Axially Extending Shroud Ring Or Casing Patents (Class 416/189)
  • Patent number: 10099434
    Abstract: An airfoil structure is presented. The airfoil structure includes an outer casing substantially surrounding a composite core. The composite core includes a plurality of fiber bands, each of the plurality of fiber bands is placed at a predetermined position and orientation at a time, wherein the plurality of fiber bands are interwoven in an in-plane and out-of-plane orientation by interleaving each of the plurality of fiber bands placed in a plane with one or more of the plurality of fiber bands of an adjacent plane to define an interleaved structure. A method for manufacturing an airfoil structure including the composite core is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Todd Alan Anderson, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Gregory Carl Gemeinhardt, Michael Harvey Schneider
  • Patent number: 10001128
    Abstract: A fan impeller includes a plurality of fan blade assembly members, each one of the fan blade assembly members respectively includes a metal ring bracket and a plurality of metal blades, one end of each one of the metal blades is respectively connected to the corresponding metal ring bracket and the plurality of metal blades of each one of the fan blade assembly members arranged radially to circumference the corresponding metal ring bracket. The metal ring brackets are configured to stack with each other and the metal blades are arranged in a radial centric row, a width of at least one portion of each one of the metal blades is not smaller than a distance between any two adjacent metal blades along a fan impeller circumferential direction. Accordingly, metal blades of a greater width can be densely arranged on the fan impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: COOLER MASTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chen-Yang Lin, Kuo-Chun Hung
  • Patent number: 9914515
    Abstract: Barrel extension assemblies for structural modification of a propeller barrel on a marine propeller include a ring housing having a ring housing interior, the ring housing adapted to detachably engage an interior surface of the propeller barrel at a trailing barrel edge for structural modification of the propeller barrel. Barrel extension methods for modifying performance of a marine vessel are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Inventor: Charles S. Powers
  • Patent number: 9903206
    Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blades. The blades are disposed around an outer periphery of the hub. Each of the blades includes a connecting end, a sweep-back part and a sweep-forward part. The connecting end is coupled with the hub. The sweep-back part is disposed at an edge of the blade and extended from the connecting end. An extending direction of the sweep-back part is opposed to a rotating direction of the impeller. The sweep-forward part is extended from the sweep-back part. An extending direction of the sweep-forward part is the same as the rotating direction of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Po-Hao Yu, Shir-Harn Yeh
  • Patent number: 9765632
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a blade or vane ring segment for a gas turbine, in particular for an aero engine, and also to a correspondingly produced blade or vane ring segment, the process comprising: forging at least two blanks made of a TiAl material, joining the blanks to form a blade or vane ring by means of an integral connection process, and remachining of the blank composite by material-removing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventor: Karl-Hermann Richter
  • Patent number: 9568015
    Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes a fan frame, a stator assembly and an impeller. The fan frame has a base plate portion, a cover plate portion and a lateral wall portion. The cover plate portion has an air inlet, and the lateral wall portion has an air outlet. The impeller includes a rotating member, a plurality of blades and a connection ring. The rotating member is coupled with the stator assembly. Each blade has a windward edge and a lateral edge. The windward edge faces the air inlet, the lateral edge faces the lateral wall portion, and the connection ring is arranged on the windward edges of the blades. The windward edge has a first coupling edge, and the connection ring has a second coupling edge. A part of the windward edge between the first coupling edge and the lateral edge extends downwards in a curved manner, forming a truncating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 9551345
    Abstract: A leading edge of a rotating blade of an impeller is formed in an arc recessed in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the impeller. An angle where an extended line of the recessed arc of the leading edge meets another extended line of a curve of a side edge is set in an acute angle of 30 to 37 degrees in a front view so that a leading tip of the rotating blade may be projected in the rotating direction. An opening angle of a suction-side slant portion of a venturi casing is set in the range of 12 to 17 degrees and an opening angle of a discharge-side slant portion is set in the range of 30 to 35 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 9249783
    Abstract: Multiple horizontal axis type rotors are coaxially attached along the upper section of an elongate torque transmitting tower/driveshaft, The tower/driveshaft projects upward from a cantilevered bearing, and is bent downwind, until the rotors become sufficiently aligned with the wind to rotate the entire tower/driveshaft, Power is drawn from the shaft at the base. Surface mount, subsurface mount, and marine installations, including a sailboat, are disclosed. Blade-to-blade lashing, and vertical axis rotor blades may also be included. Vertical and horizontal axis type rotor blades may be interconnected along the length of the tower/driveshaft to form a structural lattice, and the central shaft may even be eliminated. Aerodynamic lifting bodies or tails, buoyant lifting bodies, buoyant rotor blades, and methods of influencing the tilt of the rotors, can help elevate the structure. This wind turbine can have as few as one single moving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Inventor: Douglas Spriggs Selsam
  • Patent number: 9243610
    Abstract: A fluid powered turbine, such as a wind turbine (10), has a hollow column (12) in which a rotating turbine is housed. A fluid directing structure (14) is supported at or near an end of the column (12) remote from the turbine. The fluid directing structure (14) has a plurality of individual inlet openings (26) spaced around its periphery and is arranged to direct air at each inlet opening into an inner pipe (18). The incoming air is constricted both within the structure (14) and as it exits the column (12) whereby its speed is sufficient to rotate the turbine (20). The structure at the top of the column (12) generally requires no maintenance and maintenance of the turbine (20) is considerably easier than with traditional wind generators as access is easy. As the turbine is enclosed, it is safer than the traditional wind generators and less noisy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Funnelhead Limited
    Inventor: Rajeshwar Rao Degala
  • Patent number: 9234521
    Abstract: A ring-type fan includes a frame having a receiving space defined between an air inlet and an air outlet thereof and being provided along an inner side of the air outlet with an inward projected wall portion; an impeller assembly rotatably mounted in the receiving space and including spaced impellers outward extended from a hub, and a ring member connected to radially outer ends of the impellers and externally provided with a circle of stop section, which and the projected wall portion together define an air passage between them; and at least one pressure relief section defining an airflow guide on the frame to communicate with the receiving space and the air passage. Any backflow can be guided out of the frame via the air passage and the pressure relief section without interfering with the inflow of air, allowing the ring-type fan to have upgraded heat dissipation performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Hao Liu
  • Patent number: 9162749
    Abstract: A blade (1) for a tail anti-torque device of a helicopter, said device comprising a ducted rotor (13). The blade (1) has an assembly of sections, a leading edge (2) and a trailing edge (3); a stacking line (4) of the profiles extending at a distance lying in the range 25% to 50% of the chord (C). The stacking line (4) presents a shape that is curved having successively from the root (5) to the end (6) of the blade a back sweep, a forward sweep, and a last back sweep; and a chord (C) that becomes larger going towards the end (6) of the blade (1) over at least the end profile (1a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Marc Gervais, Benoit Gresle, Sebastein Finck, Laurent Sudre
  • Patent number: 9097262
    Abstract: A fan includes an impeller having a plurality of blades. Each of the plurality of blades has a trailing edge portion positioned rearmost in a rotation direction and a leading edge portion positioned foremost in the rotation direction. A curved line interconnects the trailing edge portion and the leading edge portion at the shortest distance on an imaginary cylindrical surface. Each of the blades includes a lower surface facing downward in the direction of the center axis and an upper surface facing upward in the direction of the center axis. In the fan, L1/L2 decreases from a radial inner side toward a radial outer side, where L1 denotes the longest distance on the imaginary cylindrical surface between the curved line and a camber line and L2 denotes a length of the curved line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Tsukida
  • Publication number: 20150118079
    Abstract: A turbocharger (5) comprising a housing (10) including a compressor shroud (14) and a turbine shroud (12). A compressor wheel (18) is disposed in the compressor shroud (14) and includes a plurality of compressor blades (45, 46). Each compressor blade (45, 46) includes a leading edge (50, 51) and a compressor shroud contour edge (54, 55), wherein each compressor shroud contour edge (54, 55) is in close confronting relation to the compressor shroud (14). A turbine wheel (16) is disposed in the turbine shroud (12) and includes a plurality of turbine blades (26). Each turbine blade (26) includes a leading edge (30) and a turbine shroud contour edge (34), wherein each turbine shroud contour edge (34) is in close confronting relation to the turbine shroud (12). At least one of the compressor shroud (14) and turbine shroud (12) includes a plurality of grooves (70, 72) extending cross-wise with respect to the corresponding compressor or turbine shroud contour edges (34, 54, 55).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Stephanie Dextraze, David G. Grabowska
  • Patent number: 9004864
    Abstract: A wind turbine having a set of curved blades mounted on a central rotatable hub. Each of the blades has a defined pitch angle, to a rotational axis of the hub, along the blade from the hub to the tip. A curve is provided on the wind contact surface along each of the blades over the blade surface from the leading edge of the blade to the trailing edge of the blade by an amount between about 6 and about 24 degrees. The defined pitch angle from any point along the leading edge of the blade being defined by the arc-sine of a ratio of blade velocity to apparent wind velocity, with a variance of ±30 percent of the complementary angle to the arc-sine; and apparatus for varying the velocity of the blade to control power output so that it is within fifteen percent of maximum obtainable power of the blade most distant from the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Inventor: Kean W. Stimm
  • Patent number: 8992163
    Abstract: An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignees: Thoratec Corporation, The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark W. McBride, Thomas M. Mallison, Gregory P. Dillon, Robert L. Campbell, David A. Boger, Stephen A. Hambric, Robert F. Kunz, James P. Runt, Justin M. Walsh, Boris Leschinsky
  • Publication number: 20150071782
    Abstract: A fan impeller for the conveyance of a gaseous fluid includes several blades arranged with constant angular spacing around a rotation axis. At least one blade has a boundary zone and an inner zone, together with a bead extending between them along a curved path and/or the boundary zone is determined by a first blade surface and the inner zone is determined by a second blade surface, which are arranged with varying geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Henning BÄHREN, Christian HORNHARDT, Matthias WOLF, Yingan XIA
  • Publication number: 20150064011
    Abstract: An impeller includes a fan frame, a hub, a plurality of axial blades and a plurality of wind guiding blades. The fan frame has a wind inlet, a wind outlet and an inner ring-shaped oblique surface, wherein the wind inlet is opposite to the wind outlet, and the inner ring-shaped oblique surface is formed at an inner side wall of the fan frame and adjacent to the wind inlet. The hub is disposed in the fan frame. The axial blades are connected to the inner side wall of the fan frame and the hub. The wind guiding blades protrude from the inner ring-shaped oblique surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Shiman Xu, Jiasheng Lai, Wen-Chun Hsu
  • Publication number: 20150064010
    Abstract: The present application provides a turbine bucket. The turbine bucket may include an airfoil and a tip shroud attached to the airfoil. The tip shroud may include a cooling core and an enhanced cooling surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiuzhang James Zhang, Melbourne James Myers, Robert Joseph Testa, Jr., Haiping Wang
  • Patent number: 8967972
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Herbert Brandl, Igor Tsypkakyin, Philipp Indlekofer
  • Fan
    Patent number: 8961109
    Abstract: A fan includes a frame, rotor supported by this frame and having a central hub and a number of blades and a drive mechanism for rotatably driving the rotor, in addition to a ring to which the end zones of the blades are connected. The ring is assembled from two part-rings of the same form which each include a circular strip of sheet material, the free ends of which are mutually connected to form the outer surface of a truncated cone, and a third part-ring which mutually connects the inner edges of the first two part-rings. The end zones of the blades are connected to the third part-ring. The ring has a diameter of more than about 1.50 m. The number of blades amounts to at least eight. The blades are hollow and include a framework structure which is provided with a skin connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Bronswerk Heat Transfer B.V.
    Inventor: Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria Bertels
  • Patent number: 8920126
    Abstract: An object is to provide a turbine and a turbine rotor blade in which it is possible to ensure the strength of the turbine rotor blade and to improve the performance thereof. The turbine includes: rotor blades that rotate about a rotational axis in a main flow channel of a casing; stator vanes that are disposed in the casing; a tip shroud that is disposed at a radially-outward end of each of the rotor blades and whose length in the direction along the rotational axis is reduced as the distance from the rotor blade increases; and a cavity portion that is formed at a position in the casing facing the rotor blades and in which the tip shroud is accommodated. An inclination angle of the inner periphery of the tip shroud is larger than an average inclination angle that is an inclination angle of the inner periphery of the casing, averaged from the trailing edge of the stator vanes disposed at the upstream side of a main flow to the cavity portion disposed at the downstream side of the main flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Iida
  • Patent number: 8918995
    Abstract: A method of repairing a damaged notch fillet radius of a turbine blade shroud includes a replacement notch fillet radius and a hardface nugget. The damaged notch fillet radius is blended out and a hardface structure positioned proximate the damaged notch fillet radius is removed. A replacement notch fillet radius is formed with weld filler and the hardface nugget is welded to at least a portion of the replacement notch fillet radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy A. Milleville
  • Patent number: 8915717
    Abstract: The impeller wheel is rotatably supported about a central axis and has a hub on which vanes are arranged. The vane has across its radial length at least similar profiled sections, viewed in cylindrical section through the vane. The radial outermost profiled section which is positioned on a cylindrical enveloping surface of the impeller wheel has a greater displacement relative to the neighboring profiled section than this neighboring profiled section to its neighboring profiled section. The impeller wheel can also be provided on the radial outer edge with at least one projecting flow element whose axial height has a maximum in the area of the leading edge and of the trailing edge of the vane. The impeller wheels, while having a simple constructive configuration, provide a great noise reduction in operation of the ventilator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Ziehl-Abegg AG
    Inventors: Michael Stephan, Ralf Neumeier, Volker Kress
  • Patent number: 8894366
    Abstract: This wheel comprises a plurality of vanes (2) arranged on a crown (3) and is equipped with a tip-forming member (10) attached to a central region (32) of the crown or hub of the wheel (1), radially inside the vanes (2), the crown defining a wet surface (31) for guiding a flow (E) passing between the vanes. The tip-forming member (10) is provided with at least one opening (121) for diverting a fraction (E1) of the flow towards the internal volume (V10) of this member. This member comprises a frustoconical annular skirt (11) and at least one fin (15) arranged in its internal volume (V10) and able to modify the path of the flow fraction (E1) entering this volume through the opening (121). This fin (15) extends as far as the edge (112) of the skirt (11) which defines an outlet opening (14) of the member (10) for the flow fraction (E1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Farid Mazzouji, Danièle Bazin, Michel Couston, Claude Beral, Jacques Bremond
  • Patent number: 8881397
    Abstract: A method for designing an air cooled turbine airfoil includes selecting a number of different internal cooling air circuits, forming a ceramic core for each of the different cooling air circuits, forming a metal airfoil over each of the ceramic cores, leaching away the ceramic cores, mounting the airfoils in a stage of a turbine, passing a hot gas stream through the turbine, passing cooling air through each of the airfoils, and measuring a pressure and temperature differential across each of the airfoils to determine which cooling air circuit has the best performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam R Dowd
  • Publication number: 20140314575
    Abstract: Provided is a turbo fan. The turbo fan includes a main plate rotating by a fan motor providing power and a plurality of blades having one ends connected to the main plate, the plurality of blades being disposed along a circumferential direction on the main plate. Each of the plurality of blades includes a first curved part curved in one direction with respect to an extension part and a second curved part curved in the other direction with respect to the extension part. A plurality of projections protruding in one direction from the one end of the blade and a plurality of grooves protruding in the other direction are alternately disposed on the first and second curved parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Namjoon Cho, Dongkeun Yang, Youngmin Park
  • Patent number: 8840361
    Abstract: A fan blade (10) for a turbofan aero engine comprises a blade body including a root (10c) for engagement with a rotor, and a tip, wherein the tip is provided with a winglet (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Kristofer J. Bottome
  • Patent number: 8827649
    Abstract: A fan assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a hub; and a plurality of blades including a leading edge corresponding to a side hit by air and a trailing edge corresponding to an opposite side of the leading ledge, the plurality of blades configured to be extended radially from an outer peripheral surface of the hub, wherein each of the plurality of blades includes a first part extended radially from the outer peripheral surface of the hub, a bent part stepped on the end of the first part, and a second part further extended radially on the end of the bent part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myoungju Kang, Jindong Kim, Hosan Kim
  • Patent number: 8821123
    Abstract: A double-ducted fan includes a hub, a rotor having a plurality of blades rotatably and coupled to the hub, a first duct, a second duct, and a channel defined between the first duct and second duct. The first duct circumscribes the rotor, and the second duct circumscribes at least a portion of the first duct. The second duct can be oriented axially upward such that there is an axial distance is between the leading edges of the first duct and second duct. The channel can be configured to direct air flow cross-wise to the first duct over a top of the first duct into the inlet side of the fan. The second duct can be movable relative to the first duct to adjust at least a portion of the channel. The length of the first duct can be different from the length of the second duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Cengiz Camci, Ali Akturk
  • Patent number: 8794903
    Abstract: A wind energy systems includes a shroud for each turbine. The shroud is adapted to direct and accelerate wind towards the turbine. A strong adaptable support assembly is provided for securing turbines to a structure. An air glide yaw assembly facilitates rotational movement of the structure allowing the turbines to face oncoming wind. The turbine blades are optimized for use with a shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Green Energy Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John W. Fedor, Mark L. Cironi
  • Patent number: 8777554
    Abstract: A fan system is disclosed having a forward fan stage configured to pressurize an airflow and an aft fan stage having a tip-fan configured to pressurize a first portion of a pressurized air flow from the forward fan stage wherein the aft fan stage is driven by a second portion of the pressurized airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Lewis Baughman
  • Publication number: 20140193260
    Abstract: A radial pump for water has a drive motor, a pump chamber and an impeller revolving in the pump chamber. The impeller has a plurality of impeller blades which are designed, at least in regions, to be elastic and have a fixed mounting arranged in a region located near the impeller axis of rotation. They can bend elastically radially outward from this fixed mounting counter to a spring force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Volker Block, Tobias Albert
  • Publication number: 20140169972
    Abstract: An integrally bladed rotor for use in a gas turbine engine includes a central hub; a plurality of airfoils extending from the central hub, each airfoil with a tip, a leading edge and a trailing edge; and a shroud with a metallic portion connecting to the tip of each airfoil to rotate with the airfoils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 8753093
    Abstract: A turbine bucket includes an airfoil portion and a tip shroud at a radially outer end of the airfoil portion. The tip shroud includes a first radially inner tip shroud component formed integrally with the airfoil portion and composed of a first metal material, and a second radially outer structural tip shroud component composed of a second metal material bonded to the first radially inner tip shroud component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gary Liotta
  • Publication number: 20140147283
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for modifying an airfoil shroud located at a tip of an airfoil of a airfoil, the airfoil shroud having a first end edge, a second end edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The method includes locating a reference location in the first end edge of the airfoil shroud, the reference location being proximate a seal rail extending circumferentially from the substantially horizontal surface and forming a relief cut in the airfoil shroud to remove the reference location, wherein a modifying of the airfoil shroud is complete following forming of the relief cut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John David Ward, Jr., Kelvin Rono Aaron, James Ryan Connor, Melbourne James Myers, Brad Wilson VanTassel
  • Publication number: 20140147284
    Abstract: A turbine engine, bucket and method for modifying an airfoil shroud of turbine bucket is disclosed. A reference location is located in a second end edge of the airfoil shroud proximate a seal rail of the airfoil shroud. A relief cut is formed in the airfoil shroud to remove the reference location. Additionally, another reference location may be located in a first end edge of the airfoil shroud proximate the seal rail. Another relief cut may be formed in the airfoil shroud to remove the other reference location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John David Ward, JR., Antonio Rodriguez, Jason Adam Neville
  • Publication number: 20140147282
    Abstract: A fan structure includes a hub and at least one set of blades connected to and extending away from the hub, each of the blades having a plurality of steps with a height difference formed away from the periphery of the hub, the height of the inside one of the steps higher than that of the outside one of the steps, thereby providing a disturbed flow-guiding effect so as to enhance the air pressure and the air flow of the wind flow field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: COOLER MASTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kai-Hsiang HU, Shi-Man XU, Jia-Sheng LAI, Hai-Jun HE
  • Publication number: 20140133988
    Abstract: A centrifugal fan and an air conditioner using the same are provided. A gurney flap having a rectangular plate or a S-shaped, twisted gurney flap may be formed in a tip of a blade provided in or on a hub of the centrifugal fan, so that noise may be effectively reduced, and efficiency increased. Further, the blade with the gurney flap may be easily formed integrally with the hub, enhancing productivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Sangyuk Son, Junghoon Kim, Minu Son
  • Publication number: 20140127023
    Abstract: An impeller of a centrifugal compressor, the impeller including a web and blades secured to the web on a front face of the web. A point of intersection between a trailing edge and a blade root is at least one half-thickness of the web further forward than the blade root at an intermediate diameter of the impeller, and a point of intersection between the trailing edge and the blade tip is also further forward than the blade tip at an intermediate diameter of the impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Mathieu Herran, Laurent Pierre Tarnowski
  • Publication number: 20140119922
    Abstract: An impeller for a centrifugal fan includes a main plate having a disc shape, a plurality of blades arranged along a circumferential direction about a center part of the main plate, and an outer ring having a ring shape connecting the respective blades. The outer ring is connected to tip end portions of the respective blades at a side of a fluid discharge opening, and each of the blades has a shape which is bent in a rotating direction of the impeller in a vicinity of the tip end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki NAKANO, Yasuhiro KUROSAWA
  • Patent number: 8708655
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a turbine engine includes a first side that defines a first contact face with a hardcoat and a second side that defines a second contact face without a hardcoat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Farris, Raymond Surace
  • Patent number: 8708651
    Abstract: The current invention provides significant performance improvements or significant energy savings for fans used in these applications: personal, industrial and automotive cooling, ventilation, vacuuming and dust removal, inflating, computer component cooling, propulsors for unmanned and manned air vehicles, propulsors for airboats, air-cushion vehicles, airships and model aircraft. Additionally, the invention provides higher performance such as higher lift and higher lift efficiency to small air vehicles. These advantages are achieved by using plasma actuators to provide active flow control effectors into thin fan blades and wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Inventor: David Greenblatt
  • Publication number: 20140105747
    Abstract: A centrifugal pump impeller includes front and back shrouds and a plurality of pumping vanes therebetween, each pumping vane having a leading edge in the region of an impeller inlet and a trailing edge, the front shroud has an arcuate inner face in the region of the impeller inlet, the arcuate inner face having a radius of curvature (Rs) in the range from 0.05 to 0.16 of the outer diameter of the impeller (D2) The back shroud includes an inner main face and a nose having a curved profile with a nose apex in the region of the central axis which extends towards the front shroud, there being a curved transition region between the inner main face and the nose. Fr is the radius of curvature of the transition region and the ratio Fr/D2 is from 0.32 to 0.65. Other ratios of various dimensions of the impeller are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Weir Minerals Australia, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin Edward Burgess, Wen-Jie Liu, Luis Moscoso Lavagna
  • Publication number: 20140090380
    Abstract: An airfoil array is disclosed. The airfoil array may include an endwall, and a plurality of airfoils radially projecting from the endwall. Each airfoil may have a first side and an opposite second side extending axially in chord between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoils may be circumferentially spaced apart on the endwall thereby defining a plurality of flow passages between adjacent airfoils. The airfoil array may further include a convex profiled region extending from the endwall near the leading edge of at least one of said plurality of airfoils, and a concave profiled region in the endwall near a middle of at least one of said plurality of flow passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew S. Aggarwala, Eric A. Grover
  • Patent number: 8672630
    Abstract: A fan-turbine rotor assembly includes one or more turbine ring rotors. Each turbine ring rotor is cast as a single integral annular ring. By forming the turbine as one or more rings, leakage between adjacent blade platforms is minimized which increases engine efficiency. Assembly of the turbine ring rotors to the diffuser ring includes axial installation and radial locking of each turbine ring rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, James W Norris, Craig A. Nordeen, Brian Merry
  • Publication number: 20140056710
    Abstract: A blower wheel comprises a hub, a guide and blades extending radially between the hub and the guide, each blade comprising a root at its junction with the hub and a head at the junction with the guide, each blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge between which, at each flattened cross section, a chord is defined. For each blade, between the root and the head, the length of the chord varies and the variation in the length of chord between the root and the head has a point of inflexion between two levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Manuel Henner, Bruno Demory, Elias Tannoury
  • 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: 20140003948
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel and improved method for repairing a shrouded blade and a reconditioned shrouded blade. More specifically, a way of measuring a set of previously-operated blades to determine their post-operation geometric characteristics is provided where an offset due to deformation of the hardface surfaces of the shroud is determined. The hardface surfaces of the shroud are rough-machined and blade-compatible material is added to the hardface surfaces. A first side hardface surface of the shroud is then machined to a desired dimension offset relative to an originally manufactured blade after which a second side hardface surface is machined such that the distance between the hardface surfaces satisfies the cross-shroud dimension, which is similar to that of an originally manufactured blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Dubs, Thomas Horace Milidantri
  • Patent number: 8616844
    Abstract: An axial flow fan assembly includes a plurality of fan blades surrounded by a shroud. The shroud includes an annular first wall which extends radially outwardly, an annular second wall which extends axially and radially outwardly, and an annular third wall which joins the first wall to the second wall. The third wall has a curved cross sectional shape, and has a minimum diameter part which is positioned approximately half-way between the upstream and downstream edges of the fan blades. There is a desired relationship between the radius of curvature of the third wall and the diameter of the fan. There is a desired relationship between the height of the first wall and the diameter of the fan. The fan blades have an upstream edge which is upstream with respect to the first wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Scott K. Farlow, Christopher A. Bering, Adam J. Shuttleworth, Thomas F. Tock
  • Patent number: 8616848
    Abstract: A damping structure for a turbomachine rotor. The damping structure includes an elongated snubber element including a first snubber end rigidly attached to a first blade and extending toward an adjacent second blade, and an opposite second snubber end defining a first engagement surface positioned adjacent to a second engagement surface associated with the second blade. The snubber element has a centerline extending radially inwardly in a direction from the first blade toward the second blade along at least a portion of the snubber element between the first and second snubber ends. Rotational movement of the rotor effects relative movement between the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface to position the first engagement surface in frictional engagement with the second engagement surface with a predetermined damping force determined by a centrifugal force on the snubber element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander R. Beeck