Blade attachment assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9328622-B2
Application number	US-201213494261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2012
Priority date	Jun 12, 2012
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

An assembly and method for affixing a turbomachine rotor blade to a rotor wheel are disclosed. In an embodiment, an adaptor member is provided disposed between the blade and the rotor wheel, the adaptor member including an adaptor attachment slot that is complementary to the blade attachment member, and an adaptor attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot. A coverplate is provided, having a coverplate attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot, and a hook for engaging the adaptor member. When assembled, the coverplate member matingly engages with the adaptor member, and retains the blade in the adaptor member, and the assembly in the rotor wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for affixing a blade having a blade attachment member to a rotor wheel having a rotor wheel attachment slot, the assembly comprising:
an adaptor member disposed between the blade and the rotor wheel, the adaptor member including:
an adaptor attachment slot that is complementary to the blade attachment member,
an adaptor attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot, and
a first chamfer on a first face of the adaptor member between the adaptor attachment member and the adaptor attachment slot;

and a coverplate member, the coverplate member including:
a coverplate attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot,
a hook-shaped feature disposed on a radially inward end of the coverplate attachment member for engaging the adaptor member, wherein the hook-shaped feature axially retains the adaptor member relative to the coverplate member; and
a second chamfer on a mating face of the coverplate member, disposed between the hook-shaped feature and a panel extending radially outward from the coverplate attachment member relative to the hook-shaped feature for maintaining the blade attachment member axially within the adaptor attachment slot,

wherein the blade attachment member is axially inserted into the adaptor attachment slot,
wherein the second chamfer on the mating face of the coverplate member matingly engages the first chamfer on the first face of the adaptor member,
wherein the assembled adaptor attachment member and coverplate attachment member are axially inserted into the rotor wheel attachment slot,
wherein, when assembled, the panel maintains the blade attachment member axially within the adaptor slot.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coverplate member provides a seal over the assembly.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade attachment member includes a single tang dovetail configuration.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein a shape of the rotor wheel attachment slot and a shape of the blade attachment member are not complementary with one another.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the rotor wheel attachment slot includes one of:
a two-tang configuration;
a three-tang configuration; or
a T-slot configuration.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coverplate member comprises a metal alloy.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blade comprises one of:
a non-metallic material, selected from the group consisting of a ceramic and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC); or
a metal alloy.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotor wheel comprises a metal.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor member further comprises a wall on the second face of the adaptor member, such that the adaptor member attachment slot is open on the first face only.

10. A turbomachine comprising:
a rotor rotatably mounted within a stator, the rotor including:
a shaft; and
at least one rotor wheel mounted on the shaft, each of the at least one rotor wheels including:
a rotor wheel attachment slot;
a blade having a blade attachment member, wherein a shape of the blade attachment member is not complementary to a shape of the rotor wheel attachment slot; and
an assembly for affixing the blade attachment member to the rotor wheel attachment slot, the assembly comprising:
an adaptor member disposed between the blade and the rotor wheel, the adaptor member including:
an adaptor attachment slot that is complementary to the blade attachment member,
an adaptor attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot, and
a first chamfer on a first face of the adaptor member between the adaptor attachment member and the adaptor attachment slot;

and a coverplate member, the coverplate member configured to engage the adaptor member and including:
a coverplate attachment member that is complementary to the rotor wheel attachment slot,
a hook-shaped feature disposed on a radially inward end of the coverplate attachment member for engaging the adaptor member, wherein the hook-shaped feature axially retains the adaptor member relative to the coverplate member;
a second chamfer on a mating face of the coverplate member, disposed between the hook-shaped feature and a panel extending radially outward the coverplate attachment member relative to the hook-shaped feature for maintaining the blade attachment member axially within the adaptor attachment slot,

wherein the blade attachment member is axially inserted into the adaptor attachment slot,
wherein the second chamfer on the mating face of the coverplate member matingly engages the first chamfer on the first face of the adaptor member, and
wherein the assembled adaptor attachment member and coverplate attachment member are axially inserted into the rotor wheel attachment slot.

11. The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the coverplate member provides a seal over the assembly.

12. The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the blade attachment member includes a single tang dovetail configuration.

13. The turbomachine of claim 12 , wherein a shape of the rotor wheel attachment slot and a shape of the blade attachment member are not complementary with one another, and
wherein the rotor wheel attachment slot includes one of:
a two-tang configuration;
a three-tang configuration; or
a T-slot configuration.

14. The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the coverplate member comprises a metal alloy.

15. The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the blade comprises one of:
a non-metallic material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC), or
a metal alloy.

16. The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the rotor wheel comprises a metal.

17. The turbomachine of claim 10 , wherein the adaptor member further comprises a wall on the second face of the adaptor member, such that the adaptor member attachment slot is open on the first face only.

Assignees

• Garcia-Crespo Andres Jose
• Delvaux John Mcconnell
• Miller Diane Patricia
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Garcia-Crespo Andres Jose
• Delvaux John Mcconnell
• Miller Diane Patricia

Classifications

• F01D5/3015 Primary

  with side plates · 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

• F01D5/303 Primary

  in a circumferential slot · CPC title

• F05D2300/6033

  Ceramic matrix composites [CMC] · CPC title

• F01D5/3084

  the blades being made of ceramics · CPC title