A free-tipped axial fan assembly features a shroud barrel comprising an inlet, the radius of said inlet at its upstream end being greater than the radius of said inlet at its downstream end. An angle, in a plane including the fan axis, between the surface of said inlet and the direction of the fan axis varies non-monotonically with respect to a surface coordinate which increases with distance along the surface of the inlet.

A method of preventing spallation for a geometrically segmented thermally insulating top coat on an article, the method comprising forming a surface feature in a surface of the article; forming a crack deflection feature in the surface proximate the surface feature; disposing the thermally insulating topcoat over the surface feature; and forming segmented portions that are separated by faults extending through the thermally insulating topcoat from the surface feature.

A method for protecting a coating on a surface of a component is provided. The method includes a coating step for coating at least a portion of the component with a ceramic slurry. A projecting step is used for projecting a pattern of light onto the component with a lithographic process to expose and solidify a ceramic layer. A removing step is used for removing unexposed portions of the ceramic slurry from the component. A heating step heats the component to sinter the ceramic layer. The ceramic layer is formed with multiple fracture planes.

A turbomachine sealing component has: a substrate having circumferential surface; and a coating on the circumferential surface. The coating or a layer thereof is patterned to form circumferential sealing ridges.

A seal seat includes an annular body and an extension. The annular body is disposed about a centerline axis. The extension is connected to and extends radially outward from the annular body. The extension includes first, second, and third portions. The first portion is connected to the annular body and is defined by axially opposed upstream and downstream wall faces. The first portion includes a fin connected to the upstream wall face. The second portion is connected to the first portion and extends substantially parallel to the annular body. The third portion is connected to the second portion and extends substantially parallel to the second portion.

A seal seat includes an annular body and an extension. The annular body is disposed about a centerline axis. The extension is connected to and extends radially outward from the annular body. The extension includes first, second, and third portions. The first portion is connected to the annular body and is defined by axially opposed upstream and downstream wall faces. The first portion includes a fin connected to the upstream wall face. The second portion is connected to the first portion and extends substantially parallel to the annular body. The third portion is connected to the second portion and extends substantially parallel to the second portion.

A member may have a first major surface and a second major surface. The first major surface may define a plurality of riblets that may extend in the direction of a primary flow. The member may form an array of conduits that extend from an entrance port at the second major surface to an exit port at the first major surface. Each of the exit ports may intersect two or more riblets. Each of the exit ports may intersect a riblet that intersect another of the exit ports.

A process for additively controlled surface features of a gas turbine engine casing. The process comprises forming the casing having an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface; forming a surface feature on the casing proximate the inner surface, wherein the surface feature comprises a structure on the inner surface configured to align or misalign with respect to a flow direction of a working fluid in a flow path of the casing.

A disclosed system includes an impeller for a ventilator. The impeller includes a hub or hub ring configured to rotate about an axis and a plurality of vanes attached to the hub or hub ring. Each vane of the impeller has a leading edge facing a pressure side of the ventilator along the axis, and a trailing edge facing a suction side of the ventilator along the axis. The leading edge of each vane has a corrugated shape characterized by a first wavelength and the trailing edge has a corrugated shape characterized by a second wavelength, with the first wavelength being longer than the second wavelength. The impeller may further include injection molded plastic, die-cast aluminum, stamped sheet metal, or laser cut sheet metal that is embossed. The impeller may further be assembled from separately manufactured pieces that are secured to one another using joining, welding, or by interlocking tabs.

A method of making a master cure tool for applying a texture to an aerodynamic surface includes the steps of: providing a foil which is metallic and has a textured surface; applying the foil to a forming surface of a rigid forming tool which is compound curved, and plastically deforming the foil to conform to the forming surface, so as to define a foil layer; annealing the foil layer using heat or a combination of heat and pressure; and bonding the foil layer to a support body, thereby defining the master cure tool.