is provided which can not only remove the influence of salt damage in case the system is established off-shore, but even if the facility becomes larger, which can also cool equipment and the generator provided in the tower and can reduce the possibility of decreasing power generation efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuji Yanagibashi, Takashi Matsunobu, Tsutomu Hasegawa, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Kenichi Azegami
  • Publication number: 20130309090
    Abstract: A wind turbine for generating electrical energy may include a tower, a nacelle at the top of the tower, and a rotor coupled to a generator within the nacelle. The wind turbine further includes a cooler including a spoiler and at least one cooler panel projecting above a roof of the nacelle. A heliplatform includes a support structure extending from the nacelle and at least partially integrated with the cooler. The wind turbine may also include a crane coupled to the nacelle and configured to move between a first stowed position underneath the nacelle roof and a second operational position. In the operational position, the crane is selectively positionable over the heliplatform. A method of using the wind turbine and crane is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Mazyar Abolfazlian, Morten Mogensen
  • Publication number: 20130309092
    Abstract: There is provided a wind power installation rotor blade comprising at least one electrically operable heating mat which is fixed in the interior of the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH
    Inventor: Gerhard Lenschow
  • Publication number: 20130302167
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a serpentine coolant flow path formed by inner walls in a cavity between pressure and suction side walls of a turbine airfoil and/or can be adapted to provide cooling matched to the heating topography of the airfoil, minimize differential thermal expansion, revive the coolant, and/or minimize the flow volume needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Publication number: 20130302166
    Abstract: A squealer tip usable in repair systems and formed from a pressure side outer weld rib and a suction side outer weld rib extending radially outward from a tip of the turbine blade and resting upon pressure side and suction side weld members separated by a mid-chord member is disclosed. The pressure and suction side outer weld ribs may be positioned along the pressure side and the suction side of the turbine blade, respectively. The pressure side outer weld rib may include a chamfered pressure side with film cooling holes having exhaust outlets positioned therein. The pressure and suction side weld members may be configured to retain the mid-chord member in position with over extending side surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: CHING-PANG LEE, Mrinal Munshi
  • Patent number: 8573938
    Abstract: A turbine stator vane with endwall cooling that includes a row of submerged cooling air channels or slots that include a metering hole at an inlet end, a diffusion chamber downstream from the metering hole, and an open slot that channels and discharges the cooling air from the slots as film cooling air for the endwalls. Each submerged cooling air slot can be customized for pressure and flow to control metal temperature and cooling capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Publication number: 20130280071
    Abstract: A system includes a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes at least one rotor disk. The system also includes a rotor disk heating system configured to resistively heat at least a portion of the at least one rotor disk via an electrical current or voltage applied to the portion of the at least one rotor disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Christopher Edward Miller
  • Publication number: 20130272880
    Abstract: A moving blade for a turbomachine, in particular an aircraft engine, is disclosed, having an inner shroud which has a front elongation for forming an axial overlap with an upstream guide blade, and on which at least one flow guide element for deflecting a leakage flow of a cooling air flow in the peripheral direction is situated. The at least one flow guide element is guided beyond a leading edge of the elongation. A turbomachine having a plurality of these types of moving blades is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventor: Alexander Boeck
  • Publication number: 20130259690
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing an alloyed, in particular multiple-alloyed aluminide or chromide layer on a component by alitizing or chromizing. First a green compact layer (9) consisting of a binder (5) and metal particles (7) is deposited on the component (1) to be coated and then alitizing or chromizing is carried out, binder and metal particles being deposited on the component separately from one another, first the binder and then the metal particles. A turbine component produced by this process is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: MTU AERO ENGINES GMBH
    Inventors: Horst PILLHOEFER, Max Morant, Stefan Mueller, Anja Kliewe
  • Patent number: 8540480
    Abstract: An aerofoil (20) for a gas turbine engine (10) is hollow to define an interior volume (24) through which cooling air flows. Passages (26) interconnect the interior volume (24) with the exterior of the aerofoil (20). Each passage (26) is provided with an inlet (32) within the interior volume (24) which is elongated along an axis (36) parallel with the direction of cooling air flow through the interior volume (24). The arrangement reduces any tendency for the passages (24) to block though the build up of dirt particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. Rawlinson
  • Publication number: 20130236329
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil and a cooling microcircuit. The airfoil includes a first side wall, a second side wall and a tip endwall, where the first side wall and the second side wall extend to and cooperate to form the tip endwall, defining a main cavity between the first side wall and the second side wall. The cooling microcircuit includes a microcircuit cavity, an inlet, a side wall outlet and a tip outlet. The microcircuit cavity is embedded within the first side wall, and the inlet extends from the main cavity to the microcircuit cavity. The side wall outlet extends from the microcircuit cavity to an exterior first side surface of the airfoil. The tip outlet extends from the microcircuit cavity to an exterior tip surface of the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew A. Devore, Matthew S. Gleiner
  • Publication number: 20130230402
    Abstract: An airfoil comprises pressure and suction surfaces extending axially from a leading edge to a trailing edge and radially from a root section to a tip section, the root section and the tip section defining a span therebetween. A thermal coating extends from the root section of the airfoil toward the tip section of the airfoil. A relative coating thickness of the thermal coating decreases by at least thirty percent at full span in the tip section, as compared to minimum span in the root section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Levine, Shawn J. Gregg
  • Patent number: 8517666
    Abstract: A turbine engine section has a stationary vane stage and a rotating blade stage. The blade stage is spaced from the vane stage to form an annular chamber therebetween. A manifold delivers a pressurized fluid to the chamber. An outer diameter (OD) sealing system restricts leakage of the pressurized fluid from the chamber. An inner diameter (ID) sealing system restricts leakage of the pressurized fluid from the chamber. A flow guide extends radially between the inner diameter sealing system and the manifold. The flow guide bisects the chamber to form a stationary chamber portion and a rotating chamber portion, the rotating chamber portion at least partially along a disk of the first blade stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ioannis Alvanos, Rajendra K. Agrawal, Hector M. Pinero
  • Patent number: 8517663
    Abstract: A cooling system for a turbine engine, as well as a methodology for controlling the cooling system, is described. A valve member is disposed between a cooling fluid passage and a wheel space of the turbine engine and operates to admit cooling fluid to the wheel space for cooling thereof. The valve assembly is responsive to a condition in the wheel space and varies the flow of additional cooling fluid to the wheel space based on that condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Michael Alan Davi, Clement Gazzillo, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8511992
    Abstract: Contaminant build-up and cooling airflow looses are reduced in a turbine airfoil by joining root and airfoil cooling air passages thereof with a transition passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew T. Dahmer, Alexander V. Staroselsky
  • Patent number: 8511989
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator is provided in which the efficiency of heating the interior of a nacelle can be improved at a low outside air temperature in a cold region. The wind turbine generator includes a nacelle that accommodates a driving and generating mechanism connected to a rotor head fitted with turbine blades, wherein the nacelle is equipped with a lubricant-oil cooling fan and a generator cooling fan that ventilate the interior of the nacelle to prevent an increase in the temperature of the interior and a heating device that raises the temperature of the interior of the nacelle at a low outside air temperature, wherein the cooling fans can be operated with the rotating directions and the rotational speeds thereof being controlled, and during the operation of the heating device, the rotating directions and the rotational speeds of the cooling fans are controlled so as to make the wind velocity at the ventilation ports thereof about zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takatoshi Matsushita
  • Publication number: 20130195661
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes at least one heating mat for generating heat, wherein the heating mat is mounted at an outer surface of the blade. The blade further includes at least one through-hole running from an inner space of the blade to the outer surface of the blade. The blade further has at least one conductive element, wherein the conductive element is electrically coupled to the heating mat. The conductive element is inserted in the through-hole for generating an electric connection between the inner space and the outer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Soeren Oemann Lind, Finn Daugaard Madsen, Karsten Schibsbye
  • Publication number: 20130177420
    Abstract: The present application provides a seal carrier for use about a number of flow orifices of a platform of a turbine nozzle. The seal carrier may include an inner surface facing the platform with the inner surface having a number of slots therein aligning with the flow orifices of the platform and an opposed outer surface with a seal positioned about the outer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Aaron Gregory Winn, Robert Walter Coign
  • Publication number: 20130170992
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade is assembled from a first and a second rotor blade half shell made of a fiber-reinforced plastics material. An electrical heating arrangement includes a first heating element connected to the first rotor blade half shell and having a blade root end and a blade tip end and a second heating element connected to the second rotor blade half shell also having a blade root end and a blade tip end. The heating arrangement also includes a third heating element connected to the rotor blade half shells and having a blade root end and a blade tip end. The blade tip ends of the first, second and third heating elements are mutually electrically connected. The blade root ends of the first, second and third heating elements are connected to respective electrical connecting lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: NORDEX ENERGY GMBH
    Inventor: Nordex Energy GmbH
  • Publication number: 20130170986
    Abstract: The turbine system for wind and/or water power, wherein the radial turbines have a rotor which can rotate about an axis and comprises one or more turbine blades, wherein the turbine blades are aligned parallel to the rotor, wherein the turbine blades are arranged within a cylindrical shell, which is arranged concentrically around the axis and has an outer radius R1 and an inner radius R2, is characterized in that the turbine blades have a specific geometry and in that two radial turbines (1, 2) which are aligned alongside one another and parallel are arranged, which radial turbines (1, 2) are connected to one another and can pivot about a pivoting axis (15) parallel to the turbine axes (18), wherein the pivoting axis and the guide surfaces (3, 4) are not located on the connecting line between the turbine axes, and are both located on the same side of the connecting line. It is proposed that the abstract be published without any drawing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: Dennis Patrick Steel
  • Patent number: 8475121
    Abstract: A ring segment for a turbine in an industrial gas turbine engine, the ring segment having an inner side with a number of pedestals extending radially inward, each pedestal having an inlet metering hole connected to a diffusion chamber having an opening flush with a TBC covering the pedestals. The pedestals form a larger surface area to secure the TBC to the ring segment so that the TBC can be formed thicker than the prior art without spalling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Publication number: 20130164133
    Abstract: A sandwich laminate for wind turbine blades includes a sandwich core material and an upper laminate part and a lower laminate part, wherein the upper laminate part and the lower laminate part have a thermoplastic matrix material and heating elements. The heating elements are electrically conductive fibres constituting electric circuits in the interior part of the thermoplastic matrix. Further, a wind turbine blade including such a sandwich laminate as well as a method of manufacturing such a sandwich laminate are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventor: ERIK GROVE-NIELSEN
  • Publication number: 20130156579
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including: an ambient-air cooling circuit (10) having a cooling channel (26) disposed in a turbine blade (22) and in fluid communication with a source (12) of ambient air: and an pre-swirler (18), the pre-swirler having: an inner shroud (38); an outer shroud (56); and a plurality of guide vanes (42), each spanning from the inner shroud to the outer shroud. Circumferentially adjacent guide vanes (46, 48) define respective nozzles (44) there between. Forces created by a rotation of the turbine blade motivate ambient air through the cooling circuit. The pre-swirler is configured to impart swirl to ambient air drawn through the nozzles and to direct the swirled ambient air toward a base of the turbine blade. The end walls (50, 54) of the pre-swirler may be contoured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Kok-Mun Tham, Eric Schroeder, Jamie Meeroff, Samuel R. Miller, JR., John J. Marra
  • Publication number: 20130142652
    Abstract: A fan arrangement (1), in particular for cooling an engine system, comprising: an impeller (10) having one or more blades (4) which in operation convey a medium in the direction of an axis of rotation of the impeller (10) from an inlet side (E) to an outlet side (A); a housing shroud (6) having a base part (61) which extends in the direction of the axis of rotation and surrounds the impeller (10) completely or partially, wherein, on an end of the base part (61) oriented towards the outlet side (A) of the impeller (10), there is provided a discharge flow element (63) which extends radially outwards from the end of the base part (61).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Robert Bosch GmbH
  • Patent number: 8454302
    Abstract: A steam supply for a turbomachine with an inner housing and an outer housing is provided. The steam supply includes an inner pipe and an outer pipe, a cooling medium inlet opening disposed in the outer pipe and a cooling medium entering thereby into space between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, and the inner pipe being cooled thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kai Wieghardt
  • Publication number: 20130136599
    Abstract: An aerofoil typically for a blade or vane for a gas turbine engine comprises a pressure wall and a suction wall, at least one of the pressure and suction walls comprise corrugations and a coolant hole on an inner surface, the corrugations define a downstream surface and the coolant hole having an inlet defined in the downstream surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Rolls-Royce PLC
  • Publication number: 20130136598
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine rotor blade having a blade root, a blade tip, two interconnected rotor blade half shells, which include a fiber-reinforced plastics material, and an electrical heating element, which is arranged on an outer side of the rotor blade and has a blade root end and a blade tip end, wherein the blade tip end is connected via an electrical line leading to the blade root and at least a first segment of the electrical line, which is arranged on an inner side of one of the rotor blade half shells, is made of a carbon fiber material. Further, the present invention relates to a method for making a wind turbine rotor blade having an electrical heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: NORDEX ENERGY GMBH
    Inventor: Nordex Energy GmbH
  • Publication number: 20130129512
    Abstract: The device according to the invention for removing moisture from a hydraulic medium (2) with at least one gaseous drying medium (3) is characterized in that the drying medium (3) is air and/or some other working gas with corresponding moisture absorption capability, said drying medium being conducted by means of a delivery device (4) from an area surrounding the hydraulic medium (2) to the hydraulic medium (2) when the moisture content of the respective gaseous drying medium (3) is lower than the degree of water saturation of the hydraulic medium (2)
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventors: Jörg Kleber, Andreas Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 8444381
    Abstract: A cooling circuit for a turbine bucket having a shank, a platform and an airfoil. The cooling circuit includes a first cooling passage extending from an inlet located at a radially inward end of the shank and adapted to communicate with a turbine wheel-space, the first cooling passage, in use, supplying cooling air to a serpentine cooling circuit extending within and across at least one region of the platform. The serpentine cooling circuit connects with a separate internal cooling circuit in the airfoil, such that the cooling air used to cool the platform is re-used in the airfoil cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Melissa Ann Seely
  • Publication number: 20130115085
    Abstract: A process for depositing a ceramic layer on a metal substrate for producing a thermal barrier, the process including depositing the ceramic in a columnar structure. The deposition is carried out through a grid pierced with holes, which is positioned parallel to a surface of the substrate so as to produce ceramic columns separated from one another by a space. The process can further include a subsequent depositing of an isotropic ceramic layer in the spaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Justine Menuey, Sarah Hamadi, Juliette Hugot, André Hubert Louis Malie, Fabrice Crabos
  • Patent number: 8435003
    Abstract: Aerofoils (22) of a gas turbine engine are provided with a coating (34) or filler (44) of viscoelastic material. As ice accretes on the aerofoils (22) during operation, the resulting aerodynamic stability imbalance induces vibration in the aerofoils (22). The viscoelastic material (34, 44) damps this vibration, and in so doing generates heat, which melts the ice away from the aerofoils (22). Heat-conducting members conduct the heat to regions of the component in which ice accretion is to be prevented. Alternative embodiments are described in which the pseudoelastic behavior of a shape memory alloy (56), or eddy currents arising from the rotor blades' rotation in an axisymmetric magnetic field, are used as sources of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Simon Read, Alison J. McMillan, Eric Ravey
  • Publication number: 20130108445
    Abstract: A rotor for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of blades which extend from a rotor disk, each of the plurality of blades extend from the rotor disk at an interface, the interface defined along a spoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Stephen P. Muron, Ioannis Alvanos, Christopher M. Dye, Brian D. Merry, Arthur M. Salve, James W. Norris
  • Publication number: 20130108446
    Abstract: A turbine rotor disk includes a row of buckets secured about a radially outer periphery of the rotor disk, each bucket having an airfoil, a platform, a shank and a mounting portion, the mounting portion received in a radial slot formed in the rotor disk such that adjacent buckets in adjacent radial slots are separated by a rotor disk post located between adjacent mounting portions and a shank cavity between adjacent shanks, radially outward of the rotor disk post and radially inward of adjacent platforms. The shank cavity is substantially filled with at least one discrete thermal plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Jeffrey John BUTKIEWICZ
  • Publication number: 20130101416
    Abstract: A lighting assembly for a ceiling fan, the ceiling fan having an attachment interface having an electrical connection for powering an external assembly, the lighting assembly including a housing configured to be connected to and supported by the attachment interface of the ceiling fan, a plurality of lighting arms extending from the housing and provided with a socket to receive a light bulb, the socket being configured to be in electrical communication with the electrical connection of the ceiling fan, and an auxiliary connection provided at a side of the housing to provide power to an external device coupled to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventor: Alvin E. Todd
  • Patent number: 8408866
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil arrangement for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil having an inlet and an exit, the inlet configured to receive a cooling gas flow operable to cool at least part of an other airfoil; and a passage disposed in the airfoil and fluidly coupled to the inlet and the exit, the exit being configured to pass at least some of the cooling gas flow to the other airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: John Alan Weaver, Tony Alan Lambert, James Sellhorn
  • Patent number: 8402771
    Abstract: A combustor (14) is placed next to a turbine (16), on the side opposite a compressor (12). A heat insulation device (20) for reducing the transmission of heat from the high-temperature side to the low-temperature side is provided between the combustor/turbine and the compressor. A connection shaft (18) has an axial hole (18a) open on the inlet side of the compressor and axially extending to near a turbine impeller, and also has a radial hole (18b) open near the turbine impeller to the outside of the connection shaft and radially extending to be in communication with the axial hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventor: Kosuke Isomura
  • Publication number: 20130062975
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotary electric machine having a tubular body, in turn having a cylindrical wall; and a plurality of clips formed integrally with the cylindrical wall and configured so that each pair of facing clips defines a seat for housing an active sector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: WILIC S.AR.L.
    Inventors: Otto Pabst, Matteo Casazza
  • Publication number: 20130058787
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil includes an airfoil body with a leading edge, trailing edge, and an exterior surface including a suction side and a pressure side located opposite to the suction side. The exterior surface shows away from the interior of the airfoil body. A thermal barrier coating system is present on the exterior surface of the airfoil body in a coated surface region. The airfoil also includes an uncoated surface region where a thermal barrier coating system is not present. The uncoated region extends on the suction side of the exterior surface from the trailing edge towards the leading edge to a boundary line between the coated surface region and the uncoated surface region, wherein the boundary line is located on the suction side between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The airfoil body also includes a step in the exterior surface extending along the boundary line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Stephen Batt, Jonathan Mugglestone, Li Shing Wong
  • Publication number: 20130058788
    Abstract: A turbine blade is provided and includes a tip end carrying a shroud and at least one fin, which extends radially away from the shroud. The fin includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, which are spaced apart, arranged parallel to each other, and are connected to the shroud, and a cutting edge, which is connected to the first and second sidewalls. The cutting edge thereby creates a hollow space between the sidewalls, the shroud, and the cutting edge, and further extends radially away from the first and second sidewalls. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the blade by casting the blade as single piece with the hollow fin or by forging the blade; and machining the fin to create the first and second sidewalls and cutting edge thereby opening the hollow space between said sidewalls and the cutting edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventor: Alstom Technology Ltd
  • Patent number: 8382432
    Abstract: A rim seal assembly includes an annular seal element circumscribing an engine centerline or axis and mounted on an annular platform including a radially inwardly extending annular platform flange disposed between and connected to forward and aft flanges at distal ends of forward and aft annular elements respectively. Annular forward and aft outer rim cavities radially disposed between the forward and aft annular elements and the platform are axially separated by the platform flange. Cooling slots extend radially across axially facing forward and aft surfaces of the forward and aft flanges. The platform flange and the forward and aft flanges are bolted together. The annular seal element may include seal teeth in sealing relationship with an annular seal land such as in a labyrinth seal. The rim seal assembly may be incorporated in a low pressure turbine use a compressor as a source of cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Scott Grissino, Jeremy Stephen Wigon, Gianni Emanuolo Busso
  • Patent number: 8376705
    Abstract: A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine including an endwall and an airfoil extending from the endwall. An inner rail extends radially inwardly of the endwall, and an overhang portion extends axially from a location of the inner rail to a downstream edge. A recess cavity is defined in the overhang portion between the inner rail and the downstream edge. The recess cavity extends radially into the overhang portion and defines a cavity surface. A plurality of grooves extend radially into the cavity surface and have an elongated dimension extending in a direction from the inner rail toward the downstream edge. A plurality of cooling passages extend axially through the overhang portion, and are located between the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: George Liang, Zhihong Gao, Brian J. Wessell, Joseph B. Gilliam
  • Patent number: 8376689
    Abstract: A turbine is provided and includes a spacer having an annular body formed with opposing outward and inward surfaces and an orifice extending through the body from the outward to the inward surface, an assembly to secure the spacer around a rotor axially between sequential buckets of a forward turbine stage and an aft turbine stage, the spacer forming an annular passage around the rotor into which a fluid flows through the orifice and a circuit fluidly coupled to the annular passage to deliver the fluid from between the sequential buckets of the forward turbine stage and the aft turbine stage to an axial location forward of the forward turbine stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anantha Padmanabhan Bhagavatheeswaran, Rohit Pruthi
  • Publication number: 20130039759
    Abstract: A disclosed example self-contained counter rotating turbo prop system includes a power generating system that produces electric power for a de-icing system. A bearing/generator assembly includes a plurality of permanent magnets and coil assemblies separated by an air gap. Relative rotation between first and second parts of the bearing/generator assembly provides for the generation of electric power utilized to drive the heating elements mounted to the propeller blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Robert H. Perkinson