Turbomachine Blade Leading Edge Shield Thickness Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leading-edge shields for turbomachine blades, made of strong metal materials, increase weight and inertia due to uniform thickness distribution, which is inefficient as impact resistance is mainly needed at the blade tip.
Innovation Solution
A leading-edge shield with a central section thickness that increases stably or increases over 60-80% of its height and then decreases, made of metal materials like titanium alloys, providing better point impact resistance while reducing weight and inertia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of the central section of the shield is uniformly distributed, then the impact resistance is improved, but the weight and inertia of the shield increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shield's central section thickness is varied along the height to provide different protection levels in different zones. The first segment (60-80% from bottom end) has increasing or stable thickness for high impact resistance, while the second segment has decreasing thickness to reduce weight where impact risk is lower. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by concentrating material where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the central section is changed along the height of the shield. By defining a thickness profile that increases or remains stable over the first segment and then decreases in the second segment, the shield achieves optimized impact resistance while reducing overall weight and inertia compared to uniform thickness designs.
2Strength
If the thickness of the central section increases from bottom end to top end, then the impact resistance at the blade tip is improved, but the weight and inertia of the shield increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The shield provides enhanced protection (increasing or stable thickness) in the first segment covering 60-80% of the height where impact resistance is most needed, while reducing thickness in the second segment at the top where the blade is less exposed to impacts. This local differentiation optimizes the strength-weight ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly increasing thickness to the maximum needed at the blade tip throughout the entire shield height, the invention applies increased or stable thickness only to the necessary portion (first segment covering 60-80% of height), and reduces thickness in the excessive portion (second segment at the top), achieving adequate protection with reduced weight.
Data Source
AI summary
A leading edge shield for a turbomachine blade extends heightwise from a bottom end to a top end, presents an outside face overlying a leading edge and an inside face for fastening to a blade body, and includes a pressure side wing, a suction side wing, and a central section joining together the pressure side wing and the suction side wing. Between the outside face and the inside face, the central section presents thickness that is greater than the thicknesses of the pressure side and suction side wings. The thickness of the central section increases with a gradient that is stable or increasing over a first segment from the bottom end of the leading-edge shield, but it presents a gradient that decreases beyond said first segment.