Snubber assembly for turbine blades

A method of affixing a snubber assembly to a rotatable turbine blade of a turbine engine, the turbine blade including a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall opposed from the pressure sidewall, the turbine blade having a bore formed therein extending from the pressure sidewall through the turbine blade to the suction sidewall, the method comprising:

• sizing an outer diameter of a support structure to be substantially the same size as the bore in the turbine blade;
• cooling the support structure to reduce the diameter of the support structure such that the support structure can be inserted into the bore formed in the turbine blade;
• inserting the support structure into the bore in the turbine blade such that:
• a first end portion of the support structure extends outwardly from the turbine blade pressure sidewall;
• and
• a second end portion of the support structure extends outwardly from the turbine blade suction sidewall;
• securing the support structure to the turbine blade within the bore;
• coupling a first snubber structure to the first end portion of the support structure;
• and
• coupling a second snubber structure to the second end portion of the support structure.

A snubber assembly associated with a rotatable turbine blade in a turbine engine, the turbine blade including a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall opposed from the pressure wall, the snubber assembly comprising:

• a first snubber structure associated with the pressure sidewall of the turbine blade;
• a second snubber structure associated with the suction sidewall of the turbine blade;
• and
• a support structure extending through the blade and rigidly coupled at a first end portion thereof to said first snubber structure and at a second end portion thereof to said second snubber structure, said support structure comprising an intermediate portion spanning between said first and second end portions, said intermediate portion extending through the turbine blade and having an outer diameter that is substantially the same size as a bore formed in the turbine blade that receives said support structure;
• wherein:
• centrifugal loads exerted by said first and second snubber structures caused by rotation thereof during operation of the engine are at least partially transferred to said support structure such that centrifugal loads exerted on the pressure and suctions sidewalls of the turbine blade by said first and second snubber structures are reduced;
• and
• said intermediate portion of said support structure is shrink fitted into said bore.

A snubber assembly associated with a rotatable turbine blade in a turbine engine, the turbine blade including a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall opposed from the pressure wall, the snubber assembly comprising:

• a first snubber structure associated with the pressure sidewall of the turbine blade;
• a second snubber structure associated with the suction sidewall of the turbine blade;
• and
• a support structure extending through the blade and rigidly coupled at a first end portion thereof to said first snubber structure and at a second end portion thereof to said second snubber structure, said support structure comprising:
• an intermediate portion spanning between said first and second end portions, said intermediate portion extending through the turbine blade and having an outer diameter that is substantially the same size as a bore formed in the turbine blade that receives said support structure;
• and
• a hollow interior portion, wherein said first and second end portions comprise openings formed therein in communication with said hollow interior portion and with respective ones of said first and second snubber structures;
• wherein centrifugal loads exerted by said first and second snubber structures caused by rotation thereof during operation of the engine are at least partially transferred to said support structure such that centrifugal loads exerted on the pressure and suctions sidewalls of the turbine blade by said first and second snubber structures are reduced.

A snubber assembly associated with a rotatable turbine blade in a turbine engine, the turbine blade including a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall opposed from the pressure wall, the snubber assembly comprising:

• a first snubber structure associated with the pressure sidewall of the turbine blade;
• a second snubber structure associated with the suction sidewall of the turbine blade;
• and
• a support structure extending through the blade and rigidly coupled at a first end portion thereof to said first snubber structure and at a second end portion thereof to said second snubber structure, wherein:
• said first end portion of said support structure is received in a hollow interior portion of said first snubber structure such that a first gap is formed between a first end surface of said support structure and an endwall of said first snubber structure that faces said first end surface of said support structure;
• and
• said second end portion of said support structure is received in a hollow interior portion of said second snubber structure such that a second gap is formed between a second end surface of said support structure and an endwall of said second snubber structure that faces said second end surface of said support structure;
• wherein centrifugal loads exerted by said first and second snubber structures caused by rotation thereof during operation of the engine are at least partially transferred to said support structure such that centrifugal loads exerted on the pressure and suctions sidewalls of the turbine blade by said first and second snubber structures are reduced.