US 5,626,462 AGranted

Double-wall airfoil

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsMelvin R. Jackson, David W. Skelly, Raymond G. Rowe, Donald G. LaChapelle, Paul S. Wilson

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Abstract

A double-wall airfoil for applications such as the blades and vanes of gas turbine engines. The double-wall comprises an outer airfoil skin and an inner support wall that are metallurgically bonded to one another. The double-wall contains integral channels for passage of cooling air adjacent to the airfoil skin. Airfoil skin may be a metal alloy skin or a microlaminate structure, including microlaminate composite structures. Microlaminate composites typically have a lower density than that of the material used for the airfoil support wall, and a simplified internal geometry which promote weight reductions in the airfoils and increases in engine operating efficiency.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An airfoil having an outer double-wall, comprising;

a partially hollow airfoil support wall that is attached to and extends longitudinally from an airfoil base and has an airfoil-shaped outer surface, the airfoil support wall formed from a first material and having at least one longitudinally-extending recessed channel formed in the airfoil-shaped outer surface;
and
an airfoil skin made from a second material which conforms to, covers and is metallurgically bonded to the airfoil-shaped outer surface of the airfoil support wall and covers the at least one longitudinally-extending recessed channel, wherein the combination of the airfoil skin and the airfoil support wall form a double-wall airfoil structure and the covered, recessed channel forms at least one longitudinally-extending integral internal channel located within the double-wall, and wherein the second material comprises an I.sub.s /M or I.sub.s /I.sub.M composite in the form of a micro-laminate having a plurality of alternating layers of I.sub.s and M or I.sub.M.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.