FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE, ASSOCIATED COMPONENT FOR A TURBOMACHINE AND TURBINE

Abstract

A functional structure for use in an energy converter and/or a turbomachine. The structure includes a lattice with at least one lattice cell, having lattice nodes and lattice connecting elements connected to the lattice nodes, the lattice cell also having a gyrating mass which is connected to the lattice nodes by at least one arm, the gyrating mass being designed to receive mechanical energy when the structure is in use. A lattice constant of the lattice cell has a dimension of less than 100 mm.

Claims

1. A functional structure for use in an energy converter, the structure comprising: a lattice having at least one lattice cell, comprising lattice nodes and lattice connecting elements connected to the lattice nodes, wherein the lattice cell furthermore has a gyrating mass, which is connected to a lattice node by means of at least one arm, wherein the gyrating mass is designed to absorb energy when the structure is in use, and wherein a lattice constant of the lattice cell has a dimension of less than 100 mm.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein a geometry of the arm and of the gyrating mass are matched to the intended use of the structure.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure has a multiplicity of lattice cells which are similar or of the same type.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm has a predetermined breaking point, which breaks under a mechanical load which is excessive in relation to the intended operation of the structure and thus allows an emergency function of a component having the structure.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gyrating mass is designed to absorb dynamic energy, vibration or oscillation energy, when the structure is in use.

6. The structureas claimed in claim 1, which is provided for use in a turbomachine, or in a rotating part of a gas turbine.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 1, which is designed for use as an energy storage device and/or for energy conversion.

8. A component for a turbomachine or a gas turbine, comprising: a functional structure as claimed in claim 1.

9. The component as claimed in claim 8, which rotates while being used as intended and is designed for use in a hot gas path of a gas turbine.

10. The component as claimed in claim 9, which is a turbine blade.

11. A turbine comprising: a functional structure as claimed in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Further details of the invention are described below with reference to the figures.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a functional structure.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an illustrative component comprising the structure from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0034] In the illustrative embodiments and figures, those elements which are the same or have the same effects may each be provided with the same reference signs. The illustrated elements and the size ratios thereof should fundamentally not be regarded as true to scale; on the contrary, individual elements may be illustrated as being of exaggeratedly thick or large dimensions for greater clarity of illustration and/or better understanding.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a functional structure 1 by way of example. The functional structure 1 can be or comprise an energy storage device 10 for storing energy, e.g. mechanical energy, or for converting or transforming mechanical energy.

[0036] The structure 1 comprises at least one lattice cell 2. The lattice cell 2 advantageously forms a cubic, rhombohedral, hexagonal, cuboidal or cube-shaped elementary cell or lattice cell. The lattice cell 2 comprises lattice nodes 3. The lattice cell 2 furthermore comprises lattice connecting elements 4 connecting the lattice nodes 3. In accordance with the cubic or cube-shaped cell geometry shown, the lattice cell 2 advantageously has eight lattice nodes 3 and twelve lattice connecting elements 4 connecting the lattice nodes in a regular arrangement.

[0037] The lattice cell 2 or structure 1 furthermore has a gyrating mass 5. The gyrating mass 5 is connected to at least one of the lattice connecting elements 3 by an arm 6 (cf. the arm shown in solid lines). Instead of just one arm, the gyrating mass 5 can be connected to a lattice node 3 by at least one further arm 6 (cf. the arm illustrated in broken lines). By means of the number of arms or the thickness or length of the arms 6, an oscillation frequency, excitation frequency or natural frequency of the oscillatory gyrating mass 5 can be set, for example. Variation of the elasticity modulus of the arm and/or of the mass or density of the gyrating mass 5 as a parameter can have the same effect.

[0038] In the case of an external oscillation or rotation (indicated by an arrow cross in FIG. 1) which is undergone by the structure 1, e.g. during the operation of a component 100 having the functional structure 1 (cf. FIG. 2), the gyrating mass 5 advantageously stores mechanical oscillation or vibration energy W by being deflected, mechanically moved or rotated relative to the rest of the lattice cell 2. It is thereby advantageously possible to prevent destruction of the entire component.

[0039] The lattice cell 2 can have a lattice constant C or edge length of the lattice connecting elements 4 of at most 100 mm, for example (in the case of a cubic lattice geometry). For example, the cited lattice constant C can be 50 mm, advantageously 10 mm or less, e.g. 5 mm or 1 mm or at least 0.5 mm.

[0040] The functional structure 1 as shown in FIG. 1 can be an energy converter, which converts mechanical oscillation or vibration energy, for example, acting on the structure 1 from the outside, into kinetic and/or mechanical (oscillation or vibration energy) of the gyrating mass 5. Depending on the embodiment of the oscillatory system comprising the arm 6 and the gyrating mass 5, the functional structure 1 may be used in some circumstances to form an energy storage device, e.g. if the oscillation energy of the gyrating mass 5 is converted back into some other form of energy, e.g. heat, at a later point in time.

[0041] By way of example, FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a turbine 200 having a component 100 or turbine blade 20. The turbine blade 20 has an airfoil (not designated explicitly). The airfoil has a multiplicity of functional structuressimilar to the functional structure described individually in FIG. 1as a damping structure. The damping structures 1 or lattice cells 2 which the turbine blade 20 in FIG. 2 has can in particular be designed to be of the same type, to be similar and/or, alternatively, to be dimensioned or assembled differently in respect of their natural frequencies. Particularly the variable configuration of such damping structures is possible in a simple manner by virtue of the additive manufacture, in particular selective laser melting. For example, the natural frequencies of the damping structure shown in FIG. 2 can be graduated, i.e. each individual functional lattice cell 2 of the structure 1 can have a different natural frequency and thus absorption capacity for mechanical, in particular dynamic, loads or energies. As a result, the bandwidth for the absorption of mechanical energy and thus potentially destruction tolerance of the turbine blade 20 is advantageously particularly large.

[0042] Moreover, the turbine blade 20 has a blade root, via which the turbine blade is connected, for example, to a rotor or a rotor disk (not designated explicitly) of the turbine 200.

[0043] In a profile view of the turbine blade 20, the functional structure 1 comprising a multiplicity of lattice cells 2 can furthermore be arranged circumferentially, thereby making it possible to adapt an absorption capacity for dynamic external influences to a mass profile of the component (in cross section), for example.

[0044] As an alternative to the turbine blade 20 shown by way of example, it is possible for generally rotating parts or any oscillation- or vibration-generating components to be intended.

[0045] The invention is not restricted to the illustrative embodiments by the description with reference to these but includes each novel feature and any combination of features. In particular, this includes any combination of features in the patent claims, even if this feature or this combination is itself not explicitly cited in the patent claims or illustrative embodiments.