Turbine engine with rotatable disk and blades

Abstract

A turbine engine having a rotatable disk, a sealed cartridge, and blades. The rotatable disk has an outer peripheral surface with at least one slot in the outer peripheral surface. The seal cartridge defines a blade seat. The blade has a root, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the root being received within the blade seat.

Description

[0001] Government funded research

[0002] This invention was made with support from the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government may have certain rights in this invention. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to turbine engines, and in particular, to turbine engines having a rotatable disk and blades receivable by the rotatable disk. Background Art

[0004] A turbine engine (and in particular a gas or combustion turbine engine) is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a gas flow that passes through a fan section, a compression section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. The fan section includes a plurality of fan blades. The compression section includes a series of compressor stages that include pairs of rotating blades and stationary vanes. The turbine section includes a series of turbine stages that include pairs of rotating blades and stationary vanes. The blades are mounted to a rotating disk, while the vanes are mounted to the stationary portion of the turbine engine.

[0005] During operation, air enters the compressor section through the fan section. The air is then pressurized in the compressor and mixed with fuel in the combustor to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases flow downstream through the turbine stage. In the turbine stage, the air expands and eventually exits the exhaust section. The expansion of the air in the turbine section is used to drive the rotating sections of the fan section and the compressor section. The intake of air, the pressurization of air, and the expansion of air are accomplished, in part, by the rotation of various rotating blades mounted to respective disks throughout the fan section, the compressor section, and the turbine section. The rotation of the blades applies mechanical stresses along various portions of the blades; in particular, mechanical stresses are applied along the locations where the blades are mounted to the rotatable disks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] A full and enabling disclosure of the present disclosure, including the best mode thereof, to one of ordinary skill in the art is set forth in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a turbine engine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a blade assembly comprising a rotatable disk, blades and a Figure 1 A seal box for use in a turbine engine includes a plate that partially defines a blade seat for a blade.

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic top perspective view of a sealing box further illustrating a pocket formed along the plate and adapted to receive a blade.

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Schematic bottom perspective view of the sealing box, further showing the flow channels formed along the corresponding parts of the sealing box.

[0011] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Schematic side cross-sectional assembly view of a blade assembly, further illustrating first and second flow channels formed between the seal box and the rotatable disk and between the seal box and the blade, respectively.

[0012] Figure 6 is one in which the leaves are removed Figure 2 A rear schematic diagram of a blade assembly further illustrating two circumferentially adjacent seal boxes between which the spline seal extends. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Aspects disclosed herein relate to a turbine engine including a rotatable disk, blades, and a seal box. The rotatable disk is rotatable about an axis of rotation and includes a slot. The blades and the seal box are receivable in the slot. The seal box includes a plate and at least one arm that together form a blade seat. The seal box is radially placed between the blades and a lower portion of the slot.

[0014] The seal box is coupled to the blade via at least one arm. The seal box thermally insulates the bottom of the slot from the bottom or root of the blade. For illustrative purposes, the present disclosure will be described with respect to a turbine engine. However, it should be understood that the aspects of the present disclosure described herein are not limited thereto and may have general applicability in other engines or in other parts of a turbine engine. For example, the present disclosure may be applicable to rotatable disks, seal boxes, and blades in other engines or vehicles, and may be used to provide benefits in industrial, commercial, and residential applications.

[0015] As used herein, the term "upstream" refers to the direction opposite to the direction of fluid flow, while the term "downstream" refers to the direction in the same direction as the direction of fluid flow. The terms "front" or "front" mean in front of something, and "rear" or "rearward" mean behind something.

[0016] Furthermore, as used herein, the term "radial" or "radially" refers to directions away from a common center. For example, in the overall context of a turbine engine, radial refers to directions along a ray extending between a central longitudinal axis of the engine and an outer periphery of the engine.

[0017] Furthermore, as used herein, the term "set" or a "set" of elements may be any number of elements, including only one.

[0018] Additionally, as used herein, the term "fluid" or iterations thereof may refer to any suitable fluid within a gas turbine engine, at least a portion of which is exposed to, for example, but not limited to, combustion gases, ambient air, a pressurized gas stream, a working gas stream, or any combination thereof. It is further contemplated that the gas turbine engine may be other suitable turbine engines, such as, but not limited to, a steam turbine engine or a supercritical carbon dioxide turbine engine. As non-limiting examples, the term "fluid" may refer to steam in a steam turbine engine, or to carbon dioxide in a supercritical carbon dioxide turbine engine.

[0019] All directional references (e.g., radial, axial, proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, front, rear, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counterclockwise, upstream, downstream, forward, rearward, etc.) are used only for identification purposes to assist the reader in understanding the present disclosure and do not create limitations, especially with respect to the position, orientation, or use of the disclosed aspects described herein.

[0020] Connective references (e.g., attached, coupled, fixed, fastened, connected, and joined) are to be interpreted broadly and may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements, unless otherwise indicated. Thus, a connective reference does not necessarily mean that two elements are directly connected and fixed relative to each other. The exemplary drawings are for illustrative purposes only, and the sizes, positions, orders, and relative sizes reflected in the attached drawings may vary.

[0021] As used herein, the term "composite" means a component having two or more materials. A composite may be a combination of at least two metallic or non-metallic elements or materials; or a combination of metallic and non-metallic elements or materials. Examples of composite materials may be, but are not limited to, polymer matrix composites (PMC), ceramic matrix composites (CMC), metal matrix composites (MMC), carbon fibers, polymer resins, thermoplastic resins, bismaleimide (BMI) materials, polyimide materials, epoxy resins, glass fibers, and silicon matrix materials.

[0022] As used herein, a "composite" component refers to a structure or component that includes any suitable composite material. A composite component, such as a composite airfoil, may include several layers or several layups of composite materials. The stiffness, material, and dimensions of the layers or layups may vary to achieve a desired composite component or composite portion of a component having a predetermined weight, size, stiffness, and strength.

[0023] One or more layers of adhesive may be used to form or join the composite parts. The adhesive may include resins and phenolics, where the adhesive may require curing at elevated temperatures or other hardening techniques.

[0024] As used herein, PMC refers to a class of materials. As an example, PMC materials are partially defined by prepregs, which are reinforcing materials pre-impregnated with polymer matrix materials (e.g., thermoplastic resins). Non-limiting examples of processes for producing thermoplastic prepregs include: hot melt prepregs, in which fiber reinforcements are pulled through a molten bath of resin; and powder prepregs, in which resin is deposited on the fiber reinforcements, as a non-limiting example, electrostatically deposited on the fiber reinforcements, and then adhered to the fibers, as a non-limiting example, in an oven or with the help of heated rollers. Prepregs can be in the form of unidirectional tapes or woven fabrics, which are then stacked on top of each other to form the desired number of stacked layers of a part.

[0025] Multilayer prepreg is stacked to the appropriate thickness and orientation of composite parts, and then resin is cured and solidified to provide fiber reinforced composite parts. The resin for PMC matrix material can be generally classified as thermosetting resin or thermoplastic resin. Thermoplastic resin is generally classified as a polymer that can be repeatedly softened and flowed when heated and can be hardened due to physical changes rather than chemical changes when fully cooled. The famous example category of thermoplastic resin includes nylon, thermoplastic polyester, polyaryletherketone and polycarbonate resin. The specific example of high-performance thermoplastic resin for aerospace applications has been envisioned to include polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyetherimide (PEI), polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). On the contrary, once fully cured into a hard rigid solid, thermosetting resin will not experience significant softening when heated, but thermally decomposes when fully heated. The famous example of thermosetting resin includes epoxy resin, bismaleimide (BMI) and polyimide resin.

[0026] Instead of using prepreg, in another non-limiting example, by using thermoplastic polymers, braided fabrics can be utilized. Braided fabrics may include, but are not limited to, dry carbon fibers woven together with thermoplastic polymer fibers or filaments. Non-prepreg braided architectures can be made in a similar manner. In this way, the fiber volume of a part can be customized by specifying the relative concentrations of thermoplastic fibers and reinforcing fibers that have been woven or braided together. In addition, different types of reinforcing fibers can be braided or braided together at different concentrations to customize the properties of a part. For example, glass fibers, carbon fibers, and thermoplastic fibers can all be woven together at different concentrations to customize the properties of a part. Carbon fibers provide the strength of the system, glass fibers can be incorporated to enhance impact properties, which is a design feature of a part located near the engine inlet, and thermoplastic fibers provide bonding for reinforcing fibers.

[0027] In yet another non-limiting example, resin transfer molding (RTM) can be used to form at least a portion of a composite component. Typically, RTM includes applying a dry fiber or matrix material to a mold or cavity. The dry fiber or matrix material may include prepregs, woven materials, braided materials, or any combination thereof.

[0028] The resin may be pumped or otherwise provided to the mold or cavity to impregnate the dry fibers or matrix material. The combination of the impregnated fibers or matrix material and the resin is then cured and removed from the mold. When removed from the mold, the composite part may require a post-curing process.

[0029] It is contemplated that RTM may be a vacuum assisted process. That is, the air in the cavity or mold may be removed and replaced with resin prior to heating or curing. It is further contemplated that placement of dry fiber or matrix material may be manual or automated.

[0030] The dry fiber or matrix material may be shaped to form the composite part or to guide the resin. Optionally, additional layers or reinforcements of a material different from the dry fiber or matrix material may also be included or added prior to heating or curing.

[0031] As used herein, CMC refers to a class of materials having reinforcing fibers in a ceramic matrix. Typically, the reinforcing fibers provide structural integrity to the ceramic matrix. Some examples of reinforcing fibers may include, but are not limited to, non-oxide silicon-based materials (e.g., silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or mixtures thereof), non-oxide carbon-based materials (e.g., carbon), oxide ceramics (e.g., silicon oxycarbide, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminosilicates (such as mullite), or mixtures thereof), or mixtures thereof.

[0032] Some examples of ceramic matrix materials may include, but are not limited to, non-oxide silicon-based materials (e.g., silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or mixtures thereof), oxide ceramics (e.g., silicon oxycarbide, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminosilicates, or mixtures thereof), or mixtures thereof. Optionally, ceramic particles (e.g., oxides of Si, Al, Zr, Y, and combinations thereof) and inorganic fillers (e.g., pyrophyllite, wollastonite, mica, talc, kyanite, and montmorillonite) may also be included in the ceramic matrix.

[0033] In general, specific CMCs can be referred to as their fiber type / matrix type combination. For example, C / SiC is carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide, SiC / SiC is silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide, SiC / SiN is silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon nitride, SiC / SiC-SiN is silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide / silicon nitride matrix mixture, etc. In other examples, CMCs can be composed of a matrix and reinforcing fibers comprising oxide-based materials such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminosilicates, and mixtures thereof. Aluminosilicates can include crystalline materials such as mullite (3Al2O3·2SiO2), as well as glassy aluminosilicates.

[0034] In certain non-limiting examples, the reinforcing fibers may be bundled and / or coated before being included in the matrix. For example, the fiber bundles may be formed into reinforcing tapes, such as unidirectional reinforcing tapes. Multiple tapes may be stacked together to form a preform component. The fiber bundles may be impregnated with a slurry composition before or after forming the preform. The preform may then be subjected to heat treatment and subsequent chemical treatment to obtain a component formed of a CMC material having a desired chemical composition. For example, the preform may undergo curing or burnout to produce a high coke residue in the preform, and then melt infiltrated with silicon, or undergo curing or pyrolysis to produce a silicon carbide matrix in the preform, and then chemical vapor infiltration with silicon carbide. Additional steps may be taken to improve the densification of the preform, by injecting the preform with a liquid resin or polymer before or after chemical vapor infiltration, and then performing a heat treatment step to fill the voids with silicon carbide. CMC materials as used herein may be formed using any known or later developed method including, but not limited to, melt infiltration, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration pyrolysis (PIP), or any combination thereof.

[0035] Such materials, along with certain monolithic ceramics (i.e., ceramic materials without reinforcement materials), are particularly useful for higher temperature applications. In addition, these ceramic materials are lightweight compared to superalloys, yet still provide strength and durability to components made therefrom. As a result, such materials are currently being considered for use in many gas turbine components used in the higher temperature sections of gas turbine engines (such as airfoils (e.g., turbines and buckets), combustors, shrouds, and other components) that would benefit from the lighter weight and higher temperature capabilities that these materials can provide.

[0036] The term "metal" as used herein refers to materials including metals such as, but not limited to, titanium, iron, aluminum, stainless steel, and nickel alloys. A metal material or alloy may be a combination of at least two or more elements or materials, at least one of which is a metal.

[0037] Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a turbine engine 10 for an aircraft. The turbine engine 10 has a generally longitudinally extending axis or centerline 12 extending from a front portion 14 to an aft portion 16. The turbine engine 10 includes, in downstream serial flow relationship: a fan section 18 including a fan 20; a compressor section 22 including a supercharger or low pressure (LP) compressor 24 and a high pressure (HP) compressor 26; a combustion section 28 including a combustor 30; a turbine section 32 including an HP turbine 34 and an LP turbine 36; and an exhaust section 38. The turbine engine 10 described herein is provided as a non-limiting example only. Other architectures are possible, such as, but not limited to, a non-ducted turbine engine, a steam turbine engine, a supercritical carbon dioxide turbine engine, or any other suitable turbine engine.

[0038] The fan section 18 includes a fan case 40 surrounding the fan 20. The fan 20 includes a plurality of fan blades 42 radially arranged about the engine centerline 12. The HP compressor 26, the combustor 30, and the HP turbine 34 form an engine core 44 of the turbine engine 10. The engine core 44 generates combustion gases. The engine core 44 is surrounded by a core case 46, which may be coupled to the fan case 40.

[0039] An HP shaft 48 is coaxially disposed about the engine centerline 12 of the turbine engine 10. The HP shaft 48 drivingly connects the HP turbine 34 to the HP compressor 26. An LP shaft 50 is coaxially disposed about the engine centerline 12 of the turbine engine 10 and within the larger diameter annular HP shaft 48. The LP shaft 50 drivingly connects the LP turbine 36 to the LP compressor 24 and the fan 20. The shafts 48, 50 are rotatable about the engine centerline 12 and are coupled to a plurality of rotatable elements that may collectively define a rotor 51.

[0040] The LP compressor 24 and the HP compressor 26 include a plurality of compressor stages 52, 54, respectively. In a compressor stage 52, 54, a set of compressor blades 56, 58 rotate relative to a corresponding set of static compressor vanes 60, 62 to compress or pressurize a fluid flow through the stage. In a single compressor stage 52, 54, the plurality of compressor blades 56, 58 may be arranged in a ring and may extend radially outward relative to the engine centerline 12. The compressor blades 56, 58 extend from a blade platform to a blade tip. The corresponding static compressor vanes 60, 62 are positioned upstream and adjacent to the rotating compressor blades 56, 58. Notably, Figure 1 The numbers of blades, buckets, and compressor stages shown in FIG. 5 are selected for illustration purposes only, and other numbers are possible.

[0041] The compressor blades 56, 58 for the stages 52, 54 of the compressors 24, 26 may be mounted to (or integrated into) a disk 61. The disk 61 is mounted to a corresponding one of the HP shaft 48 and the LP shaft 50. The static compressor buckets 60, 62 for the stages 52, 54 of the compressors 24, 26 may be mounted to the core housing 46 in a circumferential arrangement.

[0042] The HP turbine 34 and the LP turbine 36 each include a plurality of turbine stages 64, 66. In the turbine stages 64, 66, a set of turbine blades 68, 70 rotate relative to a corresponding set of static turbine vanes 72, 74 to extract energy from the fluid flow passing through the stage. The set of static turbine vanes 72, 74 are also referred to as nozzles.

[0043] In a single turbine stage 64, 66, a plurality of turbine blades 68, 70 may be arranged in a ring and may extend radially outward relative to the engine centerline 12. The corresponding static turbine buckets 72, 74 are positioned upstream and adjacent to the rotating turbine blades 68, 70. Notably, Figure 1 The number of blades, buckets, and turbine stages shown in FIG. 5 are selected for illustration purposes only, and other numbers are possible.

[0044] Turbine blades 68, 70 for one stage of the turbine may be mounted to a disk 71. Disk 71 is mounted to a corresponding one of HP shaft 48 and LP shaft 50. Turbine buckets 72, 74 for one stage of the compressor may be mounted to core housing 46 in a circumferential arrangement.

[0045] Complementing the rotor portion, the stationary portion of the turbine engine 10 is also referred to individually or collectively as a stator 63. Thus, the stator 63 may refer to a combination of non-rotating elements throughout the turbine engine 10. The stationary portion may include the static blades 60, 62, 72, 74 of the compressor section 22 and the turbine section 32.

[0046] It should be understood that the turbine engine 10 can be divided into at least two separate parts: a rotor portion and a stator portion. The rotor portion can be defined as any portion of the turbine engine 10 that rotates around a corresponding axis of rotation. The stator portion can be defined by a combination of non-rotating elements disposed within the turbine engine 10. As non-limiting examples, the rotor portion can include one or more of a plurality of fan blades 42, compressor blades 56, 58, or turbine blades 68, 70. As non-limiting examples, the stator portion can include one or more of a plurality of fan blades 82, static compressor blades 60, 62, or static turbine blades 72, 74.

[0047] In operation, the airflow exiting the fan section 18 is split so that a portion of the airflow is directed into the LP compressor 24, which then supplies the pressurized airflow 76 to the HP compressor 26, which further pressurizes the air. The pressurized airflow 76 from the HP compressor 26 is mixed with the fuel in the combustor 30 and ignited, thereby generating combustion gases. The HP turbine 34 extracts some work from these gases, which drives the HP compressor 26. The combustion gases are exhausted into the LP turbine 36, which extracts additional work to drive the LP compressor 24, and the exhaust gas is ultimately exhausted from the turbine engine 10 via the exhaust section 38. The drive of the LP turbine 36 drives the LP spool 50 to rotate the fan 20 and the LP compressor 24.

[0048] A portion of the pressurized air flow 76 may be extracted from the compressor section 22 as bleed air 77. The bleed air 77 may be extracted from the pressurized air flow 76 and provided to engine components for cooling. The temperature of the pressurized air flow 76 entering the combustor 30 is significantly increased to above the bleed air temperature. The bleed air 77 may be used to reduce the temperature of core components downstream of the combustor 30. The bleed air 77 may also be utilized by other systems.

[0049] Some of the air supplied by the fan 20 may bypass the engine core 44 and be used to cool portions of the turbine engine 10, particularly the hot portions, and / or to cool or power other aspects of the aircraft. In the case of a turbine engine, the hot portions of the engine are typically downstream of the combustor 30, particularly the turbine section 32, with the HP turbine 34 being the hottest portion as it is located directly downstream of the combustion section 28. Other sources of cooling fluid may be, but are not limited to, fluid discharged from the LP compressor 24 or the HP compressor 26.

[0050] The remaining portion of the airflow exiting the fan section 18 is referred to as bypass airflow 78. The bypass airflow 78 bypasses the LP compressor 24 and the engine core 44 and exits the turbine engine 10 at the fan exhaust side 84 through the stationary blade row. More specifically, the stationary blade row is an outlet guide vane assembly 80. The outlet guide vane assembly 80 includes a plurality of airfoil guide vanes 82. More specifically, a circumferential row of radially extending airfoil guide vanes 82 is used adjacent the fan section 18 to exert at least some directional control on the airflow 78.

[0051] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a blade assembly 100, which includes a rotatable disk 102, blades 104, and a Figure 1 The rotatable disk 102 is suitable for use as a rotatable disk 61, 71 ( Figure 1 ) or any other disk, such as but not limited to turbine engine 10 ( Figure 1) of fan section 18 ( Figure 1 ) within the disk. The rotatable disk 102 can rotate about an axis of rotation 106, which can be aligned with the engine centerline (e.g. Figure 1 The engine center line 12) coincides or deviates.

[0052] The rotatable disk 102 includes a front surface 130 and a rear surface 132, wherein an outer peripheral surface 134 interconnects the front surface 130 and the rear surface 132. The rotatable disk 102 includes a plurality of grooves 108 formed at the periphery of the rotatable disk 102. The plurality of grooves 108 extend between a front opening 101 formed along the front surface 130, a rear opening 103 formed along the rear surface 132, and an outer peripheral opening 105 formed along the outer peripheral surface 134. Each groove of the plurality of grooves 108 extends radially inward from the outer peripheral surface 134 toward the rotation axis 106 and terminates at a corresponding groove inner surface 180. The total circumferential distance that each groove of the plurality of grooves 108 extends is less than the total axial distance that the grooves extend along the outer peripheral surface 134.

[0053] Although shown as a plurality of axially extending slots 108, it should be understood that at least a portion of the slots may extend non-axially. As a non-limiting example, the plurality of slots 108 may be circumferentially offset such that at least one of the plurality of slots 108 includes a first portion that is circumferentially displaced from another portion that is spaced apart from the first portion. As a non-limiting example, at least one of the plurality of slots 108 may include an opening along the front surface 130 that is circumferentially spaced apart from an opening on the rear surface 132.

[0054] The rotatable disk 102 also includes an axial retainer assembly 178 disposed along the front surface 130. The axial retainer assembly may include an axial retainer 190 extending circumferentially around the rotation axis 106. The axial retainer 190 covers the front opening 101. Although only a portion of the axial retainer assembly 178 is shown, it should be understood that the axial retainer assembly 178 may extend continuously around the entire rotation axis 106. The axial retainer 190 may be continuous or segmented around the rotation axis 106. The axial retainer assembly 178 may be disposed along the front surface 130, the rear surface 132, or a combination thereof.

[0055] The blade 104 includes an airfoil portion 110 and a shank 112 extending from the airfoil portion 110. The shank 112 meets the airfoil portion 110 at a transition portion 126. The shank 112 may define a portion of the blade 104 that flares circumferentially outward from the airfoil portion 110. The shank 112 defines a portion of the blade 104 that may be received within a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots 108.

[0056] The airfoil portion 110 extends between a leading edge 114 and a trailing edge 116 to define a chordwise direction. The blade 104 extends between a root 118 and a tip 120 to define a spanwise direction. The shank 112 terminates radially at the root 118. The airfoil portion 110 includes a pressure side 122 and a suction side 124.

[0057] The sealing box 136 includes a plate 138 and at least one arm extending radially from the plate 138. The plate 138 is an axially extending body of the sealing box 136. As a non-limiting example, the sealing box 136 may include a first arm 140 and a second arm 142, wherein the second arm 142 is axially spaced from the first arm 140. Although two arms (the first arm 140 and the second arm 142) are shown, it should be understood that the sealing box 136 may include one or more arms extending radially from the plate 138.

[0058] The plate 138, the first arm 140, and the second arm 142 can be formed as a single body. As used herein, the term "single body" refers to a single component or a combination of components that are physically in contact to collectively define a single body. As a non-limiting example, the plate 138, the first arm 140, and the second arm 142 can form a single body by being formed singly (e.g., formed as a single continuous piece), being coupled to each other (e.g., the first arm 140 or the second arm 142 can be coupled to the plate 138), or a combination thereof. With respect to a single body defined by bodies coupled to each other, the coupling can be achieved by, but is not limited to, welding, bonding, combining, clamping, fastening, or a combination thereof. As a non-limiting example, the first arm 140, the second arm 142, and the plate 138 can be formed by casting, molding, printing (e.g., 3-D printing), or a combination thereof into a single body.

[0059] The sealing box 136 defines a blade seat 144 adapted to receive a corresponding portion of the blade 104. The plate 138 and the at least one arm together define the blade seat 144. The blade seat 144 may be sized to seat any suitable portion of the blade 104. As a non-limiting example, the blade seat 144 may be sized to seat the shank 112, and in particular, the root 126 of the shank 112.

[0060] The sealing box 136 may include at least one body extending axially from at least one of the first arm 140 or the second arm 142. As a non-limiting example, the first arm 140 may include a first retaining body 146 extending axially forward from the first arm 140, and the second arm 142 may include a second retaining body 148 extending axially rearward from the second arm 142. When the blade 104 is disposed in the blade seat 144, the first retaining body 146 and the second retaining body 148 each extend in the axial direction beyond a corresponding portion of the blade 104, in particular beyond the handle 112. The first retaining body 146 and the second retaining body 148 are used to retain the sealing box 136 to the blade 104. The first retaining body 146 and the second retaining body 148 may take any suitable form. As a non-limiting example, the first retaining body 146 and the second retaining body 148 may each be formed as an angel wing.

[0061] By inserting the blade 104 into the blade seat 144, the seal box 136 can be coupled to the blade 104. By inserting the handle 112 and the seal box 136 into the corresponding slots in the plurality of slots 108, the blade 104 and the seal box 136 are both coupled to the rotatable disk 102. It is contemplated that the size of the seal box 136 can be designed to fit within the corresponding slots in the plurality of slots 108. As a non-limiting example, the lower portion of the first arm 140 and the second arm 142 can match the cross-section of the corresponding slot so that the seal box 136 is flush with the corresponding slot. Alternatively, a gap can be found between the corresponding slot and the seal box 136. As a non-limiting example, the seal box 136 first slides into the front opening of the slot, and the axial position in the slot is set by the position where the first arm 140 contacts the front surface 130 of the rotatable disk 102. The airfoil portion 110 extends radially outward from the outer peripheral surface 134 through the outer peripheral opening 105. The seal box 136 and blades 104 are held in place by frictional contact with the slot 108, or may be coupled to the slot 108 via any suitable coupling method, such as, but not limited to, welding, bonding, fastening, etc. The axial retainer assembly 178, and in particular the axial retainer 190, retains the seal box 136, and thus the blades 104, within the slot 108.

[0062] Although only a single blade 104 and a single seal box 136 are shown, it should be understood that there may be any number of one or more blades 104 and accompanying seal boxes 136 in the blade assembly 100. As a non-limiting example, the total number of blades 104 and seal boxes 136 may correspond to the total number of slots in the plurality of slots 108.

[0063] Although described as being mounted to the rotatable disk 102, it should be understood that the blades 104 may be any suitable static airfoil or rotating airfoil. In the former, the blades 104 may be mounted to a static body rather than to a rotatable disk. Thus, the blades 104 may be static compressor buckets 60, 62 ( Figure 1 ), the set of compressor blades 56, 58 ( Figure 1 ), static turbine blades 72, 74 ( Figure 1 ), the group of turbine blades 68, 70 ( Figure 1 ) or at least one of a plurality of fan blades 42. In the case where blades 104 are mounted to a stationary component of turbine engine 10, the body identified by rotatable disk 102 may be any suitable stationary portion of turbine engine 10 to which blades 104 may be coupled, such as, but not limited to, a belt, a shroud, a casing, etc.

[0064] The blade assembly 100 may be made of any suitable material. As a non-limiting example, the blade 104 may include a composite material, such that the blade 104 may be defined as a composite blade. As a non-limiting example, the rotatable disk 102 may include a metal material, such that the rotatable disk 102 may be defined as a metal disk. As a non-limiting example, the sealing box 136 may include a metal material, such that the sealing box 136 may be defined as a metal sealing box.

[0065] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 136. The plate 138 includes a lower plate surface 150 and an upper plate surface 152. A pocket 154 can be formed along the upper plate surface 152.

[0066] At least one of the first arm 140 or the second arm 142 may include a stop 156. As a non-limiting example, the first arm 140 may include a stop 156. When the blade is received in the blade seat 144, the stop 156 may be pressed against the blade 104 ( Figure 2 ), and maintain the seal box 136 in frictional contact with the blade 104. The stopper 156 can define a portion of the seal box 136 that is in direct contact with the blade 104 when the blade 104 is received in the blade seat 144. The stopper 156 can extend circumferentially between a first end 157 and a second end 159. The first end 157 and the second end 159 can be circumferentially spaced apart or flush with the circumferential ends of the first arm 140.

[0067] At least one of the first arm 140 or the second arm 142 may include a protrusion 160 extending from the first arm 140 or the second arm 142. As a non-limiting example, the second arm 142 includes the protrusion 160. The protrusion 160 is defined by an area of ​​the second arm 142 that extends circumferentially away from the second arm 142. When the first arm 140 and the second arm 142 are perpendicular to the rotation axis 106 ( Figure 2 ) and intersecting the protrusion 160, the protrusion 160 includes a triangular cross-sectional area. For illustrative purposes, a divider 162 between the protrusion 160 and the rest of the second arm 142 is shown. Although shown as including a triangular cross-sectional area, it should be understood that the cross-sectional area can be any suitable shape configured to form the protrusion 160 along the sealing box 136. Alternatively, in some assemblies, the protrusion 160 can be excluded from the sealing box 136. As a non-limiting example, when the rotatable disk 102 does not include a deflection slot, the protrusion 160 can be excluded.

[0068] The protrusion 160 may include a radially inner surface 182 that faces the rotatable disk 102 ( Figure 2 )'s outer peripheral surface 134 ( Figure 2 ). For illustrative purposes, the perimeter 184 of the rotatable disk 102 defined by the outer peripheral surface 134 has been shown. The radially inner surface 182 may be spaced apart from or in contact with the outer peripheral surface 134. The radially inner surface 182 may be formed such that it follows the contour of the perimeter 184 defined by the outer peripheral surface 134.

[0069] The seal box 136 includes a seal channel 164 extending circumferentially through at least one arm of the seal box 136. As a non-limiting example, the seal channel 164 extends circumferentially through the second arm 142. As a non-limiting example, the seal channel 164 may extend through the protrusion 160.

[0070] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Schematic bottom perspective view of the sealing box 136. The sealing box 136 may include a third arm 128 extending radially inward from the plate 138.

[0071] When the rotatable disk ( Figure 2 ) are assembled together, the third arm 136 can define an axial stop for the sealing box 136. The third arm 128 can be a continuation of one of the first arm 140 or the second arm. At least one flow channel 166 can be disposed in the third arm 128. The sealing box 136 can also include a flow meter 168 defining an additional arm extending radially inward from the plate 138. The flow meter 168 can be disposed rearward or downstream of the at least one flow channel 166. Alternatively, the at least one flow channel 166 can be used as a flow meter, so that the flow meter 168 is not required. During operation, the fluid flow can be between the sealing box 136 (particularly the lower surface 150) and the rotatable disk 102 ( Figure 2) between the plate 138 and the rotatable disc 102. The flow meter 168 can be used to control the rate at which the fluid flows between the seal box 136 and the rotatable disc 102. The flow meter 168 can also be used as a leg extending from the plate 138, which defines a radial stop. In other words, the flow meter 168 can contact a portion of the disc 102 and separate the plate 138 from the disc 102.

[0072] Figure 5 Observed from the circumferential direction Figure 2 154. The shank 112 is at least partially received in the blade seat 144. The seal box 136 and the shank 112 are received in corresponding grooves of the plurality of grooves 108. At least a portion of the shank 112 can extend into the pocket 154. Alternatively, the pocket 154 can define an area into which the shank 112 does not extend.

[0073] The rotatable disk 102 and the sealing box 136 can be coupled to each other by any suitable method. As a non-limiting example, an axial retainer assembly 178 can be coupled to a corresponding portion of the rotatable disk 102 or formed integrally therewith. The axial retainer assembly 178 includes a retainer slot 179 in which an axial retainer is received. The axial retainer 190 can apply force to the retainer slot 179 and the corresponding portion of the sealing box 136 (e.g., the first arm 140 and the third arm 128) and maintain the sealing box 136 in the shown position. The axial retainer assembly 178 can prevent the sealing box 136 from moving axially in the slot 108.

[0074] The axial retainer 190 may be any suitable device configured to retain the seal box 136 to the rotatable disk 102. As a non-limiting example, the axial retainer 190 may be a retainer ring. The axial retainer 190 may contact any suitable portion of the seal box 136. As a non-limiting example, the axial retainer 190 may contact the first arm 140. The axial retainer 190 may be disposed along a side of the rotatable disk 102 corresponding to at least one of the front surface 130 or the rear surface 132. As a non-limiting example, the blade assembly 100 may include two axial retainers: one disposed along a portion of the rotatable disk 102 corresponding to the front surface 130, and the other disposed along a portion of the rotatable disk 102 corresponding to the rear surface 132. Alternatively, the rotatable disk 102 and the seal box 136 may be coupled to each other by any suitable method, such as, but not limited to, welding, bonding, fastening, or a combination thereof.

[0075] The axial retainer 190 may be a split ring retainer such that each seal box 136 or each group of seal boxes 136 includes a corresponding axial retainer 190. Thus, the axial retainer 190 may be included in a plurality of axial retainers segmented circumferentially about the rotation axis 106. Alternatively, the axial retainer 190 may be a continuous retainer that retains each seal box 136 of the blade assembly 100 to a corresponding portion of the rotatable disk 102.

[0076] The first arm 140 extends radially along the leading edge 114 of the blade 104. The second arm 142 extends radially along the trailing edge 116 of the blade 104. The plate 138 extends axially along the root 118. The first arm 140 and the second arm 142 may terminate radially inwardly of the transition 126 between the airfoil portion 110 and the shank 112, terminate in conjunction with the transition 126 between the airfoil portion 110 and the shank 112, or terminate radially outwardly of the transition 126 between the airfoil portion 110 and the shank 112.

[0077] A first gap 186 is formed between the seal box 136 and the rotatable disk 102. The first gap 186 is formed by the axial space between the third arm 128 and the front surface 130 (e.g., the space formed by the cooling passage 166), and between the lower surface 150 and the radially inner surface 180. The flow meter 168 can extend through the first gap 186. A second gap 188 is formed between the seal box 136 and the handle 112. The second gap 188 is formed by the axial space between the first arm 140 and the handle 112, and between the upper surface 152 and the root 118. The second gap 188 can be at least partially formed by the pocket 154.

[0078] The first gap 186 and the second gap 188 can be any suitable size. As a non-limiting example, the first gap 186 and the second gap 188 can each be large enough to allow a fluid (e.g., air) to pass therethrough. The size of the first gap 186 and the second gap 188 can also be designed by any suitable portion of the blade assembly 100. As a non-limiting example, the size of the flow meter 168 (particularly the radial extent of the flow meter 168) can be designed to determine the size of the first gap 186. As a non-limiting example, the size of the pocket 154 can define the size of the second gap 188.

[0079] A turbine engine (eg, Figure 1During operation of the turbine engine 10), the working airflow (Fw) may flow through the blades 104, such as through the airfoil portion 110. Due to the shaping of the airfoil portion 110, the blades 104 may extract work from the working airflow (Fw) and use it to drive the rotatable disk 102; or be driven by the rotatable disk 102 and compress the working airflow (Fw) as it flows from the leading edge 114 to the trailing edge 116.

[0080] It is contemplated that the blade assembly 100 may be disposed downstream of the upstream assembly 196. The upstream assembly 196 may be any suitable assembly, such as, but not limited to, a blade assembly including a blade or a vane. A secondary airflow path 198 may be formed between the upstream assembly 196 and the blade assembly 100. During operation, a leakage airflow (Fle) may flow through the secondary airflow path 198 and merge with the working airflow (Fw). The movement of the leakage airflow (Fle) from the secondary airflow path 198 may push the working airflow (Fw) away from the rotatable disk 102 and prevent the working airflow (Fw) from flowing downward toward the seal box 136. Alternatively, as shown in dashed lines, at least a portion of the working airflow (Fw) may flow toward the seal box 136.

[0081] It is conceivable that the leakage airflow (Fle) can also be defined by its temperature relative to the working airflow (Fw). Specifically, the temperature of the leakage airflow (Fle) is lower than the temperature of the working airflow (Fw).

[0082] It is contemplated that the working airflow (Fw) may be defined by hot combustion gases generated as a byproduct of combustion. Therefore, the working airflow (Fw) will heat the portion of the blade assembly 100 that is in contact with the working airflow (Fw). As discussed herein, the blade 104 may include a composite material, and the rotatable disk 102 may include a metal material. Some composite materials may heat significantly faster than metal materials and retain heat significantly longer. With such a composite material, the blade 104 will be hotter than the rotatable disk 102 and remain hotter than the rotatable disk 102. However, it has been found that composite materials have the highest strength when they are uniformly heated rather than some areas being significantly hotter or colder than other areas. In other words, composite materials perform best when low thermal gradients are experienced along the composite material. However, certain portions of the rotatable disk 102 that are not in direct contact with the working airflow (Fw) are cooler than the blade 104. As a non-limiting example, the contact between the shank 112 and the inner surface 180 of the slot may cool the shank 112. The cooling of the shank 112 in turn results in a thermal gradient being experienced along the blade 104.

[0083] However, the seal box 136 provides thermal insulation between the disk (e.g., the slot inner surface 180) and the root 118 of the shank 112. The thermal insulation provided by the seal box 136 reduces or eliminates thermal gradients across the blades 104. Therefore, potential damage to the blades 104 and the rotatable disk 102 may be reduced or eliminated.

[0084] The first gap 186 (the spacing between the sealing box 136 and the rotatable disk 102) defines a first thermal channel. The second gap 188 (the spacing between the sealing box 136 and the handle 112) forms a second thermal channel. The first thermal channel and the second thermal channel insulate the blades 104, the rotatable disk 102, and the sealing box 136 from each other. The sealing box 136 is configured to guide a fluid through the thermal channel to define an insulating layer between the sealing box 136 and the rotatable disk 102 and between the sealing box 136 and the blades 104.

[0085] As a non-limiting example, the sealing box 136 is configured to guide a first insulating fluid flow (Fi1) through a first thermal channel, and guide a second insulating fluid flow (Fi2) through a second thermal channel. The first thermal channel guides the first insulating fluid flow (Fi1) between the sealing box 136 and the rotatable disk 102. The second thermal channel guides the second insulating fluid flow (Fi2) between the sealing box 136 and the blade 104. The second insulating fluid (Fi2) can flow around the stopper 156 (e.g., around the first end 157, the second end 159, or a combination thereof), flow through a gap between the stopper 156 and the handle 112, flow through a channel (not shown) formed in the stopper 156, flow around the first arm 140, or a combination thereof. The first insulating fluid flow (Fi1) and the second insulating fluid flow (Fi2) limit heat transfer between the rotatable disk 102 and the sealing box 136, and between the blade 104 and the sealing box 136, respectively.

[0086] The first hot channel can be fluidly coupled to bleed air (Fb). Bleed air (Fb) can be any suitable air having a temperature lower than the working airflow (Fw). For example, bleed air (Fb) can be air extracted from the upstream section of the turbine engine 10. Alternatively, bleed air (Fb) can be extracted from leakage air (Fle). It should be understood that bleed air (Fb) can include leakage air (Fle), bleed air formed upstream of the blade assembly 100, or a combination thereof.

[0087] It is further contemplated that the sealed box 136 may be hotter than the rotatable disk 102, and the first insulating fluid flow (Fi1) may then be used to cool the lower plate surface 150 of the sealed box 136 to limit any heat transfer between the rotatable disk 102 and the lower plate surface 150 of the sealed box 136. A flow meter 168 may be disposed within the first hot channel to effectively meter, slow, or otherwise prevent the first insulating fluid flow (Fi1) from uncontrolled outflow from the first hot channel.

[0088] At least one of the working airflow (Fw) or the leakage airflow (Fle) is guided by the second thermal channel to provide a second insulating fluid flow (Fi2). Any airflow flowing into the second thermal channel defines the second insulating fluid flow (Fi2). The second insulating fluid flow (Fi2) can flow between the first arm 140 and the handle 112 and flow into the second thermal channel. The second insulating fluid flow (Fi2) within the second thermal channel can form an insulating layer between the plate upper surface 152 of the sealing box 136 and the root 118, thereby reducing or eliminating heat transfer between the sealing box 136 and the blade 104. The second insulating fluid flow (Fi2) within the second thermal channel can further heat the root 118, the surrounding portion of the rotatable disk 102, and the plate upper surface 152 of the sealing box 136 to help these areas be at similar temperatures, thereby reducing heat transfer at the root 118 and reducing the thermal gradient on the blade 104 as a whole.

[0089] For illustrative purposes, the fluid entering the second hot channel is shown as coming from the leakage airflow (Fle) and the working airflow (Fw), as shown by the dotted lines. Depending on the position of the blade assembly 100, the second hot channel can be coupled to the leakage airflow (Fle), the working airflow (Fw), or a combination thereof. As a non-limiting example, if the blade assembly 100 is disposed within the compressor section 22, the second hot channel can be fluidically coupled to the working airflow (Fw), the leakage airflow (Fle), or a combination thereof. As a non-limiting example, if the blade assembly is disposed within the turbine section 32 ( Figure 1 ), then the second hot channel can be fluidly coupled to the leakage airflow (Fle). What the second hot channel is fluidly coupled to can be determined based on the temperature of the working airflow (Fw). As a non-limiting example, the working airflow (Fw) in the turbine section 32 is hotter than the working airflow (Fw) in the compressor section 22. The temperature of the working airflow (Fw) in the turbine section 32 may be too hot to be supplied to the second hot channel, while the temperature of the working airflow (Fw) in the compressor section 24 may be low enough to be supplied to the second hot channel.

[0090] Although described in terms of a thermal gradient experienced across the blades 104 due to the blades 104 being hotter than the rotatable disk 102, it should be appreciated that the reverse may be true. As a non-limiting example, it is contemplated that the rotatable disk 102 may be hotter than the blades 104. In either case (e.g., the blades 104 are hotter or cooler than the rotatable disk 102), the sealing box 136 is used to provide thermal insulation between the blades 104 and the rotatable disk 102.

[0091] During operation, the blade 104 can rotate about the rotation axis 106. This rotation, in turn, transmits a centrifugal force (Fcf) to the seal box 136. The centrifugal force (Fcf) generates a moment on the first retaining body 146 and the second retaining body 148. This moment, in turn, generates a first retaining force (Fr1) and a second retaining force (Fr2). The first retaining force (Fr1) forces the first arm 140 to abut against the handle 112 in the direction indicated by the arrow of the first retaining force (Fr1). The second retaining force (Fr2) forces the second arm to abut against the handle 112 in the direction indicated by the arrow of the second retaining force (Fr2). The first arm 140 and the second arm 142 are directed toward the handle 112, thereby fixing the seal box 136 to the handle 112. It is contemplated that the greater the axial extent of the first retaining body 146 and the second retaining body 148, the greater the moment, and therefore the tighter the first arm 140 and the second arm 142 are pressed against the handle 112. Although described in terms of a first retention force (Fr1) and a second retention force (Fr2) for securing the seal box 136 to the blade 104, it should be understood that the seal box 136 may be secured to the blade 104 by any suitable method, such as, but not limited to, bonding, fastening, clamping, welding, bonding, or a combination thereof. In addition, it should be understood that only a single arm of the seal box 136 is sufficient to securely secure the seal box 136 to the blade 104.

[0092] It is contemplated that heating of the blade 104, the seal box 136, and the rotatable disk 102 may result in thermal expansion of the blade 104, the seal box 136, or the rotatable disk 102. Since the seal box 136 is coupled to the rotatable disk 102 and is formed such that at least the first retaining force (Fr1) or the second retaining force (Fr2) is generated during rotation of the blade assembly 100, the blade 104 will not fall off either the rotatable disk 102 or the seal box 136.

[0093] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 1 is a front-facing schematic diagram of the rear end of the blade assembly 100, wherein the blade 104 ( Figure 2 ) is removed. As shown, the blade assembly 100 includes two circumferentially adjacent seal boxes 136. The seal boxes 136 can together form a segmented body extending circumferentially around the rotation axis 106. The seal boxes 136 can be segmented around the entire rotation axis 106.

[0094] Circumferentially adjacent seal boxes 136 are spaced apart from one another to define a circumferential gap 170 therebetween. A seal 172 may be provided to seal against airflow (e.g., Figure 5 The working airflow (Fw) or leakage airflow (Fle) is prevented from flowing through the circumferential gap 170. Preventing the airflow from flowing through the circumferential gap 170 can force a larger amount of working airflow to flow through the blade 104 ( Figure 2The greater the amount of air flowing through the blade 104, the more work the blade 104 can extract from the working airflow (Fw). The seal 172 can extend circumferentially through the seal channel 164 ( Figure 3 ). The seal 172 may extend circumferentially about the rotational axis 106 continuously or non-continuously. The seal 172 may be any suitable seal, such as, but not limited to, a spline seal. Although shown as extending circumferentially from and through the second arm 142, it should be understood that the seal 172 may be disposed along any suitable portion of the seal box 136, such as, but not limited to, the first arm 140, the second arm 142, or a combination thereof. Although shown as having a circumferential gap 170 with a constant circumferential distance between opposing portions of the seal box 136, it should be understood that the circumferential gap 70 may be non-constant.

[0095] The protrusions 160 may also be used to limit or otherwise prevent fluid flow between the seal boxes 136. As a non-limiting example, each seal box 136 may include a body (eg, protrusion 160) extending circumferentially along the rotatable disk 102 to form a barrier to fluid flow between adjacent seal boxes 136.

[0096] A turbine engine (eg, Figure 1 During operation of the turbine engine 10), the rotation of the blade assembly 100 causes the seal box 136 to experience a circumferential force (Fci) in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation. The circumferential force (Fci) may be caused, for example, by the resistance of the blade assembly 100. The circumferential force (Fci) may generate a moment on the seal box 136, which may cause the seal box 136 to rotate in the groove 108 in the direction indicated by the arrow of the circumferential force (Fci). In order to counteract the circumferential force (Fci), each seal box 136 includes a corresponding protrusion 160. The size and position of the protrusion 160 are designed to limit the impact of the circumferential force (Fci). This in turn reduces or eliminates the possibility of the seal box 136 being damaged by the circumferential force (Fci).

[0097] The benefits of the present disclosure include blades with reduced or eliminated thermal gradients when compared to conventional blades. For example, conventional blades, particularly conventional blades comprising composite materials, will experience large thermal gradients due to the temperature difference between the conventional blade and the rotatable disk in which the conventional blade is received. However, the blade assembly as described herein includes a sealed box that forms an insulating barrier through the sealed box itself and through a first thermal channel and a second thermal channel between the blade and the rotatable disk. These insulating layers ultimately produced by the sealed box help to reduce or eliminate the thermal gradients experienced on the blade, which are minimal and do not damage the blade when compared to conventional blades. In addition, the insulating fluid flow can be used to heat or cool various parts of the blade assembly. As a non-limiting example, the first insulating fluid flow can be used to cool the rotatable disk 102, thereby minimizing the thermal gradient along the disk. As a non-limiting example, the second insulating fluid flow can be used to heat the blade, thereby minimizing the thermal gradient along the blade.

[0098] Additional benefits of the present disclosure include a sealing box that couples the blade to the rotatable disk. For example, a conventional assembly may include a seal disposed between the blade and the rotatable disk, and a separate element that effectively couples the blade to the rotatable disk. However, the blade assembly as described herein includes a sealing box defined by a single body including a seal (e.g., a plate, a first arm and a second arm) and a retaining feature (e.g., a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm), so that the sealing box effectively provides an insulating layer between the blade and the rotatable disk while also retaining the blade to the rotatable disk without the need for an additional separate clamping element.

[0099] Additional benefits associated with the use of composite blades include a lighter assembly when compared to conventional assemblies including non-composite (e.g., cast) blades, without sacrificing performance of the blade assembly. In other words, the material used for the composite blades is lighter than the material used for the non-composite blades, without sacrificing the ability to perform as intended within the turbine engine. When compared to conventional turbine engines including non-composite blades, the weight of the blades is reduced, and therefore the weight of the blade assembly as a whole is reduced, which in turn means that the efficiency of the turbine engine is increased.

[0100] To the extent not yet described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments may be used in combination as desired, or may be interchanged with one another. Not showing a feature in all embodiments does not mean that it is interpreted as not being able to be shown in this way, but rather is done for the sake of brevity of description. Therefore, the various features of the different embodiments may be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are explicitly described. All combinations or permutations of the features described herein are covered by the present disclosure.

[0101] This written description uses examples to describe the aspects of the disclosure described herein, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice aspects of the disclosure, including making and using any device or system and performing any combined methods. The patentable scope of aspects of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to one skilled in the art. These other examples are intended to fall within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims.

[0102] Further aspects are provided by the subject matter of the following clauses:

[0103] A blade assembly for a turbine engine, the blade assembly comprising: a rotatable disk, the rotatable disk comprising an outer peripheral surface, a groove formed along the outer peripheral surface, and a rotation axis; a sealing box, the sealing box comprising a plate at least partially received in the groove and a first arm extending radially from the plate, the plate being spaced apart from the rotatable disk to define a first gap therebetween; and a blade, the blade comprising a root, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the root being spaced apart from the plate to define a second gap therebetween; wherein: the root is received in the groove, the plate is between the root and the rotatable disk, the first arm extending radially and being located at one of the leading edge or the trailing edge of the blade; a first thermal channel is at least partially defined by the first gap; and a second thermal channel is at least partially defined by the second gap.

[0104] A blade assembly for a turbine engine, the blade assembly comprising: a rotatable disk having an outer peripheral surface, wherein at least one groove is located in the outer peripheral surface; a sealing box having a plate at least partially received in the groove, the sealing box having a first arm extending radially from the plate, the plate and the first arm defining a blade seat; and a blade having a root, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the root being received in the blade seat, wherein the first arm extends radially along at least a portion of one of the leading edge or the trailing edge, the first arm and the sealing box forming a single body.

[0105] A blade assembly for a turbine engine, the turbine engine having a working airflow path, the blade assembly comprising: a working airflow path; a rotatable disk, the rotatable disk having an outer peripheral surface, wherein at least one slot is located in the outer peripheral surface; a sealing box, the sealing box having a plate, the plate being at least partially received in the slot and defining a blade seat, the plate being spaced apart from the rotatable disk to define a first gap therebetween; and a blade, the blade being at least partially disposed in the working airflow path, the blade having a root, a leading edge and a trailing edge, the root being received in the blade seat, the root being spaced apart from the plate to define a second gap therebetween, wherein a first hot channel is at least partially defined by the first gap, the first hot channel fluid being coupled to a leakage airflow from the working airflow path, and a second hot channel being at least partially defined by the second gap, the second hot channel fluid being coupled to bleed air from a portion of the upstream of the blade of the turbine engine.

[0106] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the first arm and the sealing box form a unitary body.

[0107] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause wherein the blade includes a shank terminating in the root and the plate includes a pocket receiving the shank.

[0108] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the first arm comprises a retaining body extending axially away from the blade.

[0109] A blade assembly as described in any preceding clause, wherein the retaining body is an angel wing.

[0110] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein the first arm provides a retaining force against the blade.

[0111] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein: the sealing box includes a second arm; the second arm is axially spaced rearwardly from the first arm; the second arm extends radially from the plate; and the blade is received on the plate and between the first arm and the second arm.

[0112] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein the first arm and the second arm each include a respective retaining body extending axially away from the blade.

[0113] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the rotatable disc comprises a front surface and the seal box comprises a second arm extending radially inwardly from the plate along the front surface.

[0114] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein the seal box comprises at least one flow channel formed in the second arm, the at least one flow channel defining a respective portion of the second gap.

[0115] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the seal box comprises a flow meter disposed downstream of the at least one flow channel and extending radially inwardly from the plate, through the gap and contacting the rotatable disc.

[0116] The blade assembly according to any of the preceding clauses further comprises an axial retainer assembly, the axial retainer assembly comprising a retainer groove and an axial retainer disposed in the retainer groove, the axial retainer facing a corresponding portion of the seal box to retain the seal box to the rotatable disk.

[0117] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the axial retainer assembly is integrally formed with the rotatable disc.

[0118] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein the sealing box comprises: a first arm extending along the front of the plate; a second arm extending radially outward from the rear of the plate, the rear being axially opposite to the front; and a third arm extending radially inward from the front, wherein the first arm, the second arm and the third arm form a single body.

[0119] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein: the rotatable disk includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots; the blades are disposed within a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades, wherein each blade of the plurality of circumferentially spaced blades includes a corresponding root disposed within a corresponding slot of the plurality of circumferentially spaced slots; and the seal box is included within a plurality of circumferentially spaced seal boxes, wherein each circumferentially adjacent seal box of the plurality of circumferentially spaced seal boxes are circumferentially spaced from each other to define a sealing gap therebetween.

[0120] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, further comprising a spline seal extending circumferentially through and outwardly from the first arm.

[0121] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the spline seal extends circumferentially around the entire axis of rotation.

[0122] A blade assembly according to any preceding clause, wherein the first arm comprises a protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion having a radially inner surface following a contour of the outer peripheral surface, the protrusion being configured to contact the outer peripheral surface during operation of the blade assembly.

[0123] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the blade comprises a composite material and the rotatable disk comprises a metallic material.

[0124] A blade assembly as claimed in any preceding clause, wherein the turbine engine further comprises a turbine section, wherein the blades and the rotatable disk are provided with the turbine section.

Claims

1. A blade assembly for a turbine engine, characterized in that: The blade assembly comprises: a rotatable disk including an outer peripheral surface, a groove formed along the outer peripheral surface, and a rotation axis; a sealed box including a plate at least partially received within the slot and a first arm extending radially from the plate, the plate being spaced apart from the rotatable disk to define a first gap therebetween; and a blade including a root, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the root being spaced apart from the plate to define a second gap therebetween; in: the root portion being received in the slot, the plate being between the root portion and the rotatable disk, the first arm extending radially and being located at one of the leading edge or the trailing edge of the blade; A first thermal channel is at least partially defined by the first gap; and A second thermal channel is at least partially defined by the second gap.

2. The blade assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The first arm and the sealing box form a single body.

3. The blade assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: in, The blade includes a shank terminating in the root, and the plate includes a pocket receiving the shank.

4. The blade assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The first arm includes a retaining body extending axially away from the blade.

5. The blade assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: in, The retaining body is an angel wing.

6. The blade assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The first arm provides a retaining force against the blade.

7. The blade assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that in: The sealing box includes a second arm; the second arm being axially spaced rearwardly from the first arm; the second arm extends radially from the plate; and The blade is received on the plate between the first arm and the second arm.

8. The blade assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that in, The first arm and the second arm each include a respective retaining body extending axially away from the blade.

9. The blade assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that in, The rotatable disk includes a front surface, and the sealed box includes a second arm extending radially inwardly from the plate along the front surface.

10. The blade assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that in, The seal box includes at least one flow channel formed in the second arm, the at least one flow channel defining a corresponding portion of the second gap.

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