Abstract: A turbine engine includes a turbine wheel including a rotor disk and turbine blades connected to the rotor disk through blade mounts. The blade mounts and the rotor disk have fore and aft surfaces. The blade mount includes a blade attachment surface connecting the fore and aft surfaces with the turbine blade extending from the blade attachment surface. A gap is defined between and separating adjacent blade mounts and extends into the rotor disk. The gap includes a pocket having a fore opening and a rotor relief hole. The turbine wheel further includes a plug disposed in a rotor relief opening and a pocket seal disposed in the pocket. The turbine engine further includes a fore seal plate having an edge abutting the blade mounts about a circumference of the turbine wheel and a finger extending toward and contacting the plug to maintain the plug in the rotor relief opening.

Abstract: A turbine engine includes a turbine wheel including a rotor disk and turbine blades connected to the rotor disk through blade mounts. The blade mounts and the rotor disk have fore and aft surfaces. The blade mount includes a blade attachment surface connecting the fore and aft surfaces with the turbine blade extending from the blade attachment surface. A gap is defined between and separating adjacent blade mounts and extends into the rotor disk. The gap includes a pocket having a fore opening and a rotor relief hole. The turbine wheel further includes a plug disposed in a rotor relief opening and a pocket seal disposed in the pocket. The turbine engine further includes a fore seal plate having an edge abutting the blade mounts about a circumference of the turbine wheel and a finger extending toward and contacting the plug to maintain the plug in the rotor relief opening.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of forming the turbine wheels are provided herein. In an embodiment, a turbine wheel includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades. Each turbine blade is operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount, which is bonded to the rotor disk. The blade mount and the rotor disk have a fore surface on a higher pressure side thereof and an aft surface on a lower pressure side thereof. The blade mount includes a blade attachment surface that extends between and connects the fore surface and the aft surface. The turbine blade extends from the blade attachment surface. A gap is defined between adjacent blade mounts. The gap separates the blade mounts and extends into the rotor disk. The gap includes a pocket that has a fore opening in the fore surface. A pocket seal is disposed in the pocket.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of fabricating the turbine wheels are provided. An exemplary method includes fabricating a turbine wheel that includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount. The method includes locating a cooling passage within a blade mount preliminary configuration and a cooling inlet on a surface of the blade mount preliminary configuration. A rotor disk bonding surface geometry and a blade mount bonding surface geometry are designed based upon a stress analysis of the turbine wheel and locations of the cooling passage and cooling inlet. A rotor disk production configuration and a blade mount production configuration are generated based upon the preliminary configurations. A blade mount and a rotor disk are formed based upon the production configurations. A blade ring including a plurality of blade mounts is formed and bonded to the rotor disk.

Abstract: A turbine blade with an integral flow meter is provided. The turbine blade includes a trailing edge and a leading edge opposite the trailing edge. The turbine blade includes a plurality of cooling passages each having a respective inlet in fluid communication with a source of cooling fluid to receive a cooling fluid. The turbine blade includes a plurality of flow meters, with at least a respective one of the plurality of flow meters associated with a respective one of the plurality of cooling passages at the respective inlet.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of fabricating the turbine wheels are provided. An exemplary method includes fabricating a turbine wheel that includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount. The method includes locating a cooling passage within a blade mount preliminary configuration and a cooling inlet on a surface of the blade mount preliminary configuration. A rotor disk bonding surface geometry and a blade mount bonding surface geometry are designed based upon a stress analysis of the turbine wheel and locations of the cooling passage and cooling inlet. A rotor disk production configuration and a blade mount production configuration are generated based upon the preliminary configurations. A blade mount and a rotor disk are formed based upon the production configurations. A blade ring including a plurality of blade mounts is formed and bonded to the rotor disk.

Abstract: A turbine blade with an integral flow meter is provided. The turbine blade includes a trailing edge and a leading edge opposite the trailing edge. The turbine blade includes at least one cooling passage defined internally within the turbine blade, and the at least one cooling passage is in fluid communication with a source of cooling fluid via an inlet to receive a cooling fluid. The turbine blade also includes at least one flow meter formed within the turbine blade at the inlet that supplies the cooling fluid to the at least one cooling passage.

Abstract: Methods for processing bonded dual alloy rotors are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a bonded dual alloy rotor including rotor blades bonded to a hub disk. The rotor blades and hub disk are composed of different alloys. A minimum processing temperature (TDISK_PROCESS_MIN) for the hub disk and a maximum critical temperature for the rotor blades (TBLADE_MAX) is established such that TBLADE_MAX is less than TDIsK_PROCESS_MIN. A differential heat treatment process is then performed during which the hub disk is heated to processing temperatures equal to or greater than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN, while at least a volumetric majority of each of the rotor blades is maintained at temperatures below TBLADE_MAX. Such a targeted differential heat treatment process enables desired metallurgical properties (e.g., precipitate hardening) to be created within the hub disk, while preserving the high temperature properties of the rotor blades and any blade coating present thereon.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of forming the turbine wheels are provided herein. In an embodiment, a turbine wheel includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades. Each turbine blade is operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount, which is bonded to the rotor disk. The blade mount and the rotor disk have a fore surface on a higher pressure side thereof and an aft surface on a lower pressure side thereof. The blade mount includes a blade attachment surface that extends between and connects the fore surface and the aft surface. The turbine blade extends from the blade attachment surface. A gap is defined between adjacent blade mounts. The gap separates the blade mounts and extends into the rotor disk. The gap includes a pocket that has a fore opening in the fore surface. A pocket seal is disposed in the pocket.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of forming the turbine wheels are provided herein. In an embodiment, a turbine wheel includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades. Each turbine blade is operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount, which is bonded to the rotor disk. The blade mount and the rotor disk have a fore surface on a higher pressure side thereof and an aft surface on a lower pressure side thereof. The blade mount includes a blade attachment surface that extends between and connects the fore surface and the aft surface. The turbine blade extends from the blade attachment surface. A gap is defined between adjacent blade mounts. The gap separates the blade mounts and extends into the rotor disk. The gap includes a pocket that has a fore opening in the fore surface. A pocket seal is disposed in the pocket.

Abstract: Methods for processing bonded dual alloy rotors are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a bonded dual alloy rotor including rotor blades bonded to a hub disk. The rotor blades and hub disk are composed of different alloys. A minimum processing temperature (TDISK_PROCESS_MIN) for the hub disk and a maximum critical temperature for the rotor blades (TBLADE_MAX) is established such that TBLADE_MAX is less than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN. A differential heat treatment process is then performed during which the hub disk is heated to processing temperatures equal to or greater than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN, while at least a volumetric majority of each of the rotor blades is maintained at temperatures below TBLADE_MAX. Such a targeted differential heat treatment process enables desired metallurgical properties (e.g., precipitate hardening) to be created within the hub disk, while preserving the high temperature properties of the rotor blades and any blade coating present thereon.

Abstract: Methods for processing bonded dual alloy rotors are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a bonded dual alloy rotor including rotor blades bonded to a hub disk. The rotor blades and hub disk are composed of different alloys. A minimum processing temperature (TDISK_PROCESS_MIN) for the hub disk and a maximum critical temperature for the rotor blades (TBLADE_MAX) is established such that TBLADE_MAX is less than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN. A differential heat treatment process is then performed during which the hub disk is heated to processing temperatures equal to or greater than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN, while at least a volumetric majority of each of the rotor blades is maintained at temperatures below TBLADE_MAX. Such a targeted differential heat treatment process enables desired metallurgical properties (e.g., precipitate hardening) to be created within the hub disk, while preserving the high temperature properties of the rotor blades and any blade coating present thereon.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of fabricating the turbine wheels are provided. An exemplary method includes fabricating a turbine wheel that includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount. The method includes locating a cooling passage within a blade mount preliminary configuration and a cooling inlet on a surface of the blade mount preliminary configuration. A rotor disk bonding surface geometry and a blade mount bonding surface geometry are designed based upon a stress analysis of the turbine wheel and locations of the cooling passage and cooling inlet. A rotor disk production configuration and a blade mount production configuration are generated based upon the preliminary configurations. A blade mount and a rotor disk are formed based upon the production configurations. A blade ring including a plurality of blade mounts is formed and bonded to the rotor disk.

Abstract: Turbine wheels, turbine engines, and methods of forming the turbine wheels are provided herein. In an embodiment, a turbine wheel includes a rotor disk and a plurality of turbine blades. Each turbine blade is operatively connected to the rotor disk through a blade mount, which is bonded to the rotor disk. The blade mount and the rotor disk have a fore surface on a higher pressure side thereof and an aft surface on a lower pressure side thereof. The blade mount includes a blade attachment surface that extends between and connects the fore surface and the aft surface. The turbine blade extends from the blade attachment surface. A gap is defined between adjacent blade mounts. The gap separates the blade mounts and extends into the rotor disk. The gap includes a pocket that has a fore opening in the fore surface. A pocket seal is disposed in the pocket.

Abstract: A turbine blade with an integral flow meter is provided. The turbine blade includes a trailing edge and a leading edge opposite the trailing edge. The turbine blade includes at least one cooling passage defined internally within the turbine blade, and the at least one cooling passage is in fluid communication with a source of cooling fluid via an inlet to receive a cooling fluid. The turbine blade also includes at least one flow meter formed within the turbine blade at the inlet that supplies the cooling fluid to the at least one cooling passage.

Abstract: Methods for processing bonded dual alloy rotors are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a bonded dual alloy rotor including rotor blades bonded to a hub disk. The rotor blades and hub disk are composed of different alloys. A minimum processing temperature (TDISK_PROCESS_MIN) for the hub disk and a maximum critical temperature for the rotor blades (TBLADE_MAX) is established such that TBLADE_MAX is less than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN. A differential heat treatment process is then performed during which the hub disk is heated to processing temperatures equal to or greater than TDISK_PROCESS_MIN, while at least a volumetric majority of each of the rotor blades is maintained at temperatures below TBLADE_MAX. Such a targeted differential heat treatment process enables desired metallurgical properties (e.g., precipitate hardening) to be created within the hub disk, while preserving the high temperature properties of the rotor blades and any blade coating present thereon.