Method of applying riblets to an aerodynamic surface
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsSarah Colleen Watson, Elzbieta Kryj-Kos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to a method and resulting apparatus of applying a riblet sheet comprising a riblet film layer and a riblet liner layer on an airfoil surface. The method comprises applying the riblet film layer of the riblet sheet over the airfoil surface, peeling back at least a portion of the riblet liner layer from the riblet film layer to expose a portion of the riblet film layer, applying a attaching hardware or a non-textured surface film over at least a portion the riblet film layer portion; and applying the peeled back portion of the riblet liner layer over a portion of the attaching hardware.
Claims22
A method of applying a riblet sheet comprising a riblet film layer and a riblet liner layer on an aerodynamic surface comprising:
- applying the riblet film layer of the riblet sheet over the aerodynamic surface;
- peeling back at least a portion of the riblet liner layer from the riblet film layer to expose a portion of the riblet film layer;
- applying an attaching hardware or a non-textured surface film over at least a portion the riblet film layer portion;
- and
- applying the peeled back portion of the riblet liner layer over a portion of the attaching hardware or the non-textured surface film or removing the peeled back portion from the riblet sheet.
A turbine engine comprising:
- an airfoil having an outer surface defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge defining a chord-wise direction and extending radially between a pair of end walls defining a span-wise direction;
- at least a portion of the outer surface comprising:
- a riblet sheet having a riblet film layer and a riblet liner layer extending from the trailing edge toward the leading edge;
- a leading edge or non-textured surface film extending from the leading edge toward the trailing edge wherein at least a portion of the leading edge or non-textured surface film partially covers at least a portion of the riblet film layer, and is partially covered by at least a portion of the riblet liner layer.
An airfoil comprising:
- an outer surface defining a first side and a second side and extending axially between a leading edge and a trailing edge defining a chord-wise direction and extending radially between a pair of end walls defining a span-wise direction;
- at least a portion of the outer surface comprising:
- a riblet sheet having a riblet film layer and a riblet liner layer extending from the trailing edge toward the leading edge;
- an attaching hardware or non-textured surface film extending from the leading edge toward the trailing edge wherein at least a portion of the attaching hardware or non-textured surface film partially covers at least a portion of the riblet film layer, and is partially covered by at least a portion of the riblet liner layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.