Gas Turbine Rotor Disk Inserts for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fan assemblies in engines face challenges in withstanding centrifugal forces due to the use of expensive and heavy materials, necessitating a configuration that can reduce weight and cost while maintaining structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
The fan assembly design incorporates disk posts with insert receiving slots and disk post inserts, allowing for the use of different materials, where the inserts can be made from less dense and less expensive materials than the disk posts, thereby reducing weight and stress concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rotor disks are made from strong materials to withstand centrifugal forces, then strength is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor disk is segmented into multiple components: a disk body and separate disk post inserts. This allows different parts to be made from different materials optimized for their specific functions. The disk body can use stronger, heavier materials while the inserts use lighter, less expensive materials, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor disk employs composite construction by combining different materials in the disk body and disk post inserts. This enables the use of high-strength materials where needed (in the disk body) and lighter, less expensive materials where stress is lower (in the inserts), optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio and reducing overall cost.
2Strength
If rotor disks are made from strong materials to withstand centrifugal forces, then strength is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the rotor disk into a disk body and separate disk post inserts, the design allows for differentiated material selection. The inserts can be manufactured from less expensive materials since they experience lower stresses, while only the critical disk body portions use expensive high-strength materials, thereby reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining necessary strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material approach enables cost optimization by using expensive high-strength materials only where structurally necessary (in the disk body) and cheaper materials for the inserts. This layered material strategy reduces overall material cost while preserving the strength required for centrifugal force withstand.
3Area of moving object
If fan blade retention radius is increased, then fan blade area is improved, but stress resistance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with separate disk post inserts allows for optimized stress distribution. The inserts act as stress-relief features that reduce stress concentrations at the blade retention points, enabling the use of a smaller retention radius while maintaining adequate stress resistance and fan blade area.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite construction with differentiated materials in the disk body and inserts creates a structure that can better manage stress distributions. This allows for reduced retention radius design while maintaining stress resistance, as the material composition provides enhanced stress management capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables weight savings and the potential for using higher-strength materials without increasing overall weight, improving engine efficiency by allowing a smaller radius of retention for fan blades, thus increasing fan blade area and stress resistance.
Implementation Method 1
the inserts can be made from less dense and less expensive materials than the disk posts, thereby reducing weight and stress concentrations
Implementation Method 2
During engine operation, the rotor disk may be rotated such that the blades rotate about a central axis. This rotation imparts a centrifugal force on the blades which is transferred to the rotor disk.
Data Source
AI summary
A rotor disk for a gas turbine engine includes disk posts extending in a radial direction from a disk body. Each of the disk posts includes an insert receiving slot extending axially through the disk post and a disk post pressure surface. Disk post inserts are assembled within the insert receiving slots of each of the disk posts. A blade is retained by disk post pressure surfaces of each of the disk posts.