Airfoils and machines incorporating airfoils
AssigneeESS 2 Tech, LLC
InventorsMichael Suk, David A. Shoffler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments of an airfoil and machines with airfoils are disclosed. The airfoils include a thicker leading airfoil portion and a thinner trailing airfoil portion. In one embodiment, the leading airfoil portion is formed by bending a body of the airfoil back toward itself. In another embodiment, the leading airfoil portion has a solid geometry and includes two elliptic surfaces. To prevent detachment of airflow, the leading airfoil portion includes at least two arc portions or surfaces that act to direct the airflow down to the trailing airfoil portion in a manner that stabilizes vortexes that may form in the region of changing thickness.
Claims20
An airfoil, comprising:
- a leading edge and a trailing edge;
- a suction side and a pressure side;
- a leading airfoil portion including the leading edge and a trailing airfoil portion including the trailing edge;
- the leading airfoil portion including a pressure side surface, a first surface, a suction side surface and a second surface;
- the first surface connecting the pressure side surface with the suction side surface and the second surface connecting the suction side surface with the suction side of the trailing airfoil portion;
- wherein the first surface is a first elliptic surface and the second surface is a second elliptic surface, the second elliptic surface defining a convex surface;
- and
- wherein a thickness of the airfoil decreases from the leading airfoil portion to the trailing airfoil portion.
A turbine comprising:
- a plurality of turbine rotors, each of said plurality of turbine rotors including a plurality of airfoil blades;
- wherein each of said plurality of airfoil blades includes:
- a leading edge and a trailing edge;
- a suction side and a pressure side;
- a leading airfoil portion including the leading edge and a trailing airfoil portion including the trailing edge;
- the leading airfoil portion including a pressure side surface, a first curved surface, a suction side surface and a second curved surface;
- the first curved surface connecting the pressure side surface with the suction side surface and the second curved surface connecting the suction side surface with the suction side of the trailing airfoil portion;
- wherein the first surface is a first elliptic surface and the second surface is
- a second elliptic surface, the second elliptic surface defining a convex surface;
- and
- wherein a thickness of each of the airfoil blades decreases from the leading airfoil portion to the trailing airfoil portion.
An airfoil system for use with an engine having a first turbine rotor and a second turbine rotor, the airfoil system comprising:
- a plurality of airfoils configured to be attached to the first turbine rotor and the second turbine rotor;
- wherein each of the plurality of airfoils includes a leading airfoil portion and a trailing airfoil portion, wherein the trailing airfoil portion has an approximately constant thickness;
- and
- wherein the leading airfoil portion includes a first curved surface having a first radius of curvature and a second curved surface having a second radius of curvature, the first curved surface and the second curved surface having substantially different curvatures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.