Blade track assembly, components, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784115-B2
Application number	US-201414458532-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2011
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A blade track assembly is disclosed having a variety of features. The assembly can have annular or segmented components, or a combination of the two. In one form the assembly includes blade tracks having a forward and aft edge that can be received in an opening of respective hangers. The hangers can include anti-movement features to discourage movement of a blade track. A rib can extend between hangers and in one form can be used as part of a seal assembly. Clips can be used to secure the blade track in openings of the respective hangers, as well as to discourage movement of the blade track.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a gas turbine engine having a pair of gas turbine engine blade track coupling members useful for securing a blade track at an upstream end and a downstream end,
each of the pair of blade track coupling members having a circumferentially extending channel shaped to receive the respective upstream and downstream ends of the blade track,
a flexible gas turbine engine clip extending in an arc and structured to fit within one of the circumferentially extending channels,
the engine clip having an opening to receive one of the upstream end and downstream end of the blade track, the opening being disposed between a top end and a bottom end of a curvilinear clip body operable to flex when the blade track is inserted through the opening,
wherein at least one of the pair includes a blade track anti-rotation member structured to discourage circumferential movement of the blade track, and
wherein at least one of the pair includes a coupling member anti-rotation member structured to discourage circumferential movement of the at least one of the pair of blade track coupling members relative to a static structure of the gas turbine engine; and
wherein the gas turbine engine blade track includes a plurality of blade tracks,
wherein at least some of the plurality of blade tracks include a cutout structured to engage the blade track anti-rotation member, and which further includes a spring clip located between the blade track anti-rotation member and at least one of the plurality of blade tracks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , which further includes a turbine section in which is disposed the gas turbine engine blade track coupling members,
wherein the pair of gas turbine engine blade track coupling members are not identical, and
wherein at least one of the pair of gas turbine engine blade track coupling members interacts with a plurality of anti-rotation members to discourage movement of the gas turbine engine blade track coupling members.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the circumferentially extending channels includes a radially inner member and a radially outer member for receiving the upstream end and downstream end into the respective channels, and
wherein the blade track coupling members include a plurality of hangers having the circumferentially extending channels; and
wherein the blade track includes a plurality of segmented blade tracks; and
wherein the blade track coupling members include a plurality of segmented hangers each having the circumferentially extending channels.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the engine clip is constructed to withstand relatively elevated temperatures within a turbine section of the gas turbine engine.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the top end is disposed in a top flared portion of the clip that is configured to turn away from the opening; and
wherein the top flared portion engages the blade track when installed and a flexible nature of the clip creates a compressive holding force with the blade track.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , which further includes a plurality of the flexible gas turbine engine clips arranged in the circumferentially extending slot around an annulus of a turbine section of the gas turbine engine; and
which further includes a plurality of segmented blade tracks having a coupling portion engaged with the plurality of the flexible gas turbine engine clips; and
wherein a top flared portion of at least one of the gas turbine engine clips compressingly engages a surface of the circumferentially extending slot of the gas turbine engine static structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blade track includes a ceramic matrix composite material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blade track includes a layered construction including an outer construction and a backing, wherein at least one of the outer construction and the backing is a ceramic matrix composite.

9. A method of assembling a blade track assembly comprising:
securing a blade track at an upstream end and a downstream end into a pair of gas turbine engine blade track coupling members of a gas turbine engine,
wherein each of the pair of blade track coupling members having a circumferentially extending channel shaped to receive the respective upstream and downstream ends of the blade track,
inserting a flexible gas turbine engine clip extending in an arc within one of the circumferentially extending channels,
inserting one of the upstream end and downstream end of the blade track through an opening in the engine clip,
wherein the opening is disposed between a top end and a bottom end of a curvilinear clip body operable to flex when the blade track is inserted through the opening,
wherein at least one of the pair of blade track coupling members includes a blade track anti-rotation member structured to discourage circumferential movement of the blade track, and
wherein at least one of the pair of blade track coupling members includes a coupling member anti-rotation member structured to discourage circumferential movement of the at least one of the pair of blade track coupling members relative to a static structure of the gas turbine engine; and
wherein the gas turbine engine blade track includes a plurality of blade tracks,
wherein at least some of the plurality of blade tracks include a cutout structured to engage the blade track anti-rotation member, and which further includes a spring clip located between the blade track anti-rotation member and at least one of the plurality of blade tracks.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a blade track assembly including a blade track having an upstream end and a downstream end,
a forward hanger and an aft hanger, each of the forward hanger and aft hanger having circumferentially extending channels that receive the respective upstream and downstream ends of the blade track, at least one of the forward hanger and aft hanger includes a hanger anti-movement member structured to discourage movement of the at least one of the forward hanger and aft hanger relative to the blade track, and
a spring clip engaged with the blade track to discourage movement of the blade track relative to the forward hanger and the aft hanger,
wherein the blade track includes a blade track anti-movement cutout that receives the hanger anti-movement member to discourage movement of the blade track relative to the at least one of the forward hanger and the aft hanger and the spring clip is located in the blade track anti-movement cutout and arranged around the hanger anti-movement member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the hanger anti-movement member includes a post having a base and an extension.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the spring clip includes a first portion that receives the extension and the first portion extends into the blade track anti-movement cutout to discourage axial and circumferential movement of the blade track relative to the at least one of the forward hanger and the aft hanger.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the spring clip includes a second portion that extends away from the first portion and the second portion engages the blade track and the base so that the spring clip is disposed radially between the blade track and the base to discourage radial movement of the blade track relative to the at least one of the forward hanger and the aft hanger.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the blade track assembly includes a first blade track and second blade track adjacent the first blade track, the first and second blade tracks cooperate to form the blade track anti-movem

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc
• Rolls Royce Nam Tech Inc

Inventors

• Smith Clayton C
• Griffiths George F
• Freeman Ted Joseph
• Westphal William

Classifications

• F01D11/08 Primary

  for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator (specially-shaped blade tips therefor F01D5/20) · CPC title

• Y10T29/4932

  Turbomachine making · CPC title

• F01D11/005

  Sealing means between non relatively rotating elements · CPC title

• F05D2240/11

  Shroud seal segments · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title