# US 11,898,458 B1 · Radial fan with leading edge air injection

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- Number: US 11,898,458 B1
- Document ID: US11898458B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 17/885,318
- Filed: 2022-08-10
- Published: 2024-02-15
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2022-08-10
- Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
- Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
- Inventors: Jeremy Clavette; Viktor Kilchyk
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898458B1

## CPC

- F01D 5/081: {Cooling fluid being directed on the side of the rotor disc or at the roots of the blades (F01D5/087 takes precedence)}
- F01D 5/145: {Means for influencing boundary layers or secondary circulations (for compressors F04D29/68)}
- F01D 5/187: {Convection cooling}
- F04D 29/684: {by fluid injection}
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B64D 41/007: {Ram air turbines}
- B64D 2013/0618: {with arrangements for reducing or managing bleed air, using another air source, e.g. ram air}
- B64D 2013/0648: {with energy recovery means, e.g. using turbines}
- 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 25/125: {of bearings}
- F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines
- F05D 2220/34: in ram-air turbines ("RATS")
- F05D 2220/50: for auxiliary power units (APU's)
- F05D 2240/303: related to the leading edge of a rotor blade
- F05D 2260/20: Heat transfer, e.g. cooling
- F05D 2270/17: to control boundary layer
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

An integrally bladed rotor includes a rotor disk, rotor blade, internal channel and air outlets. The rotor blade includes a body defined by a pressure surface and suction surface between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The internal channel extends radially from the rotor disk internally within the body of the rotor blade. The air outlets are formed proximate the leading edge and extend within the body of the rotor blade to the internal channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An air cycle machine comprises:
an integrally bladed rotor in a ram air fan of the air cycle machine, the integrally bladed rotor comprising:
a rotor disk comprising a rim extending circumferentially about a center axis, wherein the rim comprises an interior rim surface and an exterior rim surface radially outward from the interior rim surface relative the center axis;
a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from the exterior rim surface of the integrally bladed rotor, wherein a rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades comprises:
a body extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge;
a pressure surface formed on the body and extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge; and
a suction surface formed on the body opposite of the pressure surface and extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge;
an internal channel inside of the body of the rotor blade and extending radially within the rotor blade; and
a plurality of air outlets formed proximate the leading edge of the rotor blade and extending into the body and fluidically connected to the internal channel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, further comprising:
an inlet passage formed in the rotor disk, wherein the inlet passage extends from a side surface of the rotor disk to the internal channel, and wherein the side surface is radially between the interior rim surface and the exterior rim surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the air outlets comprises a circular profile.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the air outlets comprises an elliptical profile.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of air outlets is evenly spaced on the leading edge.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of air outlets is irregularly spaced on the leading edge.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein at least one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets is on the leading edge.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein at least one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets extends from the internal channel to the pressure surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein at least one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets extends from the internal channel to the suction surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of air outlets comprises:
a first air outlet on the leading edge and extending to the internal channel;
a second air outlet on the suction surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge and extending to the internal channel; and
a third air outlet on the pressure surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge and extending to the internal channel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The air cycle machine of claim 1, wherein the internal channel is of a greater diameter than each of the plurality of air outlets.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The air cycle machine of claim 2, further comprising:
a fan section comprising:
the ram air fan, and
a ram air scoop;
a turbine section comprising a turbine rotor;
a compressor section axially between the fan section and the turbine section, the compressor section comprising a compressor rotor;
a tied rod connected to the turbine rotor, the compressor rotor, and the integrally bladed rotor;
at least one bearing assembly supporting the tie rod relative to a stationary structure of the air cycle machine; and
a bleed air passage comprising:
a bleed air inlet in the turbine section;
a bleed air outlet in the fan section, wherein the bleed air outlet is fluidically connected to the inlet passage, and wherein the bleed air passage extends across the at least one bearing assembly.

### Claim 13

An air cycle machine comprising:
a turbine section comprising a turbine rotor;
a compressor section comprising a compressor rotor;
a ram air fan section comprising:
an integrally bladed rotor, and
a ram air scoop,
wherein the integrally bladed rotor comprises:
a rotor disk comprising a rim extending circumferentially about a center axis, wherein the rim comprises an interior rim surface and an exterior rim surface radially outward from the interior rim surface relative the center axis;
a rotor blade extending radially outward from the exterior rim surface of the integrally bladed rotor, wherein the rotor blade comprises:
a body extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge;
a pressure surface formed on the body and extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge; and
a suction surface formed on the body opposite of the pressure surface and extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge;
an internal channel inside of the body of the rotor blade and extending radially within the rotor blade; and
a plurality of air outlets formed proximate the leading edge of the rotor blade and extending into the body and fluidically connected to the internal channel; and
a tie rod connected to the turbine rotor, the compressor rotor, and the integrally bladed rotor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The air cycle machine of claim 13, further comprising:
at least one bearing assembly supporting the tie rod relative to a stationary structure of the air cycle machine; and
a bleed air passage comprising:
a bleed air inlet in the turbine section;
a bleed air outlet in the fan section, wherein the bleed air outlet is fluidically connected to the internal channel, and wherein the bleed air passage extends across the at least one bearing assembly.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The air cycle machine of claim 14, further comprising:
an inlet passage formed in the rotor disk, wherein the inlet passage extends from the internal channel to a side surface of the rotor disk radially between the interior rim surface and the exterior rim surface, and wherein the inlet passage fluidically connects the bleed air passage to the internal channel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The air cycle machine of claim 15, wherein the plurality of air outlets comprises:
a first air outlet on the leading edge and extending to the internal channel;
a second air outlet on the suction surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge and extending to the internal channel; and
a third air outlet on the pressure surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge and extending to the internal channel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The air cycle machine of claim 15, wherein at least one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets is on the leading edge.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The air cycle machine of claim 15, wherein at least one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets extends from the internal channel to the pressure surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The air cycle machine of claim 15, wherein at least one air outlet of the plurality of air outlets extends from the internal channel to the suction surface within fifteen percent of chord from the leading edge.