BACKGROUND
[0001] This application relates to a hollow fan blade for a gas turbine engine, wherein
a unique rib geometry is utilized.
[0002] Gas turbine engines may be provided with a fan for delivering air to a compressor
section. From the compressor section, the air is compressed and delivered into a combustion
section. The combustion section mixes fuel with the air and combusts the combination.
Products of the combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors, which in turn are
driven to rotate and rotate the compressor and fan.
[0003] The fan may include a rotor having a plurality of blades.
[0004] One type of fan blade is a hollow fan blade having a plurality of channels defined
by intermediate ribs in a main fan blade body. An outer skin is attached over the
main fan blade body to close off the cavities. The blades are subject to a number
of challenges, including internal stresses that vary along a length of the fan blade.
SUMMARY
[0005] A fan blade has a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge.
Channels are formed into the main body from at least one open side. A plurality of
ribs extend across the main body intermediate the channels. The fan blade has a dovetail
and an airfoil extending radially outwardly from the dovetail. The ribs have a thickness
defined as measured generally from the leading edge toward the trailing edge. A thickness
of at least one of the ribs is generally thicker adjacent radially inner ends and
becomes thinner moving in a radially outward direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The invention will be described with regard to the specific and drawings, the following
of which is a brief description.
Figure 1A shows a fan blade.
Figure 1B shows another feature of the Figure 1A fan blade.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 as shown in Figure 1A.
Figure 3 shows a main body of the Figure 1A fan blade.
Figure 4 is a simplified view of one rib.
Figure 5A is a first embodiment taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 5B is a second embodiment taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 5C is a third embodiment taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6A is a first embodiment rib break-edge.
Figure 6B is another embodiment rib break-edge.
Figure 7 shows another area within the fan blade.
Figure 8 shows a radially inner end of the channels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] A fan blade 20 is illustrated in Figure 1A having an airfoil 18 extending radially
outwardly from a dovetail 24. A leading edge 21 and a trailing edge 22 define the
forward and rear limits of the airfoil 18.
[0008] As shown in Figure 1B, a fan rotor 16 receives the dovetail 24 to mount the fan blade
20 with the airfoil 18 extending radially outwardly. As the rotor 16 is driven to
rotate, it carries the fan blades 20 with it. There are higher stresses adjacent to
the rotor 16, than occur radially outwardly of the rotor.
[0009] Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the fan blade 20, at the airfoil 18. As shown,
the leading edge 21 carries a cap 37 secured to a main body 28. A cover skin 32 closes
off cavities or channels 30 in the main body 28. The main body 28, the cap 37 and
the skin 32 may all be formed of various aluminum alloys. While aluminum alloys or
aluminum may be utilized, other materials, such as titanium, titanium alloys, or other
appropriate metals may be utilized.
[0010] As shown, a plurality of ribs 26 separate channels 30 in the cross-section illustrated
in Figure 2. These channels 30 are closed off by the skin 32. As shown, the channels
30 extend from an open end inwardly to a closed side. The open end is closed off by
skin 32. It is within the scope of this invention, however, that the channel extends
across the width of the main body 28, and there are two skins on opposed sides of
the main body 28.
[0011] In addition, the channels may be filled with lighter weight filler material to provide
stiffness, as known.
[0012] A contact area 132 at the forward face of the ribs 26 serves as a mount point for
the skin 32, and receives an adhesive. Chamfers 38 are formed at the break-edges,
or the edges of the ribs 26, and will be described in more detail below. As shown,
the channels 30 have a side extent formed by a compound radius 34 and 36, again to
be described in greater detail below.
[0013] Figure 3 shows the main body 28. There are a plurality of channels 30 from the front
or leading edge 21, to the back or trailing edge 22, and varying from the radially
inner end toward the radially outer tip. As shown, some of the channels 30 extend
generally radially upwardly. Other channels, such as channel 40, bend toward the leading
edge 21. Other channels 41 simply extend generally from the middle of the main body
28 toward the leading edge 21.
[0014] To reduce the weight, it is desirable to maximize the amount of channels and minimize
the amount of rib. However, there is also a need for additional stiffness adjacent
the radially inner edge 42, to provide greater durability, and minimize blade pull.
Thus, the ribs 26 may be formed such that they tend to be thicker adjacent a radially
inner edge 42, and become thinner when moving toward the radially outer portions 44.
[0015] It is also desirable to form a blade which avoids certain operational modes across
the engine operational range. Additional mass toward the tip or outer end of the blade
raises challenges against tuning away from fundamental modes.
[0016] As shown schematically in Figure 4, ribs 26 are thinner at radially outer end 44
than at the inner end 42. A thickness t
1 at the radially inner end 42 is greater than the thickness t
2 at the tip or radially outer end 44. In embodiments, a ratio of t
1 to t
2 may be between 1.1 and 8. As can be appreciated from Figure 3, the variation need
not be linear as shown in Figure 4, and may be different across the several ribs.
[0017] As shown in Figure 5A, a cross-section through the rib could be a trapezoid as shown
in Figure 5A, wherein the bottom 50, which extends into the main body 28, is larger
than the outer end 48 which attaches to the skin 32. Sides 46 are angled between the
two ends 48 and 50.
Figure 5B shows a rectangular cross-section for the rib 26 wherein the ends 52 and
54 are generally of the same thickness, and the sides 56 are generally perpendicular
to those ends.
Figure 5C shows yet another embodiment, wherein the ends 58 and 60 are of different
thicknesses, and the sides 62 curve relative to each other along a particular radius.
[0018] By modifying these several variables, a designer is able to tune or optimize the
operation of the fan blade for its use in a gas turbine engine.
[0019] Notably, as will be explained below, it is desirable that the upper end 48/52/58
actually has a more complex surface at its break-edges.
[0020] Figure 6A shows the actual break-edge 38 on a rib 26. The contact area 132 which
will actually contact the skin, and provide a surface for receiving adhesive and securing
the skin should be maximized. On the other hand, there are stresses which are induced
at the break-edges, and thus a chamfer 38 is formed in this embodiment.
[0021] As shown in Figure 6A, the rib 26 has a nominal thickness t
3 at the upper end, if not for the chamfers 38. Stated another way, t
3 is the distance between sides 200 at the end of the chambers 38. The chamfers 38
extend for a thickness c measured in a plane perpendicular to the top edge 132.
[0022] A ratio of c to t
3 may be between .02-.15. The use of the chamfer at the break-edge location reduces
the stress. There would otherwise be stress concentrations at that area. On the other
hand, by utilizing a chamfer within the disclosed range, the amount of surface area
available to provide a good adhesion to the cover is still adequate.
[0023] Figure 6B shows an embodiment of a rib 64, wherein the break-edges are provided along
a radius r
1. In embodiments, the ratio of r
1 to t
3 is between .02-.15.
[0024] Figure 7 shows the surfaces 34 and 36 as illustrated in Figure 2. The areas at that
side of the channels 30 are prone to stress concentrations. A typical fillet, or single
curve, may be considered for formation at that area to reduce stress. However, in
the disclosed embodiment, a compound fillet having two curves 34 and 36 is utilized.
Curve 34 is formed along a radius r
2 while curve 36 is formed along a radius r
3. As is clear, r
2 is greater than r
3. A ratio of r
3 to r
2 is between .03 and .25. More narrowly, it may be between .06 and .13. The use of
the compound fillet provides a great reduction in stress concentration, which would
otherwise be maximized at the general location of the curve 36.
[0025] Finally Figure 8 shows a radially inner end, bottom or termination 100 of a channel
30. As shown, there is a compound curve or fillet including a bottom portion 104 formed
at a radius r
4 and a side portion 102 formed at a radius r
5, which merges into the side of the ribs. As is clear, r
5 is greater than r
4. Again, this arrangement reduces a stress concentration at the corners which would
otherwise be induced into the cavity terminations. In embodiments, a ratio of r
4 to r
5 is between .03 and .25.
[0026] The compound fillets as disclosed in Figures 7 and 8 reduce stress concentrations
with minimum weight increase. Further, the compound fillets may be provided with minimal
additional cost, because multi-pass machining is not required. Instead, a cutter with
a compound radius shape may be utilized.
[0027] The fan blade as described above reduces stresses that are raised during operations,
when mounted in a gas turbine engine.
[0028] Although embodiments have been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in the art would
recognize the modifications which come within the scope of this Application. Thus,
the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content.
1. A fan blade (20) comprising a main body (28) extending between a leading edge (21)
and a trailing edge (22), and having channels (30) formed into said main body (28)
from at least one open side with a plurality of ribs (26) extending across the main
body (28) intermediate the channels (30), the fan blade (20) having a dovetail (24),
and an airfoil (18) extending radially outwardly from said dovetail (24), said ribs
(26) having a thickness defined as measured generally from said leading edge (21)
toward said trailing edge (22), with a thickness of at least one of said ribs (26)
being formed to be generally thicker adjacent a radially inner end (42), and becoming
thinner moving in a radially outward direction.
2. The fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 1, wherein a ratio of a thickness (t1) of said at least one rib (26) selected near the radially inner end (42) compared
to a thickness (t2) selected near a radially outer end (44) is between 1.1 and 8.
3. The fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a cross-section through at
least one said rib (26) from the open side and toward the closed side is trapezoidal.
4. The fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 3, wherein an end (48) of said trapezoidal
rib (26) spaced toward said open side is smaller than an end (50) at said closed side.
5. The fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a cross-section taken through
at least one rib (26) moving from the open side and toward said closed side is rectangular.
6. A fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein a cross-section through at
least one rib (26) from the open side edge toward the closed side has generally curved
sides (62), and is smaller at said open side (58) than it is at said inner side (60).
7. The fan blade (20) as set forth in any preceding claim, wherein an outer skin (32)
closes off the channels (30) at the at least one open side.
8. The fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 7, wherein said outer skin (32) and said
main body (28) are both formed of aluminum or aluminum alloy.
9. The fan blade (20) as set forth in claim 7, wherein said outer skin (32) and said
main body (28) are both formed of titanium or a titanium alloy.
10. The fan blade (20) as set forth in any of claims 7 to 9, wherein said channels (30)
extend from said open side to a closed side within said main body (28).