Monolithic shrouded impeller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9868155-B2
Application number	US-201414220882-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2014
Priority date	Mar 20, 2014
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

An impeller including a hub body, a shroud surrounding the hub body, and a plurality of impeller blades extending from the hub body to the shroud, wherein the hub body, the shroud, and the plurality of impeller blades are a one-piece structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An impeller, comprising:
a hub body, wherein the hub body includes at least one internal void separate from a shaft aperture;
a shroud surrounding the hub body;
a plurality of impeller blades extending from the hub body to the shroud, wherein the hub body, the shroud, and the plurality of impeller blades are a one-piece structure;
wherein at least one of the plurality of impeller blades comprises at least one internal void;
a rib extending between opposing internal walls of the hub body through the at least one internal void; and
wherein the at least one internal void remains devoid of solid material after the one-piece structure is completely formed.

2. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the impeller comprises a plurality of additive layers of material defining the one-piece structure.

3. The impeller of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of additive layers of material comprises different layers of different material.

4. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal void comprises an annular void that extends circumferentially about an axis of the impeller.

5. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the shroud includes at least one internal void.

6. The impeller of claim 5 , wherein the at least one internal void comprises an annular void that extends circumferentially about an axis of the impeller.

7. The impeller of claim 5 , wherein the at least one internal void includes a supporting rib, wherein the supporting rib is configured to increase the structural integrity of the impeller.

8. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the at least one internal void extends through a length extending from one distal end toward an opposing distal end of at least one of the plurality of impeller blades.

9. An impeller, comprising:
a hub body;
a shroud surrounding the hub body;
a plurality of impeller blades extending from the hub body to the shroud, wherein the hub body, the shroud, and the plurality of impeller blades are integrated with one another as a one-piece structure; wherein the hub body and/or the shroud, and at least one of the plurality of impeller blades comprises at least one internal void;
at least one supporting rib extending through the at least one of the internal void; and
wherein the at least one internal void remains within the impeller in a final form.

10. The impeller of claim 9 , wherein the impeller comprises a plurality of additive layers of material defining the one-piece structure.

11. The impeller of claim 10 , wherein the layers extend axially, radially, circumferentially, or a combination thereof.

12. The impeller of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of additive layers of material comprises different layers of different material.

13. A method of manufacturing a one-piece shrouded impeller, comprising:
forming a first shape with a first layer of metal particles;
adding additional layers of metal particles on top of the first layer of particles;
forming shapes with each of the additional layers of metal particles until formation of the one-piece shrouded impeller;
wherein forming shapes in the additional layers of metal particles comprises forming one or more internal voids within the one-piece shrouded impeller;
forming a rib through one or more of the internal voids; and
wherein the one or more internal voids are present in the one-piece shrouded impeller after manufacturing processes are complete.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising removing excess metal particles.

15. The method of claim 13 , comprising heat treating the one-piece shrouded impeller after formation.

16. An impeller, comprising:
a hub body, wherein the hub body includes at least one internal void separate from a shaft aperture;
a shroud surrounding the hub body;
a plurality of impeller blades extending from the hub body to the shroud, wherein the hub body, the shroud, and the plurality of impeller blades are a one-piece structure;
wherein at least one of the plurality of impeller blades comprises at least one internal void;
a rib extending between opposing internal walls of the hub body through the at least one internal void; and
wherein the at least one internal void comprises an annular void in the hub that extends circumferentially about an axis of the impeller.

17. An impeller, comprising:
a hub body;
a shroud surrounding the hub body;
a plurality of impeller blades extending from the hub body to the shroud, wherein the hub body, the shroud, and the plurality of impeller blades are integrated with one another as a one-piece structure; wherein the hub body and/or the shroud, and at least one of the plurality of impeller blades comprises at least one internal void;
at least one supporting rib extending through the at least one of the internal void; and
wherein the at least one internal void comprises an annular void that extends circumferentially about an axis of the impeller.

18. A method of manufacturing a one-piece shrouded impeller comprising:
forming a first shape with a first layer of metal particles;
adding additional layers of metal particles on top of the first layer of particles;
forming shapes with each of the additional layers of metal particles until formation of the one-piece shrouded impeller;
wherein forming shapes in the additional layers of metal particles comprises forming one or more internal voids within the one-piece shrouded impeller;
forming a rib through one or more of the internal voids; and
removing excess metal particles.

Assignees

• Ingersoll-Rand Company

Inventors

• Gerber Thomas E
• Nuchereno Michael A
• Blair Jr Noel D
• Small Robert

Classifications

• B22F10/64

  by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• F05D2230/22

  by sintering · CPC title

• B22F5/009 Primary

  of turbine components other than turbine blades (of turbine blades B22F5/04) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49336

  Blade making · CPC title