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US 7,744,346 B2Granted
Leading edge configuration for compressor blades of gas turbine engines
AssigneeRolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
InventorsKarl Schreiber, Roland Heinrich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a supersonic area, on a leading edge (2) of a compressor blade (1) for a gas turbine engine, a replaceable, longitudinally elastically deformable leading edge rail (7) with slender tip (11) and limited weight is positively held in a locating groove (3) and at a stop (6) and elastically locked by the curved blade form. While the maintenance effort is reduced, safe operation and long service life of the compressor (fan) are ensured.
Claims19
A compressor blade for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a locating groove provided at a leading edge of the compressor blade extending in a supersonic area of the compressor blade and having an end portion which ends remotely from a blade tip to act as a stop,
- a replaceable, longitudinally elastically deformable leading edge rail being positively and elastically locked in the locating groove and held against centrifugal force by the stop.
A replaceable leading edge rail for attachment to a compressor blade for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- an essentially triangular tip and a rail base for insertion into a locating groove positioned at a leading edge of the compressor blade extending in a supersonic area of the compressor blade, the locating groove having one of a dovetail-style and a tee-shaped profile, wherein the rail base is configured in a shape corresponding to the profile of the locating groove and the leading edge rail is longitudinally elastically deformable so as to positively and elastically lock in the locating groove upon insertion of the rail base into the locating groove, the leading edge rail being replaceable when damaged by removing the damaged leading edge rail from the locating groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.