Adaptor Assembly for Ceramic Turbine Blade Axial Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing attachment assemblies for coupling turbine blades to rotor disks in gas turbines fail to provide effective axial retention and sealing, particularly when using ceramic materials that require reshaping of the blade root, leading to compatibility issues with pre-existing rotor disks.

Innovation Solution

An adaptor assembly that includes an adaptor body with a slot to receive the blade root, featuring a pair of extending tangs and a configuration that aligns with the rotor disk's root slot, allowing both the adaptor root and blade root to be received within the rotor disk, providing axial retention and sealing through radially inward insertion and matching lobe configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If turbine buckets are redesigned to accommodate ceramic materials by reshaping the blade root, then high temperature durability is improved, but compatibility with pre-existing rotor disks deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehigh temperature durabilityVSAvoidcompatibility with pre-existing rotor disks
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

An adaptor assembly is introduced as an intermediary component between the ceramic turbine blade root and the pre-existing rotor disk. The adaptor includes a first portion that interfaces with the blade root and a second portion that interfaces with the rotor disk, enabling compatibility without requiring changes to either the blade or rotor disk design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If attachment assemblies are used to couple turbine buckets to rotor disks, then adaptability is improved, but axial retention and sealing capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling capabilityVSAvoidaxial retention and sealing
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adaptor assembly is segmented into distinct functional portions: a first portion for receiving and retaining the blade root with axial retention features, and a second portion for interfacing with the rotor disk. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, ensuring both adaptability and reliable axial retention with sealing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2581559B1Adaptor assembly for coupling turbine blades to rotor disks
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP2581559B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2581559B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2581559B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An adaptor assembly (100) for coupling a blade root (110) of a turbine blade (24) to a root slot (106) of a rotor disk is described. The adaptor assembly includes a turbine blade (24) having a blade root (110) and an adaptor body (102) having an adaptor root (104). The adaptor body (102) defines a slot (108) having an open end configured to receive the blade root (110) of the turbine blade (24) such that the adaptor root (104) of the adaptor body (102) and the blade root (110) of the turbine blade (24) are adjacent to one another when the blade root (110) of the turbine blade (24) is positioned within the slot (106). Both the adaptor root (104) of the adaptor body (102) and the blade root (110) of the turbine blade (24) are configured to be received within the root slot (106) of the rotor disk.