Abstract: A turbine blade and platform assembly in which the platform is a separate piece that is secured to the blade through shear pins that extend along slots formed between opposed abutting parts of the blade and the platform. Because the platform is detached from the blade, the blade can be made of a single crystal superalloy with a reduction in casting defects. The platform has one or more airfoil shaped openings or slots on the outer surface in which a blade is inserted. The shear pins are inserted to secure the platform to the blade. In another embodiment, the blade root is inserted into an opening formed in the rotor disk, and shear pins are inserted into slots formed in the root and the disk opening in order to secure the blade to the rotor disk. With this embodiment, the blade can be made of a ceramic material because only compressive forces are formed to hold the blade in place.

Abstract: A propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a propeller shaft of a watercraft. The propeller assembly includes a housing structure having a plurality of blades projecting radially therefrom. A bushing assembly translates rotational movement of the propeller shaft to the housing structure. The bushing assembly includes a spindle having an inner surface that meshes with the outer surface of a propeller shaft and a resilient bushing molded over the spindle. A plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending keys extend along the outer surface of the spindle. In the event that the propeller blades become fixed during operation of the watercraft, the keys fragment from the outer surface of spindle so as to disengage the spindle from the housing structure. In such manner, damage to the engine and to the drive system of the marine vehicle may be avoided.

Abstract: A rotor disc and rotor blade assembly in which the rotor blades include curved shear pins to secure the blade to the rotor disc. The blade includes an airfoil portion with an airfoil outline shape at the junction of the airfoil with the platform, and the root extends below the platform and has the general shape of the airfoil at the junction. An opening in the rotor disc also has the shape of the airfoil outline such that the root will fit snuggly within the opening in the rotor disc. Curved slots in both the opening and the root wall are formed on both sides of the opening and the blade root. Shear pins having a rectangular cross sectional shape fit within the slots to secure the blade to the disc. Because the root curvature follows the airfoil shape, the shear pins are located below the airfoil walls and absorb the shear stress caused by bending forces acting on the airfoil from the fluid reaction.

Abstract: A fan blade for a gas turbine engine has an aerofoil part and a root part. The root part includes a root former; the root former 18 includes a zone of weakness, which reduces the ability of the root part to withstand an impact force. Thus, in an impact situation in which the fan blade has separated from the fan rotor and the fan blade has itself separated into fragments, the root part will fracture or buckle more easily than would be the case with conventional arrangements. This will lower the impact force of the root part upon the fan casing, thus permitting the fan casing to be designed to withstand lower impact forces. The fan casing can therefore be made lighter, and cheaper, than in conventional arrangements.

Abstract: International regulations for aerofoils within gas turbine engines require the safe containment of a released aerofoil. The blade fragments must be contained within an engine casing. Smaller fragments will generally be easier to contain within the casing and therefore reduce the weight of that casing. However introducing lines of weakness may result in cavities and holes which are subject to moisture ingress and problems associated therewith. By providing a root section which incorporates a core having shear surfaces, blades can be designed which in normal use are subject to compressive loads and remain operational, but when subject to impact loads or bending forces create tension forces which cause fragmentation along the shear surfaces after initial energy losses by slippage. By providing the shear surfaces in cores their location is encapsulated avoiding problems with moisture ingress.

Abstract: A method for assembling a gas turbine engine includes coupling a low-pressure turbine to a core turbine engine, coupling a gearbox to the low-pressure turbine, coupling a first fan assembly to the gearbox such that the first fan assembly rotates in a first direction, and coupling a mechanical fuse between the first fan assembly and the low-pressure turbine such that the mechanical fuse fails at a predetermined moment load.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor of a non-positive-displacement machine which, when exposed, has an inspection area which is visible from the outside and inside of which a comparatively uncritical load occurs during the operation of the non-positive-displacement machine. In addition, the rotor, when exposed, has a monitoring area which is not visible from the outside and inside of which a comparatively critical load occurs during the operation of the non-positive-displacement machine. The rotor also has a weak point provided in the form of a predetermined breaking point having the shape of a notch and located in inspection area. In order to improve the reliability of the non-positive-displacement machine, a recess, particularly a release bore hole, is provided for delimiting the weak point, and the uncritical defect can terminate inside said release bore hole.

Abstract: An integrally bladed rotor disk, commonly referred to as an IBR or a blisk, includes partial cuts in the rotor disk extending from the rotor disk surface and along side the blades to form a partial root portion below each blade. A damaged blade can be removed from the rotor disk by breaking off the partial root portion from the disk or additionally cutting the disk to join the two cuts forming the partial root portion of the damaged blade. A replacement blade having a root already formed on the blade can then be inserted into the remaining slot of the rotor disk and secured to the rotor disk by any known means. The partial formed root of the blade can be in the shape of a dove tail root or a fir tree root.

Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine (10) comprises a fan rotor and a compressor rotor (62). The fan rotor (24) carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending fan blades (26). The compressor rotor carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending compressor blades (64). The fan rotor (24) is mounted on a fan shaft (38) and the compressor rotor (62) is mounted on a compressor shaft (68). The compressor shaft (68) is arranged around the fan shaft (38). The fan rotor (24) is rotatably mounted on a support structure (40) by a first bearing (50) and the compres˜sor rotor (62) is rotatably mounted on the support structure (40) by a second bearing (58) spaced axially from the first bearing (50). The fan and compressor rotors (24,62) are normally arranged coaxially with each other and with the support structure (40).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a rotor blade for a wind power system, wherein at least two rotor blade elements are arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade and are glued together via at least one, preferably at least two connecting elements bridging a partition line between the rotor blade elements, wherein at least one connecting element is aligned with said rotor blade elements, wherein a hollow space is formed between an outer delimitation surface of at least one of the rotor blade elements and at least one fixing segment of the inner delimitation surface of said connecting element, and subsequently the hollow space is flooded with an adhesive (resin).

Abstract: The turbine engine of the invention includes a rotor with at least one bearing, mounted on a bearing supporting part, said part being connected to the fixed structure by an uncoupling device, including at least one fusible screw passing through at least one bore, said screw comprising a head and a threaded portion, a fusible portion forming a preferential failure area, located between the head of the screw and its threaded portion. The screw comprises, between its threaded portion and its fusible portion, a portion for blocking the screw in rotation, cooperating with a complementary blocking portion provided in the bore. By means of the invention, the torsional torque related to the tightening of the screw is not transmitted to its fusible portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a turbomachine comprising a rotor with a drive shaft centered on the axis of the turbomachine by a first bearing and a second bearing which bearings are supported respectively by a first-bearing-support piece and a second-bearing-support piece which are secured to one another and connected to the turbomachine fixed structure by a decoupling device. This turbomachine comprises means designed to collaborate with at least one element of the turbomachine fixed structure in order to perform a dual function, that of preventing the bearing supports, from rotating and that of radially retaining the drive shaft in the event of the bearings becoming decoupled.

Abstract: Methods and systems for starting propeller driven aircraft and other devices are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a removable fixture that is coupled to the propeller and has at least one portion exposed to a flowstream to rotate the propeller during engine start-up. The fixture is configured to separate from the propeller after the engine begins to turn over (e.g., after the engine starts and/or rotates above a threshold rate). Accordingly, the system can include a releasable link between the fixture and the propeller.

Abstract: An inter-vane platform, for a vane support disk of a turbine engine fan, includes a central part of one piece with the support disk between two adjacent vanes, and two lateral parts, forming extensions to two lateral edges of the central part, and each designed in such a way as to deflect under the impact of the vane opposite which the lateral part is located.

Abstract: Rotor blades 40 for a bladed rotor feature an attachment 44 that improves the energy absorption capability of a snap ring 60 used as one component of a blade axial retention system. The attachment plastically deforms the snap ring rather than shearing through it in response to abnormally high forces exerted on the blade.

Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine (10) comprises a fan rotor and a compressor rotor (62). The fan rotor (24) carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending fan blades (26). The compressor rotor carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly extending compressor blades (64). The fan rotor (24) is mounted on a fan shaft (38) and the compressor rotor (62) is mounted on a compressor shaft (68). The compressor shaft (68) is arranged around the fan shaft (38). The fan rotor (24) is rotatably mounted on a support structure (40) by a first bearing (50) and the compressor rotor (62) is rotatably mounted on the support structure (40) by a second bearing (58) spaced axially from the first bearing (50). The fan and compressor rotors (24, 62) are normally arranged coaxially with each other and with the support structure (40).

Abstract: Throughflow openings are provided for a cooling medium in a coolable component. The throughflow opening comprises an insert that reduces the size of the first opening cross-section to a second opening cross-section, and that is released from the first opening if the second opening cross-section becomes blocked as a result of a local temperature rise and a thermally unstable joining between the insert and the component, being mounted in a first opening. The present throughflow opening greatly reduces the risk of damage to components to be cooled, in particular turbine blades, as a result of fine throughflow openings becoming blocked.

Abstract: To further isolate imbalances in a rotating structure such as a gas turbine engine, an effective length between two bearings may exceed an actual length. This may be achieved via one or more tapering bearing supports associated with at least one of the bearings.

Abstract: In an emergency cooling system (17) for a component (1) which is subject to thermal load in operation, in, e.g., a turbine, the component (1) has a wall (3) which, in operation, is acted on by heat on a first wall side (14) and is acted on by a flow of cooling fluid (11) on a second wall side (15). The wall (3) has at least one emergency cooling opening (12) which is closed off by a plug (16) and through which cooling fluid flows from the second wall side (15) to the first wall side (14) when the plug (16) is absent. The plug (16) is designed so as to melt at a predetermined temperature. The plug (16) is a body which is produced separately from the component (1), the plug (16) being inserted into the emergency cooling opening (12), in which it is connected to the component (1).

Abstract: A frangible coupling for interconnecting parts comprising a first ring and a second ring coaxially arranged relative to each other and axially joined via an annular array of fuse ligaments equidistantly spaced apart from each other. The ligaments are configured to fail when an abnormal radial load of a predetermined value causes the first and second ring to move out of their coaxial relationship. When all of the fuse ligaments are severed, the communication between the first and second rings is severed. This allows the first ring to move independently of the second ring, preventing the out of balance load on the first ring being communicated to the second ring.

Abstract: A fan blade for a gas turbine engine having an airfoil with a leading edge; a trailing edge; a concave side; and a convex side. The blade has an integral platform with: a convex fillet merging with the airfoil; a forward edge; an aft edge; and a thickness defined between a top surface and an underside surface. The platform includes a stiffener on the underside surface adjacent the convex side of the blade, such that the stiffener defines a blade-off event platform fracture path on a second side of the platform adjacent the following blade and adjacent the convex side of the airfoil.

Abstract: A stub shaft for a turbine engine is described in which respective masses are positioned along the stub shaft in a balanced rotation relationship for normal rotation. One mass is positioned at the periphery of a shaft end rim such that upon failure of the stub shaft this mass is detached. Such displacement or detachment of the mass causes imbalance which creates vibration which in turn causes surge within a compressor associated with the stub shaft as well as possibly interference engagement with stable structure elements in order to limit turbine and/or compressor over speed.

Abstract: Rotor blades 40 for a bladed rotor feature a chamfered attachment 44 that improves the energy absorption capability of a snap ring 60 used as one component of a blade axial retention system. The chamfered attachment plastically deforms the snap ring rather than shearing through it in response to abnormally high forces exerted on the blade.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for supporting and recentering a shaft (2) after decoupling. The device comprises an annular support (4) surrounding the shaft (2), a bearing (5) secured to the annular support (4) and having an inner ring (9) which is spaced apart from the shaft by clearance J. The inner ring (9) has two webs or tenons (14a, 14b) that are normally held to the periphery of two troughs (16a, 16b) carried by the shaft (2). Two sets of balls (28a, 28b) normally bear against the bottoms of indentations (25, 26) formed facing one another in the adjacent radial walls of the troughs (16a, 16b) and of the inner ring (9). Resilient means (26) tend to urge the troughs (16a and 16b) towards each other. In the event of the webs or tenons (14a, 14b) breaking due to a large unbalance, the balls (28a, 28b) roll on the walls of the indentations (25, 26) and move the troughs (16a, 16b) apart from each other.

Abstract: A bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine rotor includes a paired race, a bearing, a mounting joint, and a plurality of mechanical fuses. The paired race includes an outer race and an inner race. The bearing is between the inner and outer races, and is configured to support the rotor on a support frame. The mounting joint includes a joint inner race and a joint outer race. At least one of the joint inner race and the joint outer race includes a spherical surface. The mounting joint is configured to reduce dynamic loads to the gas turbine engine structure and static bending to the rotor. The plurality of mechanical fuses extend through at least one of the joint inner race and the joint outer race.

Abstract: A method of assembling a turbine comprises coupling at least one bucket assembly. The bucket assembly including an upstream side, a downstream side, a blade extending therebetween and a dovetail extending radially inwardly from the blade to a rotor. The method further comprises fixedly securing the at least one bucket assembly to the rotor with a shear pin that extends from the bucket assembly upstream side to the bucket assembly downstream side.

Abstract: The first stage buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth Table I wherein X and Y values are in inches and the Z value is non-dimensional along the bucket centerline coincident with a turbine radius and convertible to a Z distance in inches from the turbine axis by multiplying the Z value by the height of the airfoil and adding the root radius to the result. The X and Y distances may be scalable as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled up or scaled down airfoil section for the bucket. The nominal airfoil given by the X, Y and Z distances lies within an envelop of ±0.160 inches.

Abstract: A novel concept for a propeller blade configuration incorporates the model of the natural wave behavior. The leading edge of the propeller blade has a convex segment followed by a concave segment, as seen in a plan view. The leading and trailing edges are rounded so as to promote proper fluid sheet formation along the flat surfaces and to reduce undesirable vortice formation. Best results are obtained by modeling the surfaces along a sine or tangent function.

Abstract: Ceiling fan energy consumption efficiency is enhanced with fan blades that have an angle attack that decreases from root end to tip end at higher rates of decrease nearer their tip ends than at their root ends.

Abstract: Ceiling fan energy consumption efficiency is enhanced with fan blades that have an angle attack that decreases from root end to tip end at higher rates of decrease nearer their tip ends than at their root ends. Air flow distribution is enhanced with at least a portion of the blades having a dihedral that continuously increases.

Abstract: A propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a marine vehicle. The propeller assembly includes a central adaptor mounted on the propeller shaft for rotational movement therewith. A tubular propeller housing is slidable over the central adaptor. A bushing assembly translates rotation of the central adaptor to the propeller housing. A breakaway element is provided for interconnecting in a central adaptor and the bushing assembly. The breakaway allows the central adaptor to rotate independent of the propeller housing in response to the predetermined force thereon.

Abstract: Rotor blades 40 for a bladed rotor feature a chamfered attachment 44 that improves the energy absorption capability of a snap ring 60 used as one component of a blade axial retention system. The chamfered attachment plastically deforms the snap ring rather than shearing through it in response to abnormally high forces exerted on the blade.

Abstract: A bladed rotor includes a hub 12 with bayonet hooks 34, 36, a bayonet ring 64 with bayonet projections 66, 68 that engage the hooks, and a load transfer element that occupies an annulus 38 defined by the hooks. Ideally, the load transfer element is a substantially circumferentially continuous snap ring 60. If a blade separation event or other abnormality exerts an excessive axial load on a blade, the snap ring 60 safely distributes that load to the bayonet hooks 34, 36 to prevent the blade from severing the snap ring and being ejected axially from its slot.

Abstract: A propeller assembly is provided for mounting on a rotatable propeller shaft of a marine vehicle. The propeller assembly includes a central adaptor mounted on the propeller shaft for rotational movement therewith. A tubular propeller housing is slidable over the central adaptor. A bushing assembly translates rotation of the central adaptor to the propeller housing. A breakaway element is provided for interconnecting in a central adaptor and the bushing assembly. The breakaway allows the central adaptor to rotate independent of the propeller housing in response to the predetermined force thereon.

Abstract: Disclosed is a blade part in a turbofan, which includes a hub coupled with a rotating axis of a driving part, a plurality of blades arranged radially at a circumferential part of the hub, and a shroud coupled with a plurality of the blades and arranged so as to confront the hub wherein the blades lie between the hub and the shroud, and wherein each of the blades form an airfoil constructed with a top camber line defined by an NACA 4-digit airfoil and a bottom camber line lying closer to the top camber line than a bottom camber line defined by the NACA 4-digit airfoil, thereby enabling to cost and time of product.

Abstract: The fourth-stage buckets have airfoil profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in inches in Table I wherein Z is a perpendicular distance from a plane normal to a radius of the turbine centerline and containing the X and Y values with the Z value commencing at zero in the X, Y plane at the radially innermost aerodynamic section of the airfoil and X and Y are coordinate values defining the airfoil profile at each distance Z. The X, Y and Z values may be scaled as a function of the same constant or number to provide a scaled-up or scaled-down airfoil section for the bucket.

Abstract: A ducted fan gas turbine engine comprises a fan 12 mounted on a first shaft 16 and a compressor mounted on a second shaft 43. The shafts are coaxial both with each other and with said engine longitudinal axis 15. The shafts are mounted in roller bearings 21, 40. The first bearing 21 carrying the upstream part of the first shaft and the second bearing 40 carrying the upstream part of the second shaft. Both bearings are attached to a structure 26 which comprises an axial sleeve and a front frustoconical portion and a rear radially stiff but axially flexible frustoconical portion and is attached to the engine casing 36. The front frustoconical portion is frangibly attached to the front part of the axial sleeve 28. In the event of damage to the fan the frangible connection breaks and the first shaft is allowed to orbit about the engine longitudinal axis 15. The rear member 32 is swashingly non-linear flexible and accommodates the out of balance radial loads transferred to it as couples during such an incident.

Abstract: The pressure distribution curve of the blade suction-side surface excluding the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion drops in two stages in the area from the leading edge to the minimum pressure point.

Abstract: The invention relates to an axial flow fan for condenser in a refrigerator for enhancing efficiency and lowering noise, in which the number of blades is three, the diameter of a hub is 23.3±5% of the outside diameter of the axial flow fan and the width of each of the blades is 36.6±3% of the outside diameter of the axial flow fan.

Abstract: A bearing support includes a hollow cone diverging between a forward bearing seat and an aft mounting flange. The cone includes an integral annular fuse sized in thickness to fail in shear under abnormal imbalance load transfer between a gas turbine engine fan supported by a bearing in the forward seat and a fan frame mounted to the aft flange.

Abstract: The blade has such a shape that the diameters of circles inscribing the belly and back sides at different positions of adjacent blades decreases as one goes from the front edge to the rear edge. Since the blade has such a shape, even if the influent angle and effluent angle of gases are increased, a deceleration passage is not formed in the passage between the adjacent moving blades.

Abstract: A turbine blade for an axial-flow turbine includes an intrados generating a positive pressure, and an extrados generating a negative pressure, wherein the intrados and the extrados are provided between a leading edge and a trailing edge. An inflection point is provided between a concave portion on an upstream side and a convex portion on a downstream side in a region extending from a position of 80% on the intrados to a rear throat, and the length of a normal line drawn downwards from the intrados of one of the turbine blades to an extrados of the other turbine blade has at least one maximum value in a region extending from a front throat of the one turbine blade to a rear throat. Thus, it is possible to disperse a shock wave generated from the intrados at the trailing edge to prevent the generation of a strong shock wave, thereby reducing the pressure loss caused by the shock wave.

Abstract: A sail-type windmill wheel is provided in which the area of the wheel facing into the wind is adjusted by an automatic variation of the blade angle of the sails. The wind wheel comprises a hub (22) with a plurality of radially extending spars (18), substantially triangular sails (10) secured along one edge to said arms, the clew of said sails secured through a sheeting cable (24) to drawbar extension springs (28), and the drawbar extension springs secured to the tip of the next adjacent arm. During high wind speeds the automatic blade angle adjustment reduces the frontal area of the wind wheel with a corresponding reduction in the force of the wind upon the wheel. During normal working wind speeds the present invention maintains the sails within an optimum blade angle range for extracting energy from the wind.

Abstract: A fan decoupling fuse includes a ring having a row of fuse holes circumferentially spaced apart from each other by fuse ligaments sized to fail under shear when carrying abnormal radial loads from the fan.

Abstract: A method has been developed for removing turbine buckets that have become stuck to a turbine rotor wheel. This method includes making two or more first cuts to the base of a female dovetail of the turbine bucket. Two or more second cuts are also made to a lower neck of the female dovetail. The blade of the bucket is broken off at the first cut, which breakage also splits the base of the dovetail into two sections. These sections are pressed down along the second cuts so that they may be removed from the wheel.

Abstract: A propeller fan adapted to prevent abnormal air flow to thereby increase discharge of air flow but to decrease noise, the fan including a plurality of vanes, each vane fixed at a hub secured at a rotary axle, having a predetermined length toward external radial direction thereof and circumferentially spaced out at a predetermined gap, wherein each van has a cross-sectional shape like a flat surface at an external side of a leading edge thereof while an external side of a trailing edge thereof is bent with a predetermined radius of curvature (Rc).

Abstract: A marine propeller includes a hub defining an axial direction of the propeller, a plurality of adjustable propeller blades disposed around the hub, and a blade setting adjusting arrangement. Each blade includes a blade-part and a root-part, the root-part being mounted in the hub and being turnable about an axis that defines an angle with the axial direction of the propeller.

Abstract: A rotatable assembly for use with a gas turbine engine comprises a rotatable disk, and a plurality of blades for affecting a flow of air passing thereover during use. The blades are attached to the rotatable disk, and each one of the plurality of blades has a blade root and a blade tip disposed opposite said blade root. A first ring self supporting is disposed adjacent a first portion of each of the blade tips, the first ring being in interfering contact with the first portion of each blade tip when the rotatable disk is stationary. The interfering contact is preferably between about 0.01 inches and about 0.1 inches. The first ring can be provided over a portion of the blade tips or can extend from about the leading edge of each blade to about its trailing edge. A second ring in interfering contact with the blade tips can also be provided.

Abstract: A platform for a turbofan gas turbine engine that does not limit the rotation capability of adjacent fan blades in the event one of the fan blades is impacted by a foreign object. The platform includes a structural body portion and an integrally formed flowpath surface portion. The structural body portion has a contour that matches that of the adjacent fan blades. The flowpath surface portion defines a pair of wings that extend laterally beyond the structural body portion. The wings are frangible so as to break off if an adjacent fan blade rotates in response to an ingestion event. The platform is made from a composite material using a resin transfer molding process.

Abstract: A ducted fan gas turbine engine is provided with a fan which is carried by a shaft. Frangible fuse pins maintain the shaft carrying the fan coaxial with the engine longitudinal axis. In the event of severe fan damage, the fuse pins fracture and the fan shaft orbits about the engine longitudinal axis. A spoked resilient member is provided to exert a radially inward restoration force upon the fan shaft following such an event in order to reduce vibration.