Airfoil assembly with leading edge element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539025-B2
Application number	US-201615040582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Feb 10, 2016
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

An airfoil assembly including a composite body having a mounting edge and a trailing edge which is secured to a leading edge element defining a 3-D leading edge geometry with both chord and camber variation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airfoil assembly comprising:
an airfoil extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a chord-wise direction, the airfoil comprising:
a body having a mounting edge spaced from the leading edge in the chord-wise direction along a camber line and extending from the mounting edge to the trailing edge to define at least a portion of the airfoil; and
a leading edge element extending from the leading edge toward the mounting edge in the chord-wise direction to define a length of at least a portion of the airfoil, secured to the body at the mounting edge, and defining a 3-D leading edge geometry comprising a plurality of undulations along the leading edge having both chord and camber variation; wherein the length varies between a maximum and a minimum to define the undulations.

2. The airfoil assembly of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a composite body.

3. The airfoil assembly of claim 2 wherein the leading edge element comprises a metal element machined into the 3-D leading edge geometry.

4. The airfoil assembly of claim 1 wherein the undulations are asymmetrical in planform.

5. The airfoil assembly of claim 1 wherein the undulations define a plurality of wave shaped projections in planform.

6. The airfoil assembly of claim 1 further comprises a connection securing the mounting edge and the leading edge element.

7. The airfoil assembly of claim 6 wherein the connection comprises a recess within one of the mounting edge or the leading edge element and a projection extending from the other of the mounting edge and the leading edge element, with the projection received within the recess.

8. The airfoil assembly of claim 7 further comprising bonding the projection within the recess.

9. The airfoil assembly of claim 8 wherein the projection extends from the body and the recess is formed within the leading edge element.

10. The airfoil assembly of claim 9 wherein the recess is formed along an aft edge of the leading edge element.

11. The airfoil assembly of claim 1 wherein blade assembly is a blade assembly for an outlet guide vane.

12. An airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side and extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a chord-wise direction, the airfoil comprising:
a leading edge element defining the leading edge having a 3-D leading edge geometry comprising a plurality of undulations having a length that varies between a maximum and a minimum, and with variation in both chord and camber located along the leading edge;
a trailing edge element defining the trailing edge; and
a connection interior of both the pressure side and the suction side securing the leading edge element to the trailing edge element;
wherein the connection comprises a recess spaced from the leading edge in the chord-wise direction within one of the trailing edge element or the leading edge element and a projection extending from the other of the trailing edge element and the leading edge element, with the projection received within the recess.

13. The airfoil of claim 12 wherein the leading edge element and trailing edge element are made from different materials.

14. The airfoil of claim 13 wherein the leading edge element is metal.

15. The airfoil of claim 14 wherein the trailing edge element is composite.

16. The airfoil of claim 12 wherein the undulations are asymmetrical in planform.

17. The airfoil of claim 12 wherein the undulations define a wave shape in planform.

18. The airfoil of claim 12 further comprising bonding the projection within the recess.

19. The airfoil of claim 18 wherein the projection extends from the trailing edge element and the recess is formed within the leading edge element.

20. The airfoil of claim 19 wherein the recess is formed along an aft edge of the leading edge element.

21. A method of forming an airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side and extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a chord-wise direction, the method comprising securing a trailing edge element extending in the chord-wise direction from a mounting edge to the trailing edge to a leading edge element having a 3-D leading edge geometry comprising a plurality of undulations with both chord and camber variation and located along the leading edge; wherein the securing occurs at the mounting edge and in a location spaced from the leading edge to define a length in the chord-wise direction interior of both the pressure side and the suction side; wherein the length varies between a maximum and a minimum to define the undulations.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the securing comprises mechanically securing together the leading edge and trailing edge elements.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the securing comprises bonding together the leading edge and trailing edge elements.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kray Nicholas Joseph
• Wood Trevor Howard
• Shim Dong-Jin
• Shah Pranav Dhoj

Classifications

• F05D2250/184

  sinusoidal · CPC title

• F05D2240/303

  related to the leading edge of a rotor blade · CPC title

• F01D5/288

  Protective coatings for blades · CPC title

• F01D5/147

  Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18) · CPC title

• F01D5/141 Primary

  Shape, i.e. outer, aerodynamic form (F01D5/148 - F01D5/20 take precedence; blade construction F01D5/147) · CPC title