DAMPER COVERPLATE AND SEALING ARRANGEMENT FOR TURBINE BUCKET SHANK

• US 20120171040A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: WALUNJ, Jalindar Appa, HONKOMP, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,684,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/220.R
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/006 Sealing the gap between rotor blades or blades and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/22 Blade-to-blade connections, e.g. for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/26 Antivibration means not restricted to blade form or construction or to blade-to-blade connections or to the use of particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/96 Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise

Abstract

A bucket pair in a turbomachine includes a first bucket having an airfoil and a shank; a second adjacent bucket having a second airfoil and a second shank adjacent the first shank; a first axial slot in the first shank; and an elongated, straight damper pin adapted to seat in the first axial slot, the damper pin formed with slanted forward and aft end faces.

Claims

1. A bucket pair in a turbomachine comprising:

a first bucket having an airfoil and a first shank;

a second adjacent bucket having a second airfoil and a second shank adjacent said first shank;

a first axial slot in said first shank; and

an elongated, straight damper pin adapted to seat in said first axial slot, said damper pin formed with axially slanted forward and aft ends.

2. The bucket pair of claim 1 and further comprising a first substantially radially-oriented slot at one end of said first shank;

and

a first seal pin having radially inner and outer ends adapted to seat in said first substantially radially-oriented slot, said radially outer end at least partially overlapped by one of said slanted ends.

3. The bucket pair of claim 1 wherein said damper pin is of substantially uniformly round cross-section.

4. The bucket pair of claim 2 further comprising a second substantially radially-oriented slot at an opposite end of said first and second shank, and a second seal pin adapted to seat in said second substantially radially-oriented seal slot, and wherein said a radially outer end of said second seal pin at least partially overlapped by the other of said slanted ends.

5. The bucket pair of claim 1 wherein said slanted forward and aft ends rest on complimentary slanted surfaces, respectively, formed in said shank.

6. The bucket pair of claim 3 wherein said slanted forward and aft ends are slanted in opposite directions.

7. The bucket pair of claim 4 wherein said second seal pin has a length dimension shorter than a corresponding length dimension of said first seal pin.

8. A bucket for a turbine machine rotor wheel comprising:

an airfoil portion, a shank portion and a dovetail mounting portion, said shank portion including opposite side faces, one of said side faces formed with an axially-oriented slot extending between forward and aft ends of said shank portion;

an elongated damper pin of uniform cross-section seated in said axially oriented slot, said elongated damper pin formed with axially slanted forward and aft ends.

9. The bucket of claim 8 wherein said forward and aft ends of said shank portion include material substantially covering said slanted forward and aft ends of said elongated damper pin.

10. The bucket of claim 8 wherein first and second substantially radially-oriented grooves are formed at forward and aft ends of said shank portion, and wherein first and second seal pins are located in said first and second substantially radiially oriented grooves.

11. The bucket of claim 10 wherein radially outer ends of said first and second seal pins, respectively, are at least partially overlapped by said slanted ends and said elongated damper pins.

12. The bucket of claim 8 wherein said slanted forward and aft ends are slanted in opposite directions.

13. The bucket of claim 9 wherein said forward and aft ends are slanted about a 45°

angle.

14. The bucket of claim 10 wherein said second seal pin has a length dimension shorter than a corresponding length dimension of said first seal pin.

15. The bucket of claim 8 wherein said damper pin is of substantially uniformly round cross-section.

16. A bucket for a turbine machine rotor wheel comprising:

an airfoil portion, a shank portion and a dovetail mounting portion, said shank portion including opposite side faces, one of said side faces formed with an axially-oriented slot extending between forward and aft ends of said shank portion;

an elongated damper pin of uniform cross-section seated in said axially oriented slot, said elongated damper pin formed with slanted forward and aft end faces;

wherein said forward and aft ends of said shank portion include material substantially covering said slanted forward and aft ends; and

wherein first and second substantially radially-oriented grooves are formed at forward and aft ends of said shank portion, said first and second seal pins located in said first and second substantially radially oriented grooves.

17. The bucket of claim 16 wherein radially outer ends of said and second seal pins, respectively, are at least partially overlapped by said slanted ends and said elongated damper pins.

18. The bucket of claim 16 wherein said slanted forward and aft end surfaces are slanted in opposite axial directions.

19. The bucket of claim 16 wherein said second seal pin has a length dimension shorter than a corresponding length dimension of said first seal pin.

20. The bucket of claim 16 wherein said forward and aft ends are slanted at about a 45°

angle in opposite axial directions.