Turbomachine Blade Tip Protection Using Corner-Shaped Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbomachine blades made of composite materials experience weight increase issues due to bulky inserts covering the entire tip and leading edge to protect against markings from abradable layer wear, which contradicts the goal of reducing overall turbomachine weight.
Innovation Solution
A corner-shaped metal insert is designed to cover the blade tip and intrados face, minimizing material usage while protecting the blade from abradable layer wear, comprising a tangentially extending first portion and a radially extending second portion, with both portions made from a single piece or distinct pieces, to maintain aerodynamic functionality and reduce weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bulky insert covering the whole blade tip and leading edge is used to protect against markings from abradable layer wear, then the blade is protected from markings, but the weight of the blade increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is designed with different portions serving different functions: a first portion covering the blade tip and a second portion covering part of the intrados face. This localized protection approach applies material only where needed to prevent markings from the abradable layer, rather than covering the entire blade surface, thus reducing unnecessary weight while maintaining protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is divided into two distinct portions: a first portion radially covering the blade tip and a second portion covering part of the intrados face. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific protective function, reducing overall material usage compared to a single bulky insert covering the entire blade tip and leading edge.
2Weight of moving object
If a corner-shaped insert is used to minimize material usage, then the weight increase is restricted, but the protection coverage must be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The corner-shaped insert design concentrates material placement in high-risk zones where the blade contacts the abradable layer during operation. The first portion covers the blade tip radially, and the second portion extends onto the intrados face, providing targeted protection exactly where markings would occur, rather than uniformly protecting the entire blade surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert extends in two dimensions: radially (first portion covering the tip) and axially along the intrados face (second portion). This multi-dimensional configuration maximizes protection coverage within minimal material volume, addressing both weight reduction and adequate protection coverage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbomachine rotor blade, which includes a body radially extending and an insert covering the body tip, the insert being made of a first portion radially covering the blade tip and of a second portion partly covering the intrados face of the blade. The cross-section of the insert along a radial plane with respect to an axis of a rotor is corner-shaped and the first portion of the insert extends tangentially with respect to the main axis of the rotor and the second portion extends globally radially with respect to the main axis of the rotor.