Gas Turbine Rotor Disk Stress Distribution via Protrusions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gas turbine engine rotor sections experience substantial stress during operation, leading to reduced component lifespan, and existing balancing methods either fail to adequately address stress concentration or introduce new issues.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates mismatch and balancing protrusions with specific fillet radii and web surface configurations on rotor disks to distribute stress more evenly, including mismatch and balancing plateaus with fillets transitioning to web surfaces, which are machined to reduce stress concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If rotor disk balancing is performed using conventional methods, then some stress distribution improvement is achieved, but stress concentration at fillet intersections remains significant

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestress distributionVSAvoidstress concentration at fillets
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating mismatch protrusions with specific geometric characteristics (plateau region with larger fillet radii) at critical stress concentration locations. The fillet radius varies locally - larger at the plateau intersection to reduce stress concentration, and smaller at web surfaces to maintain structural integrity. This localized geometric modification directly addresses stress distribution without compromising overall disk strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the rotor disk structure by introducing mismatch protrusions with controlled fillet radii (0.1-0.3 times the blade root depth). The plateau region is positioned at specific radial and axial locations to optimize stress distribution. This parameter modification transforms the stress concentration pattern while maintaining the disk's load-bearing capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If larger fillet radii are used at mismatch intersections, then stress concentration is reduced, but disk thickness and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestress concentration reductionVSAvoid rotor disk weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The mismatch protrusions are localized to specific regions where stress concentration occurs most severely. The plateau region with enlarged fillet radii is positioned only at the critical intersection zone, not throughout the entire disk thickness. This localized approach reduces stress concentration while minimizing the added weight compared to a uniform thickening of the entire disk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies partial action by introducing mismatch protrusions only at critical stress concentration locations rather than uniformly throughout the disk. The protrusions extend only partially through the disk thickness, with the plateau region positioned to provide maximum stress relief where needed while maintaining minimal material addition. This selective application optimizes the balance between stress reduction and weight increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3550105B1Gas turbine engine rotor disk
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 RTX CORP
  • EP3550105B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3550105B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3550105B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A rotor disk includes a web that extends in a radial direction from a rim on a radially outer end to a bore on a radially inner end. The web includes a mismatch protrusion on a first axially facing surface of the web. A balancing protrusion is on a second axially facing surface of the web.