INTEGRALLY BLADED ROTOR WITH SLOTTED OUTER RIM

• US 20120308381A1
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Suciu, Gabriel L., Norris, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,273,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/220
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/006 Sealing the gap between rotor blades or blades and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/084 the fluid circulating at the periphery of a multistage rotor, e.g. of drum type
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/34 Rotor-blade aggregates of unitary construction , e.g. formed of sheet laminae; discs formed of sheet laminae F01D5/028; ceramic materials F01D5/284, composite materials F01D5/282
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/321 for axial flow compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/322 Blade mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/329 Details of the hub
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/10 by removing material
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/12 by spark erosion methods
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/941 particularly aimed at mechanical or thermal stress reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An integrally bladed rotor has an outer rim with a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly of the outer rim. A plurality of channels are formed radially inwardly of the outer rim. A discontinuity formed at a radially outer surface of the outer rim includes a first thin slot at a radially outer face of the outer rim with an enlarged seal holding area. A second thin slot is positioned radially inwardly of the seal holding. The first and second thin slots are thinner circumferentially than the enlarged seal holding area. A seal is inserted into the seal holding area. The seal does not extend into the first and second thin slots, nor into the channels.

Claims

1. An integrally bladed rotor comprising:

an outer rim having a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly of said outer rim;

a plurality of channels being formed radially inwardly of said outer rim; and

a discontinuity formed at a radially outer surface of said outer rim, including a first thin slot at a radially outer face of said outer rim with an enlarged seal holding area, a second thin slot positioned radially inwardly of said seal holding, said first and second thin slots being thinner circumferentially than said enlarged seal holding area, and a seal inserted into said seal holding area, said seal not extending into said first and second thin slots and said seal not extending into said channels.

2. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of discontinuities formed between said blades.

3. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said discontinuity is formed non-parallel to a blade stacking line of said blades.

4. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said discontinuity is formed non-parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor.

5. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said discontinuity is formed such that it shields a leading edge of one of said blades and a trailing edge of the adjacent blade.

6. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channels are formed non-parallel to a blade stacking line of said blades.

7. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channels are formed non-parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor.

8. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channels are formed radially inward of said blades.

9. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channels include a first essentially flat portion on a radially inward side of said channel, and a second essentially flat portion on a radially outward side of said channel.

10. The integrally bladed rotor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said leading edges and said trailing edges of said blades are softened.

11. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a compressor section including at least one rotor having a plurality of blades, said blades not being parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor, with said at least one rotor being an integrally bladed rotor;

said compressor for delivering compressed air downstream into a combustion section, said combustion section for delivering products of combustion downstream across a turbine rotor; and

said integrally bladed rotor of said compression section including

an outer rim having a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly of said outer rim;

a discontinuity being formed at a radially outer surface of said outer rim, including a first thin slot at a radially outer face of said outer rim with an enlarged seal holding area, a second thin slot positioned radially inwardly of said seal holding, said first and second thin slots being thinner circumferentially than said enlarged seal holding area, and a seal inserted into said seal holding area, said seal not extending into said first and second thin slots and said seal not extending into said channels; and

a plurality of channels being formed radially inwardly of said outer rim.

12. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein there are a plurality of discontinuities formed between said blades.

13. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said discontinuity is formed non-parallel to a blade stacking line of said blades.

14. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said discontinuity is formed non-parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor.

15. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said discontinuity is formed such that it shields a leading edge of one of said blades and a trailing edge of the adjacent blade.

16. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said channels are formed non-parallel to a blade stacking line of said blades.

17. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said channels are formed non-parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor.

18. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said channels are formed radially inward of a leading edge of said blades and a trailing edge of said blades.

19. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said channels include a first essentially flat portion on a radially inward side of said channel, and a second essentially flat portion on a radially outward side of said channel.

20. An integrally bladed rotor comprising:

an outer rim having a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly of said outer rim;

a plurality of channels being formed radially inwardly of said outer rim;

a plurality of discontinuities formed at a radially outer surface of said outer rim and between said blades, each, including a first thin slot at a radially outer face of said outer rim with an enlarged seal holding area, a second thin slot positioned radially inwardly of said seal holding area, said first and second thin slots being thinner circumferentially than said seal holding area, and a seal inserted into said seal holding area, said seal not extending into said first and second thin slots and said seal not extending into said channels;

said discontinuities being formed non-parallel to a blade stacking line of said blades;

said discontinuities being formed non-parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor;

said channels formed non-parallel to a blade stacking line of said blades;

said channels formed non-parallel to a central axis of said integrally bladed rotor; and

said channels including a first essentially flat portion on a radially inward side of said channel, and a second essentially flat portion on a radially outward side of said channel.