HIGH-TEMPERATURE AIRFOIL

• US 3,619,077 A
• Filed: 09/30/1966
• Issued: 11/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George J. Wile, Herbert Garten
• Original Assignee: George J. Wile, Herbert Garten
• Inventors: Wile, George J., Garten, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle, Samuel W.
• Application Number:
  US04/584,056
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 253/77,77ML,39.15,39.15B,39.1 75/208
• US Class Current: 415/115
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/18 Hollow blades, i.e. blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities structure of hollow blades in general F01D5/147; Heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/042 fixing blades to stators fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A turbomachinery airfoil includes a plurality of stacked wafer elements which form at least a portion of the outer airfoil surface and are adapted to receive cooling fluid from a main support member.

Claims

1. For use in high-temperature turbomachines, an airfoil comprising:

main support means including longitudinally spaced-apart end members and means interconnecting said end members, said interconnecting means having at least one supply passage therein extending between said end members for the flow of cooling fluid, a plurality of wafer elements, in longitudinally stacked relationship disposed in compression between said end members, said wafer elements forming at least a portion of the outer surface of said airfoil and having greater resistance than said main support means to corrosion and high temperatures, and a plurality of passages in said interconnecting means joining said supply passage and said wafer elements so as to direct cooling fluid to said wafer elements.

2. An airfoil as defined by claim 1 in which said wafer elements are formed of a ceramic material

3. An airfoil as defined by claim 2 including spacing means between adjacent ceramic wafer elements.

4. An airfoil as defined by claim 3 in which said spacing means is of a different material than said ceramic wafer elements, said spacing means and said ceramic wafer elements having relative insolubility with respect to each other at high temperatures.

5. An airfoil as defined by claim 3 in which said spacing means permit flow of cooling fluid between adjacent ceramic wafer elements so as to provide enhanced resistance to high temperatures.

6. An airfoil as defined by claim 3 in which said interconnecting means of said main support means includes means biasing said end member toward each other so as to thereby apply compressive force to said ceramic wafer elements and said spacing means interposed therebetween.

7. An airfoil as defined by claim 3 in which said interconnecting means and said end members of said main support means are rigidly joined to form a substantially integral structure.

8. An airfoil as defined by claim 7 in which each of saId ceramic wafer elements is mechanically attached to said interconnecting means.

9. An airfoil as defined by claim 8 in which said mechanical attachment means comprises a pin connection.

10. A high-temperature gas turbomachine airfoil including:

a main body portion comprised of a solely metallic, relatively ductile material, said main body portion having passages therein for coolant flow, a plurality of wafer elements, said elements being composed of a material having higher temperature and corrosion resistant properties than that of said main body portion said elements being superimposed one upon another and arranged radially with respect to the turbomachine axis, said wafer elements forming at least the leading edge portion of the airfoil contour, means mechanically attaching said wafer elements so said main body portion including a transverse projection of said body portion into a cavity centrally of each element, said projection being retained therein, there being clearance passages between the walls of the said cavity and said projection at least partially of the transverse extension thereof, said clearance passages receiving coolant flow from said main body passages, and means interposed between adjacent wafer elements and providing a compressive stress thereon, said interposed means and said elements having relative insolubility one with respect to the other at high temperatures.

11. A high-temperature gas turbomachine airfoil as described in claim 10 wherein said interposed means radially spacing said elements comprise a plurality of raised portions on one of the abutting faces of each pair of adjacent elements in the stack of elements.