Patent Application
20170058916
Gas turbine engines typically include platforms near a root of a fan blade. The fan blade extends radially outwardly from the relatively flat platform. Discontinuities between surfaces of the platform and surfaces of the fan blade create turbulence as fluids flow therepast. The industry is always receptive to new devices and methods that can potentially improve efficiencies of gas turbine engines.
Disclosed herein is a gas turbine fan fairing platform. The platform includes at least one body defining a surface and having an opening receptive to a blade, a protrusion extending outwardly from the surface in a direction that will position the protrusion along a leading edge near a root of the blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the at least one body is two bodies each having an opening such that the two bodies can attach to one another and the openings form a continuous border that surrounds the blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the two bodies are detachable from one another to allow them to be replaced.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the protrusion has a curved surface that blends into the surface of the at least one body.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the protrusion serves as a fairing for the blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the at least one body is made of at least one of a composite, a polymeric material, and a metal.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the material of the at least one body is more resilient than that of the blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the at least one body seals to the blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the protrusion improves aerodynamic flow at the root leading edge of the blade in comparison to a platform that does not include the protrusion.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the improved aerodynamics allows the root leading edge of the blade to be thicker without sacrificing performance of a gas turbine engine employing the gas turbine fan fairing platform.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the protrusion protects the root leading edge of the blade from being contacted directly with a foreign body.
Further disclosed herein is a method of fairing a root leading edge of a fan blade of a gas turbine engine. The method includes positioning a platform having a protrusion near an opening in at least one body of the platform such that the protrusion is adjacent a root leading edge of the fan blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments sealing the platform to the fan blade.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments isolating the root leading edge of the fan blade from being struck by objects directly.
The subject matter which is regarded as the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to
The two bodies 14, 18 of the platform 10 are attachable such that the opening 26 in the body 14 and an opening 46 in the body 18 form a single larger opening 50 when the bodies 14 and 18 are attached. The opening 50 is sized and shaped to fit around the blade 30 near the root 42 and form a continuous border 48 that surrounds the blade 30. The two bodies 14, 18 are also detachable from one another to allow for replacement in the event that they become damaged, for example.
The protrusion 34 has a curved surface 54 that blends into the surface 22 of the body 14. The protrusion 34 serves as a fairing for the blade 30 and creates a smooth aerodynamic transition between the surface 22 and the blade 30 that is an improvement in comparison to a platform that does not include the protrusion 34. The shape of the surface 54, the protrusion 34 and surface 22 are designed to provide a smooth aerodynamic transition and consequently may have rather complex geometry. The body 14 may be made of a composite or polymeric material to facilitate fabrication of the complex geometry through injection molding, for example. Alternatively, metals such as steel, titanium and aluminum could also be used. The body 14 could also be made of a combination of two or more of the foregoing materials. The needs of each application can influence what material to use. Some applications may favor a lighter material while others a stronger more durable material.
The improved aerodynamics provided by the protrusion 34 allows the root leading edge 38 of the blade 30 to be thicker without sacrificing performance of a gas turbine engine 110 (in
The foregoing structure allows an operator a method of faring the root leading edge 38 of the fan blade 30 of the gas turbine engine 110 by positioning the platform 10 such that the protrusion 34 is adjacent the root leading edge 38 of the fan blade 30. In this context the word fairing is being used as a verb to describe improving aerodynamics of whatever the fairing is being done to, which in this case is the root leading edge 38 of the fan blade 30. The method also allows the operator to seal the platform 10 to the fan blade 30 as well as to isolate the root leading edge 38 of the fan blade 30 from being struck by objects directly.
While the present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
