Erodable Or Permanently Deformable Patents (Class 415/173.4)
  • Publication number: 20080008581
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with a seal disk that rotates in a closely spaced relationship to a stationary vane. The stationary vane is provided with an abradable tip. The seal disk is provided with alternating portions of a relatively insulating material and a relatively abrasive material. The insulating material can assist the seal disk in resisting thermal expansion. The abrasive material abrades the abradable tip of the stationary vane, ensuring a close, rotating fit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventor: Joseph G. Pilecki
  • Patent number: 7290982
    Abstract: The distributor sectors (25) of a turbomachine are secured adjacent to a casing (31) with sealing sectors (32) alternating with them in the axial direction. The distributor sectors (25) are provided with force resistant faces (37; 39) through which forces exerted on the distributor sectors are transmitted to the casing. The inner surface of the casing (31) is smoother and is not fitted with any hooks; consequently, this casing (31) is less complicated to make and is less mechanically stressed to retain the 10 distributor sectors, and the distributor sectors may be installed by a purely axial movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Patrick J. Girard, Sebastien A. Imbourg, Philippe J. Pabion, Jean-Luc Soupizon
  • Patent number: 7287956
    Abstract: The turbine includes a diaphragm having a seal carrier mounted in opposition to seal teeth carried by the rotary component. The seal carrier includes a seal face having a coating of abradable material enabling the rotary component to abrade the material from the seal face. The seal carrier is removable from the diaphragm and is carried by an axial extension integral with or removable from the outer diaphragm ring. A spring may be interposed between the seal carrier and the stationary component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert James Bracken, Sterling Ray Hathaway, David Orus Fitts, Ron W. Korzun, Laurence Scott Duclos, William Edward Adis, Mark William Kowalczyk, Bernard Arthur Couture
  • Publication number: 20070248457
    Abstract: Rub coatings, and methods for applying rub coatings, are provided for compressor assemblies of gas turbine engine assemblies. The coating may be applied as an initial coating to a new surface of a component, as well as a repair and replacement corrosion resistant rub coating for applying to a previously coated component of a gas turbine engine assembly such as a compressor casing. The method includes the steps of providing a component of a gas turbine engine assembly, the component having predetermined dimensions and specifications for operational use in an engine assembly. The component has a surface having a damaged rub coating thereon, the damaged rub coating not in compliance with the predetermined dimensions and specifications. The method includes removing the non-compliant damaged rub coating to expose the surface. Next, a repair corrosion resistant rub coating comprising MCrAlX is applied to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Albert S. Dodd, Thomas John Tomlinson, William R. Rossey
  • Patent number: 7246990
    Abstract: A composite fan casing for a gas turbine engine is provided includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a core having a plurality of core layers of reinforcing fiber bonded together with a thermosetting polymeric resin. Each core layer includes a plurality of braided reinforcing fibers with the braids of reinforcing fibers aligned in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ming Xie, Stephen C. Mitchell, Donald George LaChapelle, Lee A. Blanton, Richard T. Price, David W. Crall, Frank Worthoff
  • Patent number: 7241108
    Abstract: A cantilevered stator stage for the axial compressor 14 of a gas turbine engine 10 in which the stator tips 26 rub against an abrasive section 24 on the rotor drum 22 during initial running of the engine 10 to abrade the tips 26 of the stator to provide optimised stator tip running clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Leo V Lewis
  • Patent number: 7223067
    Abstract: The flow machine is furnished with an abradable (10) made of a particle composite material. This so-called composite (1) contains granular core particles (2) of a ceramic material. The surfaces (20) of the granular core particles carry functional layers (22) which form an intermediate phase of the composite which is stable at a high operating temperature. The intermediate phase in this process has been produced in situ at least in part by a chemical reaction of a precursor material (22?) and material (21) of the granular core particles on the particle surfaces (20). Bonds (23) are formed between the granular core particles arranged in a porous composite by the intermediate phase. These bonds have a breaking characteristic for abradables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Sulzer Metco (US) Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Wilson, Andreas Franz-Josef Kaiser
  • Patent number: 7163370
    Abstract: A raw material powder having particle sizes of not more than 125 ?m and preferably not more than 75 ?m, such as a powder of an alloy of Co-32% Ni-21% Cr-7.5% Al-0.5% Y is thermally sprayed onto surfaces of shroud members of a shroud to form a coating. The high velocity oxygen-fuel thermal spray method is used as the thermal spray method. In the obtained coating, the porosity is 5% to 30% by volume and the oxygen content is not more than 2% by weight. In particular, when the raw material powder has particle sizes of about 40 ?m, it is possible to obtain the coating which has an extremely small oxygen content of about 0.5% by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kokusho
  • Patent number: 7147429
    Abstract: A turbine assembly includes a shroud for being mounted around a last stage of the low pressure turbine rotor. The shroud includes an arcuate body having spaced-apart forward and aft ends and spaced-apart circumferential ends. Attachments are provided for securing the shroud body to the surrounding engine case. An arcuate extension member protrudes rearward from the aft end of the shroud body. The extension member has an inner surface which defines a portion of the gas flowpath through the engine. Seals may be provided to prevent leakage between adjacent shroud segments. The shroud is especially useful for protecting a downstream turbine frame from debris and thermal stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Paul Czachor, John Alan Manteiga
  • Patent number: 7140834
    Abstract: A turbine including a rotor (1) that is driven by gas and that has a housing (2) enclosing the rotor. The turbine includes a component (6) suspended from the housing (2) that is arranged inside the housing (2) and at least partially beside the rotor (1) with respect to the direction (5) of the gas flow in order to impede any fragments which may come loose from the rotor from penetrating the housing in radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Volvo Aero Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Svensson, Eva Dahl, David Russberg, Roger Sjoqvist, Jan Nilsson, Sten Johansson
  • Patent number: 7097412
    Abstract: A bearing support for a rotor of an aircraft turbine engine which includes a front bearing and a front bearing support and bearing strut for securely attaching the front bearing, to the aircraft turbine engine support structure, wherein the front bearing support and bearing strut are integral with the aircraft turbine engine support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John C. DiTomasso
  • Patent number: 7070387
    Abstract: A housing including an outer casing provided with bearer hooks for stator rings and sealing rings. The hooks are discontinuous angularly and joined to a casing by tenon and mortise assemblies. The hooks and the casing may therefore be made in different materials, the hook material having good resistance to heating and the other material lending itself better to machining and forming. Ventilation, clearance piloting and heat protection are facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Francois Crozet, Daniel Didier, Christian Ducrocq, Sebastien Imbourg, Laurent Palmisano, Jean-Marc Rongvaux, Andrë Verbrugge
  • Patent number: 7059821
    Abstract: A method to facilitate sealing between a rotary component and a stationary component is provided. The rotary component includes at least one bucket secured thereon, the bucket having a flow admission side and a flow exit side. The method includes coupling a spill strip in a gap defined between the rotary and stationary component, wherein the spill strip has a substantially flat contact surface, and coupling a cover to a radially outer tip of the bucket, wherein a protrusion extends from the bucket cover to contact the substantially flat contact surface of the spill strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alison Carol Farrell, Douglas Carl Hofer, Norman Douglas Lathrop, Raymond Kenneth Overbaugh, Jr., Kenneth James Robertson, Michael Joseph Boss
  • Patent number: 7037069
    Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a wear plate for use in combination with a centrifugal pump and impeller. The wear plate has a wear surface defined by a substantially flat surface, a truncated conic section, and/or a curvilinear solid of revolution formed by revolving an area bounded by a curve around a center axis of the wear plate, wherein a notch or recess is provided. The notch or recess extends in a first direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction of rotation of an impeller and a second direction crossing against a direction of rotation of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: The Gorman-Rupp Co.
    Inventors: Kim M. Arnold, Mark L. Kreinbihl, David L. Meister, David W. Oswalt
  • Patent number: 7001144
    Abstract: A bucket tip shroud in a gas turbine includes a seal rail having a cutter tooth at one end. Bucket tip shroud creep rate can be reduced by removing the cutter tooth from the bucket tip shroud seal rail after use or with a pre-groove honeycomb shroud. Preferably, the remaining geometry matches a geometry of the seal rail within a predetermined tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John P. Urban, Pat Mohr, Emilio Fernandez, Hui Kuang, Robert R. Berry
  • Patent number: 7001145
    Abstract: A rotary machine includes a rotatable rotor, buckets radially mounted on and spaced apart about the rotor, a stationary stator/casing disposed about and radially outward from the rotor defining an annular gap between the casing and tips of the buckets, and an abradable seal member provided to the bucket tip portions and disposed within the annular gap such that during differential growth of the rotor and buckets relative to the casing the seal member abrades in response to contact with a base seal member provided to the stator casing. Thereby, clearance between the stator casing and bucket tips is minimized between the moving bucket tips with the stator casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Arthur Couture, Farshad Ghasripoor, Mark William Kowalczyk
  • Patent number: 6991427
    Abstract: A casing section (30) for rotary apparatus (13, 14) of a gas turbine engine (10) is described. The casing section (30) comprises a partially circumferential casing member (32) and a plurality of radially inwardly extending vanes (34) fixed on the casing member (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John M Scott
  • Patent number: 6984107
    Abstract: In a turbine blade for a gas-turbine engine impeller, which is rotationally mounted in a housing, the turbine blade has a blade tip, a leading-edge positioned upstream in the direction of flow, and trailing edge positioned downstream, and includes a blade section, which has a section depth parallel to the direction of flow and a section thickness parallel to the direction of travel of the turbine blade. An abrasive coating, which has an effective length corresponding to the section thickness along the section depth, is applied to the blade tip, the abrasive coating of the blade tip brushing against an abrasion coating, which is introduced into the surrounding housing. Along the section depth, in particular in the region of the leading and trailing edges, the abrasive coating coming into contact with the abrasion coating has an effective length, which may always, continually or very frequently be greater, but at least equal to a predefined, minimum dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Grunke, Lothar Peichl
  • Patent number: 6976824
    Abstract: A gas turbine, in particular a high pressure turbine for an airplane engine, the turbine comprising moving blades (10) with tips that are fitted with radially slidable stubs (26) for being pressed in operation by centrifugal forces against the inside surface of the casing (16) of the turbine in order to eliminate radial clearance between said surface and the tips of the blades (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventor: Claude Nottin
  • Patent number: 6969231
    Abstract: A sealing assembly for disposition in a rotary machine is disposed between a rotary component and a stationary component of the rotary machine. The sealing assembly includes at least one sealing strip affixed by caulking to one of the rotary and stationary components. An abradable portion is disposed on another of the rotary and stationary components and is positioned radially opposite to the at least one sealing strip. The abradable portion includes a thermal spray coated material, and the thermal spray coated material includes Cobalt, Nickel, Chromium, Aluminum, Yttrium (CoNiCrAlY) and further includes a material selected from the group consisting of hexagonal boron nitride, a thermoset polymer, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Farshad Ghasripoor, Norman Arnold Turnquist, Bernard Arthur Courture, Ronald Wayne Korzun
  • Patent number: 6969239
    Abstract: A stator vane assembly for a compressor of a gas turbine engine, including a stator vane having an inner portion and an outer portion, a platform attached to the outer portion of the stator vane, a casing for the gas turbine engine, wherein the outer platform of the stator vane is attached to the casing in a manner so that an open area is defined therebetween, and a member positioned within the defined open area for damping vibrations transmitted from the casing to the outer platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carl Grant, David Curr Douglas, Stephen Rex Payling, James Vota
  • Patent number: 6966752
    Abstract: A jacket ring for the low-pressure-turbine region of a gas turbine, having a plurality of lined-up segments which are arranged between a moving blade ring with a shroud band and the casing of the gas turbine, which carry a run-in lining and which hold guide blades in a positive-locking manner, wherein each segment comprises a hot-gas-side seal carrier and a casing-side securing element, the seal carrier and the securing element are at the greatest possible distance from one another and only have common contact points which are as small as possible, and the securing element is axially supported directly on the casing of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Gieg, Helmut Groess, Klemens Hain
  • Patent number: 6962482
    Abstract: A shroud segment for being incorporated in a gas turbine engine having a turbine case and a rear turbine case connected with a rear end of the turbine case so as to suppress influence of hot combustion gas on the turbine case and the rear turbine case, is provided with a back plate formed in an arc shape and supported by the turbine case, a touching member integrally formed on an inner surface of the back plate for touching with a rotating turbine blade; and a jet shield extended from a rear end of the back plate and slanted radially inward so as to shield the rear turbine case from a jet of the hot combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Agamu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6962484
    Abstract: This arrangement relates to a moving blade (1), cast in one piece, for a turbomachine, in particular a turbine or compressor, comprising an aerodynamically shaped profile body (2) which has a shroud band (5). The shroud band (5) projects beyond the profile body (2) in the circumferential direction (6) and has a fin (12). The fin (12) possesses a base portion (14), a transitional portion (15) and a sealing portion (16). An axially measured wall thickness decreases in a transitional portion (15) from the base portion (14) to the sealing portion (16). To avoid a porous structure in the base portion (14), two depressions (17), which reduce the wall thickness of the base portion (14), are integrally molded on the outside of the base portion (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology LTD
    Inventors: Herbert Brandl, Alexander Hoffs
  • Patent number: 6939104
    Abstract: A turbine blade including a head at its peripherally outer end, and on the outside face thereof at least one wiper is formed having a first end portion and a second end portion, with a wiper tip extending between the two end portions. The first portion situated on the suction side of the blade is taller than the second end portion to form a sawtooth effect between the wipers of two adjacent blades mounted on a turbine rotor. The tip of each wiper presents a convex surface between the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Giot Chantal, Jean-Luc Soupizon
  • Patent number: 6913445
    Abstract: A tip shroud for use with a bucket of a turbine. The tip shroud may include a seal rail with a middle portion and a cutter tooth mounted about the middle portion of the seal rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas B. Beddard, Carlos A. Collado
  • Patent number: 6913436
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor blade containment assembly comprises a generally cylindrical, or frustoconical, stiff containment casing (54), a generally cylindrical, or frustoconical, flexible structure (62) arranged within and spaced radially from the stiff containment casing (54) by crushable structures (64, 66) at axially spaced positions on the flexible structure (62). A viscoelastic material (68) is arranged to fill the space (70) between the stiff containment casing (54), the flexible structure (62) and the crushable structures (64, 66). The viscoelastic material (68) provides local stiffening of the blade containment assembly in the region of a fan blade (34) impact and provides energy dissipation by viscoelastic damping of the flexing of the flexible structure (62) and plastic deformation in the crushing of the crushable structures (64, 66).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Alison J McMillan, Ian C D Care
  • Patent number: 6905305
    Abstract: An engine casing (16) encloses a rotor (15) and has a wall the inner surface (17) of which has slots (20) therein. An abradable lining (19) is attached to the inner surface (17) of the wall and extends across the slots (20). The abradable lining (19) is fluid permeable so that in operation a fluid passes through the lining (19) and recirculates in the slots (20). Recirculation of the fluid within the slots (20) increases the aerodynamic efficiency of the rotor (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Malcolm R James
  • Patent number: 6905302
    Abstract: A turbine wall includes a metal substrate having front and back surfaces. A thermal barrier coating is bonded atop the front surface. A network of flow channels is laminated between the substrate and the coating for carrying an air coolant therebetween for cooling the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Ramgopal Darolia
  • Patent number: 6896485
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine in which a proper clearance is kept between a rotor blade and a shroud for a long period of time from the operation start, so that damage to the rotor blade is less liable to occur. In a turbine portion of the gas turbine in accordance with the present invention, the rotor blade and the shroud face each other. At the tip end of the rotor blade is formed an abrasive layer, and on the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is formed a heat insulating layer. The abrasive layer is formed of a matrix and many abrasive particles dispersed in the matrix. The abrasive particles include protruding particles protruding from the matrix and embedded particles embedded in the matrix. In initial sliding of the rotor blade and the shroud at the early stage of operation, the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is ground by the protruding particles. After the protruding particles have disappeared, the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is ground by the embedded particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Ohara, Masahiko Mega
  • Patent number: 6890150
    Abstract: A turbine bucket includes an airfoil having a tip shroud, a shank and an entry dovetail; a tip shroud seal projecting radially outwardly from the tip shroud and extending continuously between end edges of the tip shroud in a direction of rotation of the airfoil about a turbine axis; a cutter tooth carried by the tip shroud seal for enlarging a groove in an opposing fixed shroud, the cutter tooth having a center point located with reference to X, Y and Z axes, where the X-axis extends axially in an exhaust flow direction; the Y-axis extends in a direction of rotation of the turbine bucket; and the Z-axis extends radially through the intersection of the X and Y axes; wherein the center point is located about ½ inch along the Y-axis from the X=0 position, and wherein the Z-axis is located 0.517 inches from an outside edge of a seal pin extending along said entry dovetail, as measured in a direction normal to the shank of the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Eric Tomberg
  • Patent number: 6887037
    Abstract: A boat impeller seal assembly for preventing leakage of debris into the impeller assembly between the impeller housing and the impeller mount. The boat impeller seal assembly includes an impeller assembly including an impeller housing having an open end and also having a bore being disposed therethrough and further having an annular flange being disposed at the open end; and also includes an impeller mount being connected to the impeller housing and having an open end and also having a bore being disposed therethrough and further having an annular flange being disposed at the open end thereof; and further includes a wear seal member being securely and removably disposed in the impeller housing and the impeller mount for preventing debris from entering the impeller housing through the connection between the impeller housing and said impeller mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventor: Norris E. Bates
  • Patent number: 6887036
    Abstract: A tip of rotor blade which rotates is an abradable surface. An inner wall of a shroud as a jacket for the rotor blade is an abrasive surface. A part of an abrasive particle protrudes from the abradable surface. When the tip of the rotor blade which rotates contacts the inner wall of the shroud, the protruding section of the abrasive particle slides with the abrasive surface so as to be ground. By doing this, a turbine which can maintain an appropriate clearance between the rotor blade and the shroud and can be used for a long period under high-temperature conditions with easy restoration and remaking thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Ohara, Nobuhiro Kunitake
  • Patent number: 6881029
    Abstract: The casing of the invention is of the type supporting series of stationary blades having disposed between them series of blades that are movable in rotation about a longitudinal axis. In characteristic manner, said casing comprises a main element and, at least facing one of the series of moving blades, an assembly comprising a plate made of a honeycomb material and a covering disposed on the face of the plate facing away from the blades so that said cells are open towards the blades, said covering being provided with holes that open out into cells of the plate, thereby forming open cells, said covering closing other cells of the plate, thereby forming closed cells, a cavity being formed between said plate and the inside face of said main element. Preferably, the casing forms the casing of an axial compressor operating at low pressure in a turbojet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventors: Philippe Le Biez, Yann Lebret, Claude Mons
  • Patent number: 6851926
    Abstract: A turbine bucket and cover assembly includes a bucket having a shank portion and an airfoil portion separated by a platform portion; and a bucket cover arranged on a sloped radially outer tip of the airfoil portion, the bucket cover having a radially inner surface matching the sloped edge and a radially outer surface lying in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis of a rotor on which the bucket is adapted to be mounted. A related method includes the steps of a) providing a bucket cover having substantially parallel radially inner and outer surface; b) removing material from the bucket cover so as to form a new radially outer surface defining an acute angle relative to the radially inner surface; and c) securing the bucket cover on the sloped airfoil tip of the turbine bucket such that the radially outer surface is substantially parallel to the turbine rotor axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Leonid Yulyevich Guinessine, Anil Kumar Tolpadi
  • Patent number: 6830428
    Abstract: The coating of abradable material presents cavities opening out into the surface of the coating, the cavities extending over a fraction of the thickness of the coating and being defined by walls which form a plurality of continuous paths at the inside surface of the annular portion between the axial end faces thereof, and which form an angle of not less than 5° relative to the general direction of end portions of blades that might come into contact with the abradable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventors: Philippe Le Biez, Joël Vigneau
  • Publication number: 20040219010
    Abstract: A material system (60) contains close packed hollow shapes (50, 70) having a dense wall structure (52, 66), which are bonded together and which may contain a matrix binder material (56) between the shapes, where the system has a stable porosity, and is abradable and thermally stable at temperatures up to possibly 1700° C., where such systems are useful in turbine apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Gary Brian Merrill, Jay Alan Morrison
  • Publication number: 20040208743
    Abstract: The shroud includes a seal extending continuously between leading and trailing edges of the shroud at the tip of the airfoil. A cutter tooth is provided substantially medially of the shroud and in substantial radial alignment with a line through the center of mass of the airfoil. In this manner, any moment arm generated by movement of the shroud is eliminated or minimized to reduce the stresses in the fillet region between the shroud and the airfoil tip and hence increase the creep life of the bucket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventor: John Paul Urban
  • Patent number: 6805530
    Abstract: The shroud includes a seal extending continuously between leading and trailing edges of the shroud at the tip of the airfoil. A cutter tooth is provided substantially medially of the shroud and in substantial radial alignment with a line through the center of mass of the airfoil. In this manner, any moment arm generated by movement of the shroud is eliminated or minimized to reduce the stresses in the fillet region between the shroud and the airfoil tip and hence increase the creep life of the bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Paul Urban
  • Patent number: 6783324
    Abstract: A bleed case assembly is provided comprising an annular outer case and an inner case. The inner case comprises an annular shroud portion having a radially outer surface opposite a radially inner surface, and a generally planar flange extending radially outwardly from the radially outer surface. The flange includes a circumferential array of bleed openings formed therethrough. The flange is attached to the outer case so as to reduce the thermal response of the inner case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Richard Martin Muny
  • Patent number: 6758653
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component for a combustion turbine engine (10). A blade shroud assembly (30) may be formed to include a CMC member (32) supported from a metal support member (32). The CMC member includes arcuate portions (50, 52) shaped to surround extending portions (46, 48) of the support member to insulate the metal support member from hot combustion gas (16). The use of a low thermal conductivity CMC material allows the metal support member to be in direct contact with the CMC material. The gap (42) between the CMC member and the support member is kept purposefully small to limit the stress developed in the CMC member when it is deflected against the support member by the force of a rubbing blade tip (14). Changes in the gap dimension resulting from differential thermal growth may be regulated by selecting an angle (A) of a tapered slot (76) defined by the arcuate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: Jay Morrison
  • Patent number: 6755619
    Abstract: A turbine blade has an airfoil section with a root end and a tip end, and an attachment at the root end of the airfoil section. A blade tip seal is joined to the tip end of the airfoil section. The blade tip seal is formed as an open-cell solid aluminum oxide foam made of aluminum oxide cell walls having intracellular volume therebetween. The blade tip seal has a blade interface region adjacent to the tip end of the airfoil section. The blade interface region is formed of the aluminum oxide foam and a nickel-base alloy within the intracellular volume. The blade tip seal also has a contact region remote from the blade interface region and comprising the aluminum foam wherein the intracellular volume is porosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard John Grylls, Curtiss Mitchell Austin, Jerry Donald Schell
  • Patent number: 6739830
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fan blade containment assembly (38) comprising a generally cylindrical, or frustoconical, metal casing (40) which has an inner surface (62), an outer surface (64), an upstream flange (42) and a downstream flange (52). The outer surface (62) of the metal casing (40) is provided with a pattern of blind apertures (66) which extend radially inwardly from the outer surface (62) of the metal casing (40) between the flanges (42,52). The fan blade containment has reduced weight of the metal casing (40) of the fan blade containment assembly (38) for a large diameter turbofan gas turbine engine (10) but has unimpaired stiffness and penetration resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Sivasubramaniam K Sathianathan, Julian M Reed, Paul Hodgson, David Geary, Ian G Martindale
  • Publication number: 20040096318
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine in which a proper clearance is kept between a rotor blade and a shroud for a long period of time from the operation start, so that damage to the rotor blade is less liable to occur. In a turbine portion of the gas turbine in accordance with the present invention, the rotor blade and the shroud face each other. At the tip end of the rotor blade is formed an abrasive layer, and on the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is formed a heat insulating layer. The abrasive layer is formed of a matrix and many abrasive particles dispersed in the matrix. The abrasive particles include protruding particles protruding from the matrix and embedded particles embedded in the matrix. In initial sliding of the rotor blade and the shroud at the early stage of operation, the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is ground by the protruding particles. After the protruding particles have disappeared, the inner peripheral surface of the shroud is ground by the embedded particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Minoru Ohara, Masahiko Mega
  • Publication number: 20040086377
    Abstract: A rotor system for a gas turbine engine is provided having an outer rotor which includes an annular outer spool that comprises at least one ring portion of increased thickness with respect to the remainder of the outer spool, attached to a relatively thinner, axially extending arm portion. A plurality of outer turbine blades are attached to the ring portion of the outer spool and extend radially inwardly into a working gas flowpath of the engine. A casing surrounds the outer spool and defines an annular cavity between the casing and the outer spool, which is sealed by forward and aft brush seals at the forward and aft ends thereof. At least one inlet port is formed through the casing for admitting a flow of cooling air to the annular cavity. Means are provided for directing this cooling air flow to the ring portion of the outer spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Proctor, James Patrick Dolan, John Christopher Brauer, Christopher Charles Glynn, Kenneth Martin Lewis
  • Patent number: 6726391
    Abstract: A device for fastening and fixing components to a cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall may be both the convex-cylindrical outer contour of a cylinder and the concave-cylindrical inner contour of a hollow cylinder, in which the component is fixed in the radial, axial and circumferential directions. The fastening and fixing is effected by shaped elements which are attached to the component and by a counterpart to each shaped element on the wall. In each case a shaped element and a counterpart interlock, such that the component has at least three shaped elements, of which at least one shaped element has a defined accuracy of fit with its associated counterpart in the radial direction and has clearance in the axial and circumferential directions. At least one shaped element has a defined accuracy of fit with its associated counterpart in the axial direction and has clearance in the radial and circumferential directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Erhard Kreis, Christoph Nagler, Ulrich Rathmann
  • Publication number: 20040047726
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component for a combustion turbine engine (10). A blade shroud assembly (30) may be formed to include a CMC member (32) supported from a metal support member (32). The CMC member includes arcuate portions (50, 52) shaped to surround extending portions (46, 48) of the support member to insulate the metal support member from hot combustion gas (16). The use of a low thermal conductivity CMC material allows the metal support member to be in direct contact with the CMC material. The gap (42) between the CMC member and the support member is kept purposefully small to limit the stress developed in the CMC member when it is deflected against the support member by the force of a rubbing blade tip (14). Changes in the gap dimension resulting from differential thermal growth may be regulated by selecting an angle (A) of a tapered slot (76) defined by the arcuate portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: Jay Morrison
  • Publication number: 20040013518
    Abstract: An arrangement for a gas turbine engine comprises a compressor and its surrounding casing. The casing has a generally cylindrical inner surface, one cylindrical section of the inner casing being provided with a circumferential array of recesses. An axially adjacent cylindrical section of the inner casing surface is provided with an abradable lining. The tips of the rotor blades of the compressor are provided with a treated portion at least partly axially aligned with the recesses in the inner casing, the remaining untreated portion of the rotor blade tips being at least partly axially aligned with the lined section of the inner casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventor: Richard S. Booth
  • Publication number: 20030228483
    Abstract: A thermal spray composition and method of deposition for abradable seals for use in gas turbine engines, turbochargers and steam turbines. The thermal spray composition includes a solid lubricant and a ceramic preferably comprising 5 to 60 wt % total of the composition in a ratio of 1:7 to 20:1 of solid lubricant to ceramic, the balance a matrix-forming metal alloy selected from Ni, Co, Cu, Fe and Al and combinations and alloys thereof. The solid lubricant is at least one of hexagonal boron nitride, graphite, calcium fluoride, lithium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, barium fluoride, tungsten disulfide and molybdenum disulfide particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Petr Fiala, Anthony Peter Chilkowich, Karel Hajmrle
  • Patent number: 6652226
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a non-rotatable member that includes a honeycomb seal that reduces wear to rotor seal teeth disposed within the gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine also includes a rotatable annular member including a sealing assembly disposed between rotor and stator components. The rotatable annular member includes seal teeth that extend radially outward from the rotatable annular member. The stator components include a non-rotatable member that includes a honeycomb seal that extends radially inward. The honeycomb seal is fabricated from a material that has a melting temperature less than approximately 2000° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Richard William Albrecht, Jr., Joseph Charles Kulesa, Robert Paul Czachor, Shesh Krishna Srivatsa, Daniel Edward Wines, Thomas Tracy Wallace