Hollow airfoil construction using cover subassembly
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorJohn T. Pickens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil having a plurality of channels with a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The main body forms a portion of one side of the airfoil and the entirety of an opposing side of the airfoil. A cover is secured to the main body about a perimeter by a weld. The cover extends across a majority of the one side of the airfoil. A plurality of ribs extends from the cover in a direction toward the main body to define the channels. The ribs are secured to an inner surface of the main body by an adhesive. A gas turbine engine and a method are also disclosed.
Claims20
A component for a gas turbine engine comprising:
- an airfoil having a plurality of channels with
- (i) a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, said main body forming a portion of one side of the airfoil and the entirety of an opposing side of the airfoil;
- (ii) a cover secured to said main body about a perimeter by a weld, said cover extending across a majority of the one side of the airfoil;
- and
- (iii) a plurality of ribs extending from the cover in a direction toward the main body to define the channels, said ribs being secured to an inner surface of the main body by an adhesive, said ribs have an enlarged surface at one of said inner surface of said main body and the cover.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a fan for delivering air into a bypass duct and for delivering air into a compressor section;
- a combustor downstream of the compressor section and a turbine section downstream of the combustor section;
- the fan, the compressor section and the turbine section each including a plurality of components having airfoils;
- one type of said airfoils having a plurality of channels with
- (i) a main body extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, said main body forming a portion of one side of the airfoil and the entirety of an opposing side of the airfoil;
- (ii) a cover secured to said main body about a perimeter by a weld, said cover extending across a majority of one side of the airfoil;
- and
- (iii) a plurality of ribs extending from the cover in a direction toward the main body to define the channels said ribs being secured to an inner surface of the main body by an adhesive, said ribs have an enlarged surface at one of said inner surface of said main body and the cover.
A method of forming a hollow airfoil comprising the steps of:
- 1) forming a cover and rib subassembly having at least a plurality of ribs extending from the cover in a first direction;
- 2) depositing adhesive on an inner surface of a main body;
- 3) moving the subassembly such that the ribs move into contact with the adhesive to be secured to the main body;
- 4) welding around a periphery of the cover to secure it to the main body after step 3);
- and
- wherein the ribs have an enlarged surface at one of said inner surface of said main body and the cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.