F04D29/644

Method and Apparatus for Balancing a Rotor
20170284419 · 2017-10-05 ·

A turbomachinery rotor apparatus includes: a rotatable disk having an array of slots spaced around its periphery; an array of blades installed in the slots, wherein the blades have variable weights; and a plurality of connection components installed in the disk, each connection component forming a portion of a mechanical joint between one of the blades and its respective slot, wherein the connection components have variable weights.

FAN BLADE REMOVAL FEATURE FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE
20170284202 · 2017-10-05 ·

A gas turbine engine includes a fan forward of a primary flowpath inlet. The fan includes multiple fan blades distributed radially about, and connected to, a hub. A fan nacelle is positioned radially outward of the fan and includes an inner diameter. The inner diameter is sloped relative to an engine axis such that a forward portion of the fan nacelle has a smaller inner diameter than an aft portion of the fan nacelle. A fan blade spacer is disposed between a radially inward facing surface of at least one fan blade and a radially outward facing surface of the hub. The fan blade spacer has a radial thickness at least equal to a slope drop of the fan nacelle.

Guide vane assembly
09777585 · 2017-10-03 · ·

A guide vane assembly for a stator vane stage comprises at least two aerofoil members joined together using a vane assembly attachment web. The vane assembly attachment web may be provided at the inner and/or outer radius of the aerofoil members. The vane assembly attachment web allows the guide vane assembly to be attached to an inner and/or outer attachment ring, thereby forming a stator vane stage. Such an arrangement may allow composite fiber reinforced guide vane assemblies to be readily assembled together to form stator vane stages. Stator vane stages that comprise such composite fiber reinforced guide vane assemblies may be lighter than conventional metallic stator vane stages.

ROTOR WHEEL AND IMPELLER INSERTS

A rotor wheel for an engine includes a plurality of impeller vanes and a plurality of fluid passages defined by adjacent impeller vanes. The fluid passages are radially disposed across at least a portion of the rotor wheel. One or more impeller inserts may be disposed within one or more of the plurality of fluid passages, respectively. The impeller inserts define an impeller passage with a passage shape that controls a flow of fluid through the one or more of the plurality of fluid passages.

CONNECTION OF ROTATABLE PARTS
20170241348 · 2017-08-24 · ·

A gas turbine engine has two connected parts that rotate together during use. The two parts have a tensile loading that acts to separate the two parts in use. The two parts may be neighbouring rotating stages of a gas turbine engine. The two parts are connected together using both a mechanical fastener and an interlocking feature. The interlocking feature may be, for example, interlocking conical surfaces and/or interlocking protrusions.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STIFFENING CASES ON GAS-TURBINE ENGINES
20170241435 · 2017-08-24 · ·

An engine case may include a first half and a second half. The first half may have a semiannular geometry with a first flange located at a circumferential edge of the first half. The second half may also have a semiannular geometry. The second half may further include a flange located at a circumferential edge of the first half. The second flange may be aligned with the first flange and mechanically coupled to the first flange. The first flange and the second flange may be configured to substantially align with an engine mounting point. The engine case may also have an annular geometry.

INTERMITTENT SPIGOT JOINT FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINE CASING CONNECTION
20170241434 · 2017-08-24 ·

A gas turbine engine casing apparatus includes annular first and second annular cases connected by a spigot joint. The spigot joint includes an annular projection of the first annular case fitted into an annular recess of the second annular case. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart scallops are formed on one of surfaces of the annular projection or of the annular recess, and are located in selective circumferential locations adjacent respective enhanced stiff areas of the first and second annular cases.

FLOW-DIRECTING MOTOR MOUNT
20170241441 · 2017-08-24 · ·

Disclosed is a flow-directing motor mount for a motor mounted within the flow stream of a moving air. A flow-directing motor mount is described. Embodiments of the flow-directing motor mount cause a change in the direction of flow of a air stream constrained by a air intake cone or baffle and flowing through a HVAC device, such as a fan of an air-handler assembly. The change in direction of flow creates an angular momentum in the air stream in the direction of rotation of a fan, increasing the overall operating efficiency of the HVAC device. By increasing the operating efficiency, the air resistance created by the flow-directing motor mount supports coupling a motor to the HVAC device is offset, enabling the HVAC device to operate at a higher efficiency.

Fan and motor assembly and method of assembling

A motor assembly is provided that includes a fan housing having an air inlet and an air outlet, and a motor coupled to the fan housing and positioned within the air inlet. The motor includes a first end, a second end, and a shaft. The motor assembly further includes a fan coupled to the shaft proximate the motor second end. The motor first end includes a contoured surface having a stagnation point and a plurality of points along the contoured surface downstream of the stagnation point. Each point of the plurality of points has a coefficient of pressure less than 1, and the contoured surface is configured to direct air around the motor and to reduce airflow restriction and flow disturbance within the fan housing.

CONTAINMENT CASE TRENCH FILLER LAYER AND METHOD OF CONTAINING RELEASABLE COMPONENTS FROM ROTATABLE MACHINES
20170234329 · 2017-08-17 ·

A containment case includes a fan assembly including a hub having a plurality of fan blades extending radially outward between radially inward blade roots and radially outward blade tips. Containment case includes a radially outer shell circumscribing fan assembly and having a first radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, an inner structure having a second radially inner surface extending along first radially inner surface, and a trench extending circumferentially along second radially inner surface into inner structure from second radially inner surface. The trench is approximately axially aligned with the fan assembly. The containment case also includes, within the trench, a trench filler layer configured to dissipate impact energy from a released fan blade and having a plurality of sheets including a fibrous composite material having a plurality of fibers fabricated within each sheet, where the sheets are coupled together into a repeating pattern of hollow units.