Aircraft Turbine Rotor Vane Anti-Wear Coating Cavity Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for depositing anti-wear coatings on rotor blades of aircraft turbomachines are prone to the formation of cavities, which can lead to wear and gas leaks.

Innovation Solution

The anti-wear coating is applied to low walls on the rotor blades, which stiffen the blades and prevent cavity formation, while also ensuring better thermal dissipation and preventing contact with the abradable coating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If anti-wear coating is applied to lateral edges of rotor blades, then wear resistance is improved, but cavities form in the coating leading to reduced reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidcoating integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating protruding portions on the platform that concentrate the anti-wear coating material in specific high-wear areas. The coating is not applied uniformly but is localized to protruding portions that directly contact adjacent blades, ensuring wear resistance where needed while avoiding cavity formation in non-critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by creating the protruding portion structure before applying the anti-wear coating. This pre-formed geometry ensures proper material distribution and prevents cavity formation during the coating deposition process, as the protruding portions guide the coating material to settle in the correct locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If anti-wear coating is applied to lateral edges, then wear protection is improved, but gas leaks increase due to cavity formation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear protectionVSAvoidgas leaks
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By localizing the anti-wear coating to protruding portions rather than applying it uniformly across the entire lateral edge, the patent prevents cavity formation that would otherwise create gas leak paths. The localized application ensures wear protection only where contact occurs, eliminating harmful gas leaks through the coating.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If anti-wear coating material is increased, then wear resistance is improved, but thermal dissipation decreases due to coating thickness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidthermal dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the thermal dissipation issue by applying the anti-wear coating locally to protruding portions rather than as a thick uniform layer. This localized approach provides sufficient wear resistance at contact points while minimizing the overall coating thickness, thereby maintaining effective thermal dissipation from the blade surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by providing anti-wear coating only where it is strictly necessary (at the protruding portions that contact adjacent blades) rather than applying excessive coating material across the entire surface. This partial application achieves the required wear protection without the thermal penalty of excessive coating thickness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 solution effectively prevents the formation of cavities, reduces wear, and minimizes gas leaks, while also improving the mechanical hold and thermal dissipation of the rotor blades.

Implementation Method 1

This anti-wear coating 36 is deposited on the side faces 34 by welding, for example by drop welding, involving the creation of an electric arc for the melting of the material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectric arc: Electric Arc

Implementation Method 2

This casing carries an abradable annular coating which can cooperate by friction with the wipers of the blades in order to limit these leaks by labyrinth effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction wear: Wear

Data Source

PatentEP3749838B2Vane for an aircraft turbine engine
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
  • EP3749838B2 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3749838B2 patent drawingFigure 4~7

AI summary

The invention relates to a rotor vane (10) for an aircraft turbine engine, said vane having an axis (A) of rotation once it has been rigidly connected to a rotor and a stacking axis (X). The vane comprises a blade (16) extending between an internal platform (19) and an external platform (20) bearing at least one projecting lip (31, 32), said blade having a lower surface (16a) and an upper surface (16b). The external platform comprises lower (22) and upper (21) side edges, located on the side of the lower (16a) and upper (16b) surfaces respectively and configured to cooperate in a form-fitting manner with the complementary side edges (21, 22) of adjacent vanes, each of said side edges having a wear-resistant covering (36). The rotor vane of the invention is characterised in that the wear-resistant covering of the lower side edge extends over one wall (40a) of a substantially rectilinear first ridge (40) of the platform and over one wall (42a) of a second ridge (42) of the platform, said second ridge extending at least partially inside the lip (31) and being inclined relative to the first ridge in a direction substantially parallel to a transverse axis (Z) of the lip.