Damper pin for a turbine blade

• US 10,443,408 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kareff, Spencer A., Potter, Brian Denver, Jacala, Ariel Caesar Prepena
• Primary Examiner(s): Laurenzi, Mark A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thiede, Paul W
• Application Number:
  US14/844,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20170067350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 416145, 416190
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/22 Blade-to-blade connections, e.g. for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/141 circular
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A damper pin for damping adjacent turbine blades coupled to a rotor shaft includes a first end portion that is axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion and a retention pin that is coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion. The retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion. The damper pin further includes a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion. The first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with a groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades.

Claims

1. A damper pin for damping adjacent turbine blades coupled to a rotor shaft, the damper pin comprising:

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with a groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, wherein the plurality of rings comprises two or more rings formed from different materials.

2. The damper pin as in claim 1, wherein each ring of the plurality of rings extends circumferentially around the retention pin.

3. The damper pin as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first end portion or the second end portion of the elongated outer body is semi-cylindrical.

4. The damper pin as in claim 1, further comprising a low-friction wear-resistant coating applied to at least a portion of the outer surface of the damper pin.

5. A damper pin for damping adjacent turbine blades coupled to a rotor shaft, the damper pin comprising:

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with a groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, wherein the plurality of rings comprise a first set of rings and a second set of rings, each ring of the first set of rings having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the first and second end portions, each ring of the second set of rings having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the first and second end portions.

6. A damper pin for damping adjacent turbine blades coupled to a rotor shaft, the damper pin comprising:

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with a groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, wherein the retention pin is seated within an opening defined by the first end portion.

7. A turbine engine, comprising:

a rotor shaft that extends axially within the turbine engine;

an adjacent pair of turbine blades coupled to the rotor shaft, each turbine blade at least partially defining a groove that extends along a slash face of the corresponding turbine blade; and

a damper pin disposed within the groove, the damper pin comprising;

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with the groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, wherein each ring of the plurality of rings extends circumferentially around the retention pin, and wherein the plurality of rings comprises two or more rings formed from different materials.

8. The turbine engine as in claim 7, wherein at least one of the first end portion or the second end portion of the elongated outer body is semi-cylindrical.

9. The turbine engine as in claim 7, wherein the turbine engine is a gas turbine engine.

10. A turbine engine, comprising:

a rotor shaft that extends axially within the turbine engine;

an adjacent pair of turbine blades coupled to the rotor shaft, each turbine blade at least partially defining a groove that extends along a slash face of the corresponding turbine blade; and

a damper pin disposed within the groove, the damper pin comprising;

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with the groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, wherein the plurality of rings comprise a first set of rings and a second set of rings, each ring of the first set of rings having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the first and second end portions, each ring of the second set of rings having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the first and second end portions.

11. A turbine engine, comprising:

a rotor shaft that extends axially within the turbine engine;

an adjacent pair of turbine blades coupled to the rotor shaft, each turbine blade at least partially defining a groove that extends along a slash face of the corresponding turbine blade; and

a damper pin disposed within the groove, the damper pin comprising;

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with the s-groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, wherein the retention pin is seated within an opening defined by the second end portion.

12. A turbine engine, comprising:

a rotor shaft that extends axially within the turbine engine;

an adjacent pair of turbine blades coupled to the rotor shaft, each turbine blade at least partially defining a groove that extends along a slash face of the corresponding turbine blade; and

a damper pin disposed within the groove, the damper pin comprising;

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with a groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, further comprising a low-friction wear-resistant coating applied to at least a portion of the outer surface of the damper pin, wherein the low-friction wear-resistant coating is applied to the first end portion and the second end portion.

13. A turbine engine, comprising:

a rotor shaft that extends axially within the turbine engine;

an adjacent pair of turbine blades coupled to the rotor shaft, each turbine blade at least partially defining a groove that extends along a slash face of the corresponding turbine blade; and

a damper pin disposed within the groove, the damper pin comprising;

a first end portion axially aligned with and axially spaced from a second end portion;

a retention pin coaxially aligned with and disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the retention pin couples the first end portion to the second end portion; and

a plurality of rings coaxially aligned with and disposed along the retention pin between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion and the plurality of rings define a generally arcuate outer surface of the damper pin that is configured to contact with the groove defined between the adjacent turbine blades, further comprising a low-friction wear-resistant coating applied to at least a portion of the outer surface of the damper pin, wherein the low-friction wear-resistant coating is applied to one or more of the rings.