# US 10,767,487 B2 · Airfoil with panel having flow guide

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- Number: US 10,767,487 B2
- Document ID: US10767487B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/353,892
- Filed: 2016-11-17
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-17
- Assignees: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767487B2

## CPC

- F01D 5/147: {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)}
- F01D 5/189: {the insert having a tubular cross-section, e.g. airfoil shape}
- F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments}
- F01D 5/288: {Protective coatings for blades}
- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 25/12: Cooling
- F02C 3/04: having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16)
- F04D 29/324: {Blades}
- F04D 29/542: {Bladed diffusers (fixing blades to stators F01D9/042)}
- F04D 29/582: {specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F05D 2220/30: in turbines
- F05D 2230/51: in a modular way, e.g. using several identical or complementary parts or features
- F05D 2230/52: using existing or "off the shelf" parts, e.g. using standardized turbocharger elements
- F05D 2230/54: by sheet metal manufacturing
- F05D 2240/12: Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
- F05D 2240/30: Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
- F05D 2250/185: serpentine-like
- F05D 2300/611: Coating
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An airfoil includes a core structure, a passage, and a panel attached with the core structure adjacent the passage. The panel has an exterior gas path side and an opposed interior side bordering the passage. The interior side includes at least one flow guide in the passage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An airfoil comprising:
a core structure having walls defining a leading end and a trailing end of an airfoil profile and an internal cavity in a central interior region of the core structure, the core structure having a pressure-side panel slot and a suction-side panel slot, each of the pressure-side panel slot and the suction-side panel slot including sloped slot edges that face inwards to the central interior region;
a pressure-side panel and a suction-side panel disposed, respectively, in the pressure-side panel slot and the suction-side panel slot, each of the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel having sloped panel edges that face outwards from the central interior region and that bear against the sloped slot edges of the pressure-side panel slot and the suction-side panel slot, respectively, the pressure-side panel defining a pressure side of the airfoil profile and the suction-side panel defining a suction side of the airfoil profile such that the pressure-side panel, the suction-side panel, and the walls of the core structure together define a complete peripheral shape of the airfoil profile, each of the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel having an exterior gas path side and an opposed interior side bordering the internal cavity, the interior side including a pair of rails that define a radial slot there between; and
a spring rib spanning across the internal cavity and disposed in the radial slots, the spring rib maintaining the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel in position against the sloped slot edges.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include at least one flow guide that is selected from the group consisting of a protrusion and a plurality of spaced-apart ridges.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include a bearing surface, and further comprising a baffle seated on the bearing surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The airfoil as recited in claim 3, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include a flow guide that forms a serpentine with the baffle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The airfoil as recited in claim 1, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include a geometric segmented coating.

### Claim 6

A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section;
a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section; and
a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor,
at least one of the turbine section or the compressor section including an airfoil having
a core structure having walls defining a leading end and a trailing end of an airfoil profile and an internal cavity in a central interior region of the core structure, the core structure having a pressure-side panel slot and a suction-side panel slot, each of the pressure-side panel slot and the suction-side panel slot including sloped slot edges that face inwards to the central interior region,
a pressure-side panel and a suction-side panel disposed, respectively, in the pressure-side panel slot and the suction-side panel slot each of the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel having sloped panel edges that face outwards from the central interior region and that bear against the sloped slot edges of the pressure-side panel slot and the suction-side panel slot, respectively, the pressure-side panel defining a pressure side of the airfoil profile and the suction-side panel defining a suction side of the airfoil profile such that the pressure-side panel, the suction-side panel, and the walls of the core structure together define a complete peripheral shape of the airfoil profile, each of the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel having an exterior gas path side and an opposed interior side bordering the internal cavity, the interior side including a pair of rails that define a radial slot there between, and
a spring rib spanning across the internal cavity and disposed in the radial slots, the spring rib maintaining the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel in position against the sloped slot edges.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include at least one flow guide that is a protrusion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include at least one flow guide that is a plurality of spaced-apart ridges.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6, wherein the pressure-side panel and the suction-side panel each include a bearing surface, and further comprising a baffle seated on the bearing surface.