# US 11,994,143 B2 · Monolithic rotor and compressor wheel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,143 B2 - Document ID: US11994143B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/791,865 - Filed: 2020-01-13 - Published: 2023-02-09 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-13 - Assignees: Bladon Jets Holdings Limited - Applicants: Bladon Jets Holdings Limited - Inventors: Vasudeva Nimma; Phillip Heward; Stephen Pye - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994143B2 ## CPC - F04D 29/266: {mounting compressor rotors on shafts} - F01D 5/34: Rotor-blade aggregates of unitary construction {, e.g. formed of sheet laminae; (discs formed of sheet laminae F01D5/028; ceramic materials F01D5/284, composite materials F01D5/282)} - F01D 15/10: Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators - F01D 25/16: Arrangement of bearings; Supporting or mounting bearings in casings (bearings per se F16C) - F04D 17/10: for compressing or evacuating - F04D 25/04: the pump being fluid-driven {(pumps driven by exhaust gases F02B37/00, F02B39/00; turbochargers F02C6/12)} - F04D 25/06: the pump being electrically driven (F04D25/08 takes precedence) - F04D 29/04: Shafts or bearings, or assemblies thereof (specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps F04D29/05) - F04D 29/046: Bearings - F04D 29/051: Axial thrust balancing - F04D 29/052: Axially shiftable rotors (F04D29/051 takes precedence {; control by creating a by-pass F04D27/0246}) - F04D 29/053: Shafts - F04D 29/054: Arrangements for joining or assembling shafts - F04D 29/056: Bearings - F04D 29/668: {damping or preventing mechanical vibrations} - F05D 2230/53: by integrally manufacturing a component, e.g. by milling from a billet or one piece construction - F05D 2240/51: Magnetic - F05D 2250/82: Micromachines - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A rotational component includes a monolithic compressor component for rotation about a rotor axis defining proximal and distal directions, the monolithic compressor component including a compressor shaft defining a rotor core and a compressor wheel disposed distally from the rotor core. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotational component comprising: a monolithic compressor component for rotation about a rotor axis defining proximal and distal directions, the monolithic compressor component comprising a compressor shaft defining a rotor core, a compressor wheel disposed distally from the rotor core, and a neck disposed between the rotor core and the compressor wheel, wherein the rotor core connects to the compressor wheel through a welded connection at the neck. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotational component according to claim 1, wherein: a radius of the neck being less than a radius of the rotor core. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotational component according to claim 2, wherein: an axial length of the neck is between 10 and 25 mm; and a minimum radius of the neck is between 4 and 5 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotational component according to claim 1, wherein: a radius of the rotor core is between 10 and 18 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotational component according to claim 1, comprising: a monolithic turbine component for rotation about the rotor axis, the monolithic turbine component comprising a turbine shaft and a turbine wheel disposed distally from the turbine shaft, wherein: the turbine shaft comprises a proximal end with a female coupling member; and the compressor component comprises a distal end with a male coupling member that is arranged to mate with the female coupling member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The rotational component according to claim 5, wherein: the male coupling member and the female coupling member mate via a screw-threaded connection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The rotational component according to claim 5, wherein: the turbine shaft comprises an internal cavity proximate the to a distal end of the turbine shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotational component according to claim 1, wherein the neck is cylindrical. ### Claim 9 A microturbine rotor and bearing system, comprising: a monolithic compressor component for rotation about a rotor axis defining proximal and distal directions, the monolithic compressor component comprising a compressor shaft defining a rotor core, a compressor wheel disposed distally from the rotor core, and a neck disposed between the rotor core and the compressor wheel, wherein the rotor core connects to the compressor wheel through a welded connection at the neck; a monolithic turbine component for rotation about the rotor axis, the monolithic turbine component comprising a turbine shaft and a turbine wheel disposed distally from the turbine shaft, wherein: the turbine shaft comprises a proximal end with a female coupling member; and the compressor component comprises a distal end with a male coupling member that is arranged to mate with the female coupling member; a proximal radial bearing disposed proximally from the compressor wheel within which extends a cylindrical proximal radial bearing rotor defined by the compressor shaft, a radius of the proximal radial bearing rotor being equal to a radius of the rotor core; a distal radial bearing disposed between the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel within which extends a distal radial bearing rotor defined by the turbine shaft; and a thrust bearing disposed between the compressor wheel and the distal radial bearing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 9, wherein: a radius of the proximal radial bearing rotor is the same as a radius of the distal radial bearing rotor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 9, wherein: the proximal radial bearing is disposed proximally from the rotor core at a proximal end of the compressor component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 11, wherein: a ratio between an axial length between axial centers of the proximal and distal radial bearings and the radius of the proximal radial bearing rotor is between 14 and 20. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 12, wherein: a ratio between an axial length between an axial center of the distal radial bearing and a distal end of the turbine component and a radius of the distal radial bearing rotor is less than or equal to 7. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 9, wherein: a ratio between the radius of the proximal radial bearing rotor and a radius of the distal radial bearing rotor is between 1 and 1.5. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 14, wherein: a ratio between an axial length between axial centers of the proximal and distal bearings and a radius of the distal radial bearing rotor is between 6 to 9. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 14, wherein: a ratio between an axial length between a proximal end of the compressor component and an axial center of the proximal radial bearing and a radius of the distal radial bearing rotor is less than or equal to 7. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The microturbine rotor and bearing system according to claim 14, wherein: a ratio between a minimum radius of the compressor component and a radius of the distal radial bearing rotor is between 0.35 and 0.45. ### Claim 18 A method of manufacturing a rotational component for rotation about a rotor axis defining proximal and distal directions, the method comprising: providing a rotor core; providing a compressor wheel that is disposed distally from the rotor core; and welding the rotor core and the compressor wheel together thereby to form a monolithic compressor component comprising the rotor core and the compressor wheel disposed distally from the rotor core, wherein the monolithic compressor component comprises a neck, and wherein the rotor core and the compressor wheel are welded together at the neck. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein: the welding comprises electron beam welding and/or friction welding. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising: disposing a distal compressor shaft, of the rotational component, distally from the compressor wheel; disposing a proximal radial bearing proximally from the compressor wheel within which extends a cylindrical proximal radial bearing rotor defined by the distal compressor shaft; disposing a distal radial bearing distally from the compressor wheel within which extends a distal radial bearing rotor defined by the distal compressor shaft; and disposing a thrust bearing distally from the distal radial bearing.