Blade to blade vibration damper

• US 4,455,122 A
• Filed: 12/14/1981
• Issued: 06/19/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Lillibridge, Herbert J., Schwarzmann, Russell A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dahlberg, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US06/330,423
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 416/145, 416/190, 416/193 A, 416/500
• US Class Current: 416/190
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/006 Sealing the gap between rotor blades or blades and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/008 by spacer elements between the blades, e.g. independent interblade platforms
• 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: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 416/50 Vibration damping features

Abstract

Apparatus for dampening rotor blade vibratory energy in a rotary machine is disclosed. Concepts employing blade to blade damping are discussed.

In one detailed form, a damper (52) is disposed to seat against the undersides of adjacent blade platform sections (20) and a seal (42) is spaced sufficiently close to the damper so as to be deflected against the damper under centrifugal loads to augment dampening of the rotor blades by the damper.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dampening rotor blade vibratory energy which is characterized by a damper disposed beneath the platforms of two adjacent rotor blades and a plate-like seal inwardly of the damper which is radially restrained by the adjacent rotor blades, wherein the spacing of said seal from the damper is sufficiently close such that under centrifugal loading the midportion of the seal deflects to bear against the damper, thereby augmenting the energy dissipation capacity of the damper.

2. A blade and disk assembly of a rotary machine having a flowpath for working medium gases extending axially therethrough, which comprises:

a rotor disk having a plurality of slots disposed about the periphery thereof;

a plurality of rotor blades, each having a root section engaging a corresponding slot of the rotor disk, a platform section defining a portion of the inner wall of the flowpath for working medium gases and an airfoil section extending into the flowpath;

a vibration damper disposed beneath the platform section of two adjacent rotor blades and adapted to bear against the undersides of said platform sections in response to centrifugal loads for dampening of rotor blade vibrations; and

a flexible seal disposed against said two adjacent rotor blades for the prevention of leakage radially therebetween, wherein said seal is spaced sufficiently close to said damper so as to be capable of deflecting against the damper in response to centrifugal loads to further dampen rotor blade vibration.