METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SEALING A GAS TURBINE ENGINE ROTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20150167480A1
• Filed: 06/14/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Pearson, Shawn Michael, Brassfield, Steven Robert, Stegemiller, Mark Edward, Filipa, Jonathan, Durstock, Daniel Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,840,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/00 Preventing or minimising internal leakage of working-fluid, e.g. between stages sealings in general F16J ; sealing arrangements for transition ducts of combustor cans F01D9/023
• 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 5/30 Fixing blades to rotors; Blade roots ; Blade spacers
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/3015 with side plates
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/57 Leaf seals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49321 Assembling individual fluid flow interacting members, e.g., blades, vanes, buckets, on rotary support member

Abstract

A rotor assembly for use in a gas turbine engine having an axis of rotation includes a plurality of rotor blades. Each rotor blade includes a platform extending between opposing side faces, a shank extending radially inward from the platform, and a slot at least partially defined in each of the opposing side faces. A sealing member is configured to be inserted into each slot of a first rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades such that at least a portion of each sealing member extends beyond one of the opposing side faces. A second rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades is coupled adjacent the first rotor blade such that at least a portion of one sealing member is inserted into a corresponding second slot on the second rotor blade.

Claims

1. A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising an axis of rotation, said rotor assembly comprising:

a plurality of rotor blades, wherein each rotor blade comprises a platform extending between opposing side faces, a shank extending radially inward from said platform, and a slot at least partially defined in each of said opposing side faces; and

a sealing member configured to be inserted into each slot of a first rotor blade of said plurality of rotor blades such that at least a portion of each sealing member extends beyond one of said opposing side faces, wherein a second rotor blade of said plurality of rotor blades is coupled adjacent said first rotor blade such that at least a portion of one sealing member is inserted into a corresponding second slot on said second rotor blade.

2. A rotor assembly according to claim 1, wherein said platform comprises a radially outward portion of each slot.

3. A rotor assembly according to claim 1, wherein said shank comprises opposing seal support members.

4. A rotor assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of said opposing seal support members comprises a radially inward portion of each slot.

5. A rotor assembly according to claim 1, wherein each slot is oriented to facilitate movement of said sealing member from a first position to a second position within each slot during operation of said gas turbine engine.

6. A rotor assembly according to claim 1, wherein each sealing member bridges a gap defined between said first rotor blade adjacent to said second rotor blade.

7. A rotor assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sealing member comprises a metallic alloy.

8. A rotor assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sealing member comprises a height of 0.3715 inches, a width of 0.15 inches, and a thickness of 0.01 inches.

10. A gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein said platform comprises a radially outward portion of each slot.

11. A gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein said shank comprises opposing seal support members.

12. A gas turbine engine according to claim 3, wherein each of said opposing seal support members comprises a radially inward portion of each slot.

13. A gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein each slot is oriented to facilitate movement of said sealing member from a first position to a second position within each slot during operation of said gas turbine engine.

14. A gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein each sealing member bridges a gap defined between said first rotor blade adjacent to said second rotor blade.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said platform comprises a radially outward portion of each slot.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said shank comprises opposing seal support members, and wherein each of the opposing seal support members comprises a radially inward portion of each slot.

18. A method according to claim 1 further comprising orienting each slot to facilitate movement of said sealing member from a first position to a second position within each slot during operation of the gas turbine engine.

19. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

defining a gap between said first rotor blade and said second rotor blade; and

sealing at least a portion of the gap using the sealing member.

20. A method according to claim 1 further comprising coupling each of the plurality of rotor blades to a rotor disk using said dovetail.

9. A gas turbine engine, comprising an axis of rotation, said gas turbine engine comprising:

a rotating shaft; and

a rotor assembly coupled to said shaft, wherein said rotor assembly comprises;

a plurality of rotor blades, wherein each rotor blade comprises a platform extending between opposing side faces, a shank extending radially inward from said platform, and a slot at least partially defined in each of said opposing side faces; and

a sealing member configured to be inserted into each slot of a first rotor blade of said plurality of rotor blades such that at least a portion of each sealing member extends beyond one of said opposing side faces, wherein a second rotor blade of said plurality of rotor blades is coupled adjacent said first rotor blade such that at least a portion of one sealing member is inserted into a corresponding second slot on said second rotor blade.

15. A method of assembling a rotor assembly for use with gas turbine engine, comprising an axis of rotation, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of rotor blades, wherein each rotor blade comprises a platform extending between opposing side faces, a shank extending radially inward from the platform, a dovetail extending radially inward from the shank, and a slot at least partially defined in each of the opposing side faces;

inserting a sealing member into each slot of a first rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades such that at least a portion of each sealing member extends beyond one of the opposing side faces; and

coupling a second rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades adjacent the first rotor blade such that at least a portion of one sealing member is inserted into a corresponding second slot on said second rotor blade.