Case for gas turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10808540-B2
Application number	US-201815928133-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2018
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A strut for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil section extending in a spanwise direction between a first platform and a second platform, extending in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and trailing edge to define a chord length, and extending in a thickness direction between a first side and a second side to define a chord width. Exterior surfaces of the airfoil section define a leading portion between the leading edge and a widest location of the airfoil section relative to the thickness direction, and a trailing portion between the widest location and the trailing edge. The exterior surfaces establish a respective exterior contour for each span position between a 0% span position and a 100% span position. The exterior surfaces define a plurality of dimples in the leading portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A strut for a gas turbine engine comprising: an airfoil section extending in a spanwise direction between a first platform and a second platform, extending in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and trailing edge to define a chord length, and extending in a thickness direction between a first side and a second side to define a chord width; a leading portion is defined by an exterior surface of the airfoil section between the leading edge and a widest location of the airfoil section relative to the thickness direction, and a trailing portion between the widest location and the trailing edge; a respective exterior contour is established by the exterior surface for each span position between a 0% span position and a 100% span position, and a ratio of the chord width to the chord length of at least 1:2 for at least some span positions; and a plurality of dimples are defined in the exterior surface in the leading portion, wherein the plurality of dimples extend across a localized region of the exterior surfaces, a remainder of the exterior surfaces defines a second region free of any dimples, and a ratio of the localized region to the second region is between 1:2 and 1:4, and wherein each dimple of the plurality of dimples in the localized region has a surface area, and a ratio of a sum of the surface area of each dimple within the localized region to a total area of the localized region is between 1:3 and 1:4.

2. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the trailing portion is free of any dimples.

3. The strut of claim 1 , wherein at least one dimple of the plurality of dimples is separated from the leading edge by a first distance of no more than 5% of a second distance between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the exterior contour for at least some of the span positions.

4. The strut of claim 3 , wherein the at least one dimple is defined along the leading edge.

5. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dimples are distributed in the localized region such that the localized region has a density of between 3.41 and 4.34 dimples per square centimeter.

6. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the trailing portion is free of any dimples.

7. The strut of claim 6 , wherein the localized region has a density of between 3.41 and 4.34 dimples per square centimeter at a majority of span positions.

8. The strut of claim 6 , wherein the first side is a pressure side and the second side is a suction side.

9. The strut of claim 1 , wherein the first platform and second platform are respective portions of an inner ring and outer ring of a stator case.

10. A turbine exhaust case comprising: an inner ring extending along an axis; an outer ring extending at least partially about the inner ring; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts extending radially between the inner ring and the outer ring with respect to the axis, wherein each strut of the plurality of struts comprises: an airfoil section extending in a spanwise direction between the inner ring and the outer ring, extending in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and trailing edge to define a chord length, and extending in a thickness direction between a first side and a second side to define a chord width; a leading portion is defined by an exterior surface of the airfoil section between the leading edge and a widest location of the airfoil section relative to the thickness direction, and a trailing portion between the widest location and the trailing edge; a respective exterior contour is established by the exterior surface for each span position between a 0% span position and a 100% span position; and a plurality of dimples are defined in the exterior surface, at least one dimple of the plurality of dimples is separated from the leading edge by a first distance of no more than 5% of a second distance between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the exterior contour, wherein the plurality of dimples extend across a localized region of the exterior surface, a remainder of the exterior surface defines a second region free of any dimples, and a ratio of the localized region to the second surface area is between 1:2 and 1:4; and wherein each dimple of the plurality of dimples in the localized region has a surface area, and a ratio of a sum of the surface area of each dimple within the localized region to a total area of the localized region is between 1:3 and 1:4.

11. The turbine exhaust case of claim 10 , wherein the trailing portion is free of any dimples.

12. The turbine exhaust case of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of dimples is defined along the leading edge.

13. The turbine exhaust case of claim 10 , wherein each strut of the plurality of struts has an inner fillet where the strut meets the inner ring and an outer fillet where the strut meets the outer ring.

14. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section;
a turbine section; and
a stator case comprising:
an inner ring extending along an engine axis;
an outer ring extending at least partially about the inner ring; and
a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart struts extending radially between the inner ring and the outer ring with respect to the axis, wherein each strut comprises:
an airfoil section extending in a spanwise direction between the inner ring and the outer ring, extending in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and trailing edge to define a chord length, and extending in a thickness direction between a first side and a second side to define a chord width;
a leading portion is defined by an exterior surface of the airfoil section between the leading edge and a widest location of the airfoil section relative to the thickness direction, and a trailing portion between the widest location and the trailing edge;
a respective exterior contour is established by the exterior surface for each span position between a 0% span position and a 100% span position;
a plurality of dimples is defined in the exterior surface in the leading portion; and
two or more dimples of the plurality of dimples are defined along the leading edge; wherein the plurality of dimples extend across a localized region of the exterior surface, each dimple in the localized region has a surface area, and a ratio of a sum of the surface area of each dimple within the localized region of the leading portion to a total area of the region is between 1:4 and 1:3.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the stator case is a mid-turbine frame.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the stator case is a turbine exhaust case.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the turbine exhaust case supports a bearing system.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Eastwood Jonathan Jeffery
• Memory Curtis L
• Hu Jin
• Praisner Thomas J

Classifications

• F01D9/041

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01D9/065

  Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26) · CPC title

• F05D2250/60

  Structure; Surface texture · CPC title

• F05D2240/121

  related to the leading edge of a stator vane · CPC title

• F01D25/30

  Exhaust heads, chambers, or the like · CPC title