Blade and rotor arrangement

Abstract

A fan rotor arrangement comprises a fan rotor (24) and a plurality of fan blades (26). Each fan blade (26) comprises a root portion (36) and an aerofoil portion (38). Each aerofoil portion (38) has a leading edge (44), a trailing edge (46) and a tip (48). Concave pressure surface (50) and convex suction surface (52) extend from the leading edge (44) to the trailing edge (46) of each aerofoil portion (38). An annular wall (54) surrounds the fan rotor (24) and fan blades (26) and an inner surface (56) of the annular wall (54) has a circumferentially extending groove (58). The circumferentially extending groove (58) is arranged axially, or chordally, between the leading edges (44) and the trailing edges (46) at the tips (48) of the aerofoil portions (38) of the fan blades (26). The circumferentially extending groove (58) extends axially by at least half a wavelength of an unsteady pressure wave to provide a geometrically tuned cavity and additionally pressure loss to suppress axially upstream propagating unsteady pressure waves. This reduces vibrations of the fan blade (26).

Description

The present invention will be more fully described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:—

FIG. 1 shows a turbofan gas turbine engine having a fan rotor arrangement according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a fan rotor arrangement according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a tip of the fan blade and a fan casing shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view looking radially through the tips of adjacent fan blades showing an unsteady pressure wave.

FIGS. 5A to 5F show alternative cross-sectional shapes of the groove in the fan casing.

FIGS. 6A to 6E show alternative shapes of the groove in the fan casing.

Claims

1. A rotor arrangement comprising a rotor and plurality of circumferentially spaced blades extending radially outwardly from the rotor, each blade comprising an aerofoil portion, each aerofoil portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a tip remote from the rotor, each aerofoil having a concave pressure surface extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a convex suction surface extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, a casing surrounding the rotor and blades, the casing having an inner surface facing the tips of the blades, the inner surface of the casing having a circumferentially extending groove and the circumferentially extending groove being arranged axially between the leading edges and the trailing edges of the blades, the circumferentially extending groove extending axially by a distance such that at least half a wavelength of an unsteady pressure wave fits within the groove to provide a geometrically tuned cavity to suppress the upstream propagating unsteady pressure waves.

2. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove is arranged between 40% and 60% of the axial distance between the leading edges and the trailing edges of the blades.

3. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove is arranged substantially axially midway between the leading edges and the trailing edges of the blades.

4. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove extends axially by at least 6 mm.

5. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove extends axially by at least 8 mm.

6. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove extends axially by at most 15 mm.

7. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove extends radially by about 5 mm.

8. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove is defined by an axially upstream wall extending generally radially from the inner surface of the casing, an axially downstream wall extending generally radially from the inner surface of the casing and a radially outer wall extending generally axially between the axially upstream wall and the axially downstream wall.

9. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein the axially upstream wall and the axially downstream wall are arranged substantially perpendicular to the inner surface of the casing.

10. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove has a rectangular cross-section, a triangular cross-section, a parallelogram cross-section or a part circular cross-section.

11. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the circumferentially extending groove is an annular groove.

12. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blades are fan blades.

13. A rotor arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blades have a tip chord length of less than 300 mm.