Aluminum airfoil

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10655635-B2
Application number	US-201514960491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 31, 2012
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

An airfoil includes a first airfoil piece and a second airfoil piece bonded to the first airfoil piece at a joint. The first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece are formed of aluminum alloys. At least one of the aluminum alloys is an aluminum alloy composition that has greater than 0.8% by weight of zinc.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airfoil comprising:
a first airfoil piece; and
a second airfoil piece bonded to the first airfoil piece at a joint,
the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece being formed of aluminum alloys, and at least one of the aluminum alloys is an aluminum alloy composition comprising greater than 0.8% by weight of zinc.

2. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein one of the aluminum alloys is the aluminum alloy composition comprising greater than 0.8% by weight of zinc, and the other of the aluminum alloys is a different aluminum alloy composition.

3. The airfoil as recited in claim 2 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition has greater than 7% by weight of zinc, and the different aluminum alloy composition has 0.8% to 5% by weight of zinc.

4. The airfoil as recited in claim 2 , wherein the joint includes a braze element in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece.

5. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition includes greater than 4% by weight of the zinc.

6. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the joint extends along a neutral axis of the airfoil.

7. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece define a hollow cavity there between.

8. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece includes an airfoil pressure side surface or an airfoil suction side surface.

9. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece define a cavity there between, the cavity having a series of distinct pockets with at least one insert in at least one of the pockets.

10. The airfoil as recited in claim 9 , wherein the at least one insert includes a foam material.

11. The airfoil as recited in claim 9 , wherein the at least one insert structurally supports at least one of the first airfoil piece or the second airfoil piece.

12. The airfoil as recited in claim 9 , wherein the at least one insert is formed of a non-aluminum alloy.

13. The airfoil as recited in claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece is bonded to the at least one insert.

14. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first airfoil piece includes a leading end, and further comprising a sheath bonded to the first airfoil piece at the leading end.

15. The airfoil as recited in claim 14 , wherein the sheath is formed of a non-aluminum material.

16. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the joint is a first braze joint, and the first braze joint includes magnesium, zinc, or both in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece.

17. The airfoil as recited in claim 16 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition includes greater than 4% by weight of the zinc.

18. The airfoil as recited in claim 17 , wherein the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece form a hollow structure that defines a cavity, the hollow structure having at least one insert within the cavity reinforcing the hollow structure, and the insert is bonded with the first airfoil piece, the second airfoil piece, or both at one or more second braze joints.

19. The airfoil as recited in claim 18 , wherein the second braze joint includes magnesium, zinc, or both in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece, the second airfoil piece, and the insert.

20. The airfoil as recited in claim 16 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition includes greater than 7% by weight of the zinc.

21. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the joint is a braze joint, and the braze joint includes magnesium in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece.

22. The airfoil as recited in claim 1 , wherein the joint is a braze joint, and the braze joint includes zinc in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece.

23. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan;
a compressor section downstream from the fan;
a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section; and
a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor, and at least one of the fan or the compressor section including an aluminum airfoil that has a first airfoil piece and a second airfoil piece bonded to the first airfoil piece at a joint, the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece being formed of aluminum alloys, and at least one of the aluminum alloys is an aluminum alloy composition comprising greater than 0.8% by weight of zinc.

24. The engine as recited in claim 23 , wherein one of the aluminum alloys is the aluminum alloy composition comprising greater than 0.8% by weight of zinc, and the other of the aluminum alloys is a different aluminum alloy composition.

25. The engine as recited in claim 24 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition has greater than 7% by weight of zinc, and the different aluminum alloy composition has 0.8% to 5% by weight of zinc.

26. The engine as recited in claim 24 , wherein the joint includes a braze element in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece.

27. The engine as recited in claim 23 , wherein the joint is a first braze joint, and the first braze joint includes magnesium, zinc, or both in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece.

28. The engine as recited in claim 27 , wherein the aluminum alloy composition includes greater than 4% by weight of the zinc.

29. The engine as recited in claim 28 , wherein the first airfoil piece and the second airfoil piece form a hollow structure that defines a cavity, the hollow structure having at least one insert within the cavity reinforcing the hollow structure, and the insert is bonded with the first airfoil piece, the second airfoil piece, or both at one or more second braze joints.

30. The engine as recited in claim 29 , wherein the second braze joint includes magnesium, zinc, or both in a higher concentration than in other portions of the first airfoil piece, the second airfoil piece, and the insert.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Watson Thomas J
• Bales Daniel A

Classifications

• F04D29/388 Primary

  characterised by construction · CPC title

• B23K1/0018

  Brazing of turbine parts · CPC title

• F05D2230/237

  Brazing · CPC title

• F05D2300/1616

  Zinc · CPC title

• B23K2101/001

  Turbines · CPC title