Abstract: A fan rotor blade has a rotor blade leading edge. On a hub side of the rotor blade leading edge, a vertical hub section is formed. From a top end of the vertical hub section to a mid-span side of the rotor blade leading edge, a backward tilt mid-span section is formed. From a top end of the backward tilt mid-span section to a tip end of the rotor blade leading edge, a forward tilt tip section is formed. From a hub end of the rotor blade leading edge to a base end of the vertical hub section, a backward tilt hub section is formed. The backward tilt hub section is backwardly tilted so that a top end thereof is positioned behind a base end thereof.

Abstract: A turbine blade adapted for mounting to a turbine rotor includes a root portion, and an airfoil portion extending outward from the root portion and defining a blade tip at an outermost end thereof. The airfoil portion having a pressure side and a suction side opposite the pressure side, and including a stiffening rib disposed at the blade tip. The stiffening rib projects from the pressure side of the airfoil portion of the turbine blade.

Abstract: A hybrid airfoil for a gas turbine engine is provided that includes a body and a panel. The body has a first side and a second side orientated opposite the first side. The first and second sides extend between a tip, a base, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The body includes a plurality of cavities disposed in the first side of the body, which cavities extend inwardly toward the second side. The cavities collectively form an opening. At least one rib is disposed between the cavities. A shelf is disposed around the opening. The panel is attached to the shelf first mounting surface and to the rib, and is sized to enclose the opening. The panel is a load bearing structure operable to transfer loads to the body and receive loads from the body.

Abstract: Additional lightning protection system for intermediate wind turbine blade joints comprises a metal fairing that covers the blade connector elements while shielding and protecting the internal connector elements from getting hit by lightning.

Abstract: A protective hybrid composite for a rotor blade is based on the use of tape cast ceramic layers densified by pre-ceramic polymer infiltration methods and laminated together with polymer matrix composite prepregs, with or without an embedded metallic mesh, to form a conforming helicopter blade cladding that is laminated to the blade surface for added erosion protection. The hybrid composite is fabricated to net shape and laminated to the blade using either an adhesive or a polymer composite prepreg inner layer. Installation is accomplished by a standard composite fabrication method of vacuum bagging the blade while the system is laminated to its surface. Repair methods based on removal of ceramic tiles is facilitated by incorporation of a metallic mesh element laminated beneath the ceramic tiles that can be used to heat the tile and decrease its adhesion strength.

Abstract: A method of joining at least two components, a method of preventing erosion of a base component and a turbine blade is provided. The method of joining at least two components includes providing a laser cladding apparatus, aligning a first component and second component, and jointing the first and second components by laser cladding. The first component includes a first joining surface adjacent to a seconding joining surface of the second component. The first joining surface and the second joining surface are joined by laser cladding along a joining plane. A joining material from the laser cladding provides at least one joining layer between the first joining surface and the second joining surface. The first and second joining surfaces include a bevel angle. A method for rendering a component resistant to erosion and a turbine blade are also provided.

Abstract: A movable blade for a turbomachine, the blade including at its distal end a top portion including opposite first and second side edges and upstream and downstream sealing wipers. Each of the first and second side edges has a substantially Z-shaped profile between the upstream and downstream wipers. On a side of the first side edge, the platform includes a first outwardly projecting rim not connected to either of the upstream and downstream wipers. The platform includes a second outwardly projecting rim, the second rim including a downstream portion connected to the downstream wiper and extending along the second edge, and an upstream portion extending the downstream portion as far as the upstream wiper, and set back relative to the second side edge.

Abstract: An erosion sensor that can separately monitor erosion and corrosion of a substrate, such as a wind turbine blade or a turbine blade used in devices such as gas turbines, aircraft engines, microturbines, steam turbines, and the like is disclosed. The sensor can include a first element or “erosion part” that is made of a corrosion resistant material. The first element of the sensor has similar erosion properties to the substrate being monitored. The sensor can further include a second element or a “corrosion part” that is made of a material having similar erosion and corrosion properties to the substrate. The sensor can provide an erosion indicator based on the erosion of the first element and a corrosion indicator based on the erosion and corrosion of the second element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an actuatable seal (14) for an aerofoil blade tip, for providing a seal between the blade tip (12) and an adjacent surface (10) over which the blade tip passes in use. The seal comprises a flexible member that is arranged in use to be mounted on the tip of a rotating aerofoil blade and to flex towards the surface under the action of centrifugal force when the blade rotates. The seal further comprises an actuator means provided on the flexible member and operably arranged in use to deflect at least a portion of the flexible member away from the surface.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly is disclosed herein. The rotor blade assembly includes a composite blade portion extending a length from a root to a tip. A leading edge of the composite blade portion extends from the tip to an end point along the length between the tip and the root. The rotor blade assembly also includes a base portion fixed to the composite blade portion proximate to the root. The rotor blade assembly also includes a sheath extending around the composite blade portion. The sheath is positioned along the length adjacent to the base portion and between the root and the end point of the leading edge.

Abstract: Blades, turbine blade assemblies, and methods of forming blades are provided. The blade includes an airfoil including a convex suction side wall, a concave pressure side wall, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a root, and a tip, the convex suction side wall, the concave pressure side wall, and the tip each including interior surfaces that together define an internal cooling circuit, the airfoil including a single crystal superalloy, and a cladding layer disposed over the tip, the cladding layer including a zirconia grain stabilized platinum alloy.

Abstract: An erosion resistant and hydrophobic article includes a core that has a first hardness and a surface on the core. The surface includes a plurality of geometric features that have a second, greater hardness. The geometric features define a surface porosity by area percent and a corresponding surface solidity by area percent. The surface includes a ratio of the surface solidity divided by the surface porosity that is 1.8 or greater. The geometric features and the ratio establish the surface to be hydrophobic, and the second, greater hardness and the ratio establish an erosion rate of the surface that is equal to or less than an erosion rate of the core under identical erosion conditions.

Abstract: A blade for a marine propeller includes an adjustment strip located in a channel near the trailing edge of a high pressure face of the blade. The adjustment strip protrudes from the blade face, altering the hydrodynamic properties of the blade. Strips can be replaced with other strips of different heights in order to suit particular requirements for hydrodynamic properties.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade of the spar and shell construction, the spar including a tip end with a dovetail shaped groove extending from the top, and a tip cap includes a dovetail shaped slot that engages with the spar groove to retain the tip cap in place. A shell made from a high temperature resistant material is secured in place between the platform and the tip cap. The platform includes a core extending into a hollow space formed by the shell and discharges impingement cooling air against the backside wall of the shell. The spar and the platform include fir tree configurations so that an assembled blade can be inserted into a slot of a rotor disk.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an aerofoil structure capable of being diffusion bonded and superplastically formed to create a substantially hollow cavity within the aerofoil structure, the method comprising: providing two metallic panels; assembling and joining the two metallic panels to one another to form the aerofoil structure; wherein the two metallic panels each comprise a surface capable of forming an aerofoil and further comprise a root or section thereof which is either integral with or fixed to the aerofoil surface; and incorporating a section of a different material into a part, the said section being made from a material which is different from the material of another part of the aerofoil structure.

Abstract: A gas turbine article includes a substrate, a plurality of geometric surface features that protrude from the substrate, and a thermally insulating topcoat disposed over the plurality of geometric surface features. The thermally insulating topcoat includes segmented portions that are separated by faults that extend through the topcoat from the geometric surface features.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an aerofoil (20) comprising a leading edge portion (22) and a flexible thin-walled portion (26) that is rearwards of the leading edge portion, defining a cavity (28), and a shape-forming insert (30) for inserting into the cavity. The shape-forming insert at least partly defines the profile of the aerofoil such that changing the shape of the insert changes the profile of the aerofoil.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an aerofoil structure capable of being diffusion bonded and superplastically formed to create a substantially hollow cavity within the aerofoil structure, the method comprising: providing a metallic plate for forming the aerofoil structure; joining mounting elements to opposing end surfaces of said metallic plate; dividing said plate along a plane extending substantially in a span-wise direction so as to produce two metallic panels each with one of said mounting elements joined thereto; assembling the two metallic panels so that the surfaces of the panels opposite to the surfaces which have been divided are facing each other; and joining the two metallic panels to one another to form the aerofoil structure; wherein the mounting elements are joined to one another to form the root of the aerofoil.

Abstract: An insert cover for a speed sensor module includes an elongated body having a length aligned along a longitudinal axis, the elongated body including a convex top surface and a uniform width along the length; a first portion emanating from the top surface at a first end of the elongated body; a second portion emanating from the top surface at a diametrically opposed second end of the elongated body; and a third portion emanating from the top surface between the first portion and the second portion; where each of the first, second, and third portions are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An airfoil includes, among other possible things, a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Channels are formed into the main body, with a plurality of ribs extending intermediate the channels. A cover skin is attached to the main body. The cover skin is welded to the main body at outer edges. An adhesive is placed between inner surfaces of the cover skin and the main body. The adhesive is deposited inwardly of the outer edges of the cover skin.

Abstract: A turbine engine component has an airfoil portion with a tip portion and the tip portion has at least one chamfered edge on one side. If desired, the tip portion may have a first chamfered edge on a first side and a second chamfered edge on a second side opposed to the first side. A flattened tip portion may extend between the first and second chamfered edges. A tip treatment may be applied to the flattened tip portion.

Abstract: Composite aerofoils for gas turbine engines are commonly provided with a metal protection strip along the leading edge, to prevent erosion of the leading edge in use and to protect against impacts from foreign bodies. A problem with such strips is that they can cause serious damage to other parts of the engine if they become detached from the aerofoil. The invention provides an aerofoil having such a protection strip, characterized in that the protection strip includes one or more weakening features to reduce the ability of the protection member to withstand a compressive force applied along its length. The weakening features encourage the protection member to break up under impact, or if it becomes detached from the aerofoil, so that damage to other parts of the engine is minimized.

Abstract: A winglet for a blade of a wind turbine is disclosed. The winglet contains a core with a predetermined water absorption-rate to reduce or even avoid the absorption of water in the core. This may be achieved via different variations on the core material and/or core cover material including composition, density and thickness.

Abstract: Aerofoils (22) of a gas turbine engine are provided with a coating (34) or filler (44) of viscoelastic material. As ice accretes on the aerofoils (22) during operation, the resulting aerodynamic stability imbalance induces vibration in the aerofoils (22). The viscoelastic material (34, 44) damps this vibration, and in so doing generates heat, which melts the ice away from the aerofoils (22). Heat-conducting members conduct the heat to regions of the component in which ice accretion is to be prevented. Alternative embodiments are described in which the pseudoelastic behavior of a shape memory alloy (56), or eddy currents arising from the rotor blades' rotation in an axisymmetric magnetic field, are used as sources of heat.

Abstract: Disclosed is a turbine blade including a turbine blade substrate including an iron-base alloy; an erosion shield plate including a Co-base alloy; and a shim including a Ni—Fe alloy, in which the erosion shield plate is fixed to a leading edge of the turbine blade substrate with the shim therebetween by an electron beam welding. Thus, a turbine blade having a highly reliable, bonded portion of an erosion shield, and a turbine rotor and a steam turbine using the turbine blade are provided.

Abstract: A scratch-resistant blade such as an FRP wind turbine blade and a blade protective sheet which can be easily repaired when scratched. A blade is provided with a laminated protective sheet bonded to at least part of a leading edge of an FRP blade body of said blade, wherein the laminated protective sheet comprises an adhesive layer, a intermediate fabric layer and a durable surface layer, in that order from the blade body.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member joined at leading and trailing edges of the blade with a bond material. Portions of the bond material are externally exposed. The bond material has surface characteristics of at least one of a Shore D hardness value of greater than about 80 durometer or a Young's modulus stiffness value of greater than about 5 GPa. A protective coating is applied over the upper and lower shell members and exposed portions of the bond material.

Abstract: The disclosed composite airfoil includes a three-dimensional composite core extending longitudinally and having a chord-wise direction. The core has a core in-plane thickness extending between opposing sides in a through-plane direction generally perpendicular to the chord-wise and longitudinal directions. A composite skin covers the opposing sides and has an exterior surface providing an airfoil contour. The skin includes a total skin in-plane thickness corresponding to a sum of thicknesses through the skin in the through-plane direction from each of the opposing sides to their adjoining exterior surface. A sum of the core in-plane and total skin in-plane thicknesses at a central portion of the composite airfoil is a total in-plane thickness. The total skin in-plane thickness at the central portion is less than 50% of the total in-plane thickness.

Abstract: A turbine blade of the invention includes an air foil including a plurality of cooling flow passages through which a cooling medium flows from a leading edge region to a trailing edge region, a top plate which forms the apex of the air foil, has a heat-resistant coating applied on the upper surface thereof, and includes a plurality of cooling holes, and a squealer which protrudes radially outward from the blade from the top plate, and is formed so as to extend from a leading edge end to a starting end of the trailing edge region along a suction-surface-side blade wall in a peripheral direction of the blade.

Abstract: The present application includes a rotor blade having an erosion protective coating, the coating being a cermet material configured to protect against erosion during the operation of the rotor blade. Further, the present application includes a method of selectively applying the erosion protective coating, a method of selectively repairing/reapplying the erosion protective coating, and a process of developing an erosion surface model map of an optimized erosion protective coating pattern and thickness.

Abstract: Blade insert connected in the lamination of a blade determining a double shear joint between insert and lamination. The insert is made up of two defined parts, head (2), designed to screw the insert to another structure (2?), and the body (3) that determines a cylindrical or conical shape with an internal conical cavity. In an embodiment, the insert is designed to be joined to the lamination (1) of the blade with adhesive means (4). In another embodiment, the insert is embedded in the blade lamination with an inner part (5) stuck to the body (3) of the insert.

Abstract: Components with improved erosion resistance are disclosed. A surface of the component or a substrate of the component is modified by coating the substrate with an elastomer layer. The elastomer layer is then modified by embedding hard particles onto an outer side of the elastomer layer. The hard particles exhibit higher fractured toughness providing enhanced erosion protection. The elastic properties of the elastomer experience little reduction because the surface embedded particles are located only at the outer side or outer surface of the elastomer layer. Therefore, the bond between the inner side of the elastomer layer and the substrate or component surface is not interfered with and the potential for electro-chemical corrosion and poor adhesion are not increased by the presence of the hard particles as the hard particles are located away from the inner face between the elastomer layer and the substrate.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade made from the spar and shell construction in which the shell is a thin wall shell made from a high temperature resistant material that is formed by a wire EDM process, and where the shell is secured to the spar using a retainer that is poured into retainer occupying spaces formed in the shell and the spar, and then hardened to form a rigid retainer to secure the shell to the spar. The spar and the shell both have grooves facing each other to form a retainer groove. A retaining material, such as a liquid or a powdered metal, is poured into the grooves and hardened to form a retainer to secure the shell to the spar. The retaining material also forms a seal on the top of the spar and between the spar and shell.

Abstract: A turbine blade for a wind turbine includes a leading edge, a trailing edge and a recess located within the leading edge. The blade further includes a protective layer having an inner side and outer side, the inner side is sized and orientated to locate within the recess to facilitate withstanding impact forces applied by an object.

Abstract: A sheath for a fan airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, a root, a suction side and a pressure side includes a solid portion to wrap around the airfoil lead edge and over the airfoil tip and means for securing the solid portion to the airfoil.

Abstract: A blade of a turbomachine, in particular of a gas turbine, is disclosed. The blade includes at least one fastening section for fastening the same in a locating section of a rotor-side or stator-side component of the turbomachine. The, or each, fastening section has a core region which is made of a relatively brittle and relatively light material and is embedded in an encasing region made of a material having relatively high ductility.

Abstract: A rotor blade section and a method for assembling a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade section includes a plurality of ribs each extending in a generally chord-wise direction. Each of the plurality of ribs includes an outer surface. The outer surface has a generally aerodynamic contour. The rotor blade section further includes at least one cross-member extending between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs, and an outer body mounted to the plurality of ribs. The outer body has an aerodynamic contour generally corresponding to the aerodynamic contour of the plurality of ribs.

Abstract: A pattern-abradable seal assembly is provided for a stationary steam turbine component. The seal assembly, in use, is oriented in opposition to at least one seal tooth on a rotatable turbine component so as to inhibit leakage flow across the seal assembly in one direction, the seal assembly may include an annular seal carrier having at least one axially-oriented surface; a pattern-abradable/abrasive seal coating or insert at least partially covering the at least one axially-oriented surface, the pattern-abradable/abrasive seal coating having a pattern formed thereon adapted to face and be at least partially penetrated by the at least one seal tooth. A plurality of anti-swirl elements project radially beyond the pattern and are arranged to provide at least an axial component of flow across the abradable seal assembly. The coating or insert may also be used on other stationary turbine component surfaces to direct flow in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A method of forming a sheath for a fan airfoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, a root, a suction side and a pressure side includes electroplating a nano-structured material to form a sheath with a solid portion to wrap around the leading edge and first and second flanks to secure the solid portion to the pressure side and the suction side of the airfoil.

Abstract: A fan blade includes an airfoil with a leading edge and a trailing edge in a chordwise direction, a root and a tip in a spanwise direction; and a sheath with a solid portion to cover the leading edge and first and second flanks extending in the chordwise direction to bond to the pressure and suction sides of the airfoil, respectively. The dimensions of the sheath are varied with respect to the spanwise direction of the blade.

Abstract: A method for protecting a fan blade with an airfoil, a tip, a root and a sheath, the root to be inserted into a hub includes peening the airfoil of the blade; inserting a scrim cloth between the fan blade and the sheath to galvanically isolate the fan blade from the sheath; bonding the sheath to the blade with an epoxy adhesive; peening the blade root; bonding wear pads to the root with epoxy adhesive to galvanically isolate the root from the hub; applying a protective cover to the tip of the blade; and applying a coating to all exposed areas of the blade to inhibit corrosion.

Abstract: A turbine blade having a root and a tip and an airfoil with a core section made of composite material and a protective sheath or layer joined to the composite core at a location or locations exposed to erosion is described with the composite core of the airfoil being continuous from a location in vicinity of the root to a location in vicinity of the tip of the blade and including a section which widens with distance from the rotational axis along the length of the airfoil and which ends at the location in vicinity of the tip of the blade. The protective sheath or layer is secured by interference fit with widening section of the core.

Abstract: A grit blast free method of removing a ceramic thermal barrier layer from a turbine component is described. The method comprises removing the layer in an autoclave with a caustic medium followed by a low pressure water jet wash. The component is dried in a stream of hot dry nitrogen and a new thermal barrier coating is applied before the component reenters product flow.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade made from the spar and shell construction in which the shell formed from a plurality of shell segments each being a thin wall shell segment made from a high temperature resistant material that is formed by a wire EDM process, and where the shell segments are each secured to the spar separately using a retainer that is poured into retainer occupying spaces formed in the shell segments and the spar, and then hardened to form a rigid retainer to secure each shell segment to the spar individually. The spar includes a number of radial extending projections each with a row of cavities that form the retainer occupying spaces in order to spread the loads around. The retainer can be a bicast material, a transient liquid phase bonding material, or a sintered metal. An old shell can be easily removed and replaced with a new shell by removing parts of the retainer and re-pouring a new retainer with a new shell in place.

Abstract: A fan blade comprises an airfoil portion and a sheath portion. The sheath portion has a sheath head section, a first sheath flank, and a second sheath flank, both flanks extending chordwise from the forward sheath section. The sheath portion is bonded to the airfoil portion such that the sheath head section covers the forward airfoil edge, defining a blade leading edge. The first sheath flank covers a portion of the first airfoil surface proximate the airfoil forward edge, jointly defining a blade suction surface. The second sheath flank covers a portion of the second airfoil surface proximate the airfoil forward edge, jointly defining a blade pressure surface. The first metallic material is an aluminum alloy containing between about 0.5 wt % and about 3.0 wt % of lithium.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade with a blade tip cooling circuit that is formed by bonding a blade tip to a top side of an airfoil. The blade tip includes a first series of ribs formed on a bottom side that defines a first layer of tip cooling holes. The top side of the airfoil includes a second series of ribs that define a second layer of cooling holes. The first and second series of ribs are formed before the blade tip is bonded to the airfoil to enclose the two layers of tip cooling holes that open onto the walls of the blade below the tip edge.

Abstract: An acoustical vibration dampening system for a rotatable blade comprises at least one section of a rotatable blade and a layer of acoustic damping material coupled to a portion of the at least one section of a rotatable blade. A fan blade comprises a first structural section of a fan blade, a second structural section of the fan blade, and a layer of acoustic damping material provided between the first structural section and the second structural section of the fan blade. A method of making a fan blade with acoustic damping comprises forming at least two sections of a fan blade, and disposing an acoustical vibration dampener between the at least two sections of the fan blade.

Abstract: A blade assembly includes a blade body and at least one sheath assembly located at a leading edge of the blade assembly. The at least one sheath assembly is retained to the blade body in a chordwise direction via an interlocking arrangement between the at least one sheath assembly and the blade body. A tip cap is located at a tip portion of the blade and secured to the blade body thus securing the at least one sheath assembly to the blade body in a spanwise direction. A method of assembling an airfoil includes securing at least one sheath assembly to a leading edge of a blade body via an interlocking arrangement between the at least one sheath assembly and the blade body, and assembling a tip cap to the blade body, thereby retaining the at least one sheath assembly to the blade body in a spanwise direction.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member. The shell members include transversely spaced attachment edge that are spaced rearward of the leading edge. A preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges is mounted to the attachment edges of the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap is preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define the leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between the upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of the leading edge of the blade.

Abstract: Method and impeller cover for protecting an impeller from damage. The impeller cover includes a removable body having a first face and a second face opposing the first face, the second face being configured to match a front face of the impeller of the compressor, and further having a frontal portion covering an entire frontal portion of the impeller of the compressor, and a fixing mechanism connected to the removable body and being configured to fix the impeller cover to the impeller of the compressor. The impeller cover is disposable.