Compressor Blade Airfoil Profile for Erosion and Fatigue Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compressor components, particularly airfoil leading edges, experience high stress and erosion due to vibratory modes and foreign object impacts, leading to reduced efficiency and potential engine shutdown.
Innovation Solution
A redefined airfoil profile with a reduced thickness portion near the blade tip, known as a squealer tip, which alters the stress distribution by shifting the frequency of the blade and increasing rub tolerance, while maintaining aerodynamic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the airfoil leading edge is made thicker to increase erosion resistance, then the blade's resistance to foreign object damage improves, but the vibratory stress in the leading edge region increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the airfoil thickness distribution along the span. The leading edge thickness is increased at specific radial positions (approximately 20-40% from the tip) while maintaining or reducing thickness in other regions. This localized thickening provides erosion resistance exactly where foreign object damage is most likely to occur, while avoiding increased stress in other critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the airfoil geometry to change the blade's natural frequency and vibratory modes. By adjusting the thickness distribution and overall airfoil shape, the blade's dynamic characteristics are optimized to reduce stress concentrations in the leading edge region during operation, while maintaining structural integrity for erosion resistance.
2Reliability
If the blade tip thickness is increased to increase rub tolerance, then the blade's tolerance to casing rubs improves, but the blade's aerodynamic performance may be degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating thickness increases at the blade tip region (squealer tip) and leading edge, while maintaining optimized thin sections in the mid-span and trailing edge regions. This ensures rub tolerance is enhanced where blade-casing contact is most likely, while aerodynamic performance is preserved through proper thickness distribution in critical flow regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent systematically varies the airfoil geometric parameters, particularly the thickness-to-chord ratio, along the span. The thickness parameter is increased at the tip for rub tolerance, while carefully controlled in other regions to maintain aerodynamic efficiency. The specific coordinate values in Table 1 define this optimized parameter distribution.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the airfoil geometry is modified to reduce vibratory stress, then the blade's fatigue life improves, but the aerodynamic throat area may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying airfoil geometry primarily in the leading edge and tip regions where stress concentrations occur, while maintaining the throat area dimensions. The thickness changes are localized to spanwise positions that do not significantly impact the minimum throat section, thus improving fatigue life without degrading aerodynamic performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor component having an airfoil with a profile in accordance with Table 1 is disclosed. The compressor component, such as a compressor blade, has an increased thickness over a portion of the airfoil span in order to increase stiffness. Furthermore, the airfoil has been restacked so as to induce a compressive stress in the blade root/attachment area. The increased stiffness and restacked airfoil combine to improve high-cycle fatigue capability of the compressor component.