US 8,998,588 B2Granted

Segmented fan assembly

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsMadhu Bharadwaj, Alexander Gabriel Beckford, Rajiv Rajan, Sadeo Ramtahal, Samir Armando Salamah, Henry August Scarton, Devon Walter Story, Donald Alden VanSlyke, Kyle Richard Wilt

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Abstract

Systems and devices for thermodynamically regulating portions of a dynamoelectric machine are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fan assembly element includes: an axially inner shroud segment configured to form a portion of an annular assembly about a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine, wherein the axially inner shroud segment includes a rotor hub interface configured to physically connect to a complementary portion of a rotor hub; a set of fan blades physically connected to and extending axially from a face of the axially inner shroud segment; and an axially outer shroud segment physically connected to the set of fan blades.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A fan assembly element comprising:

an axially inner shroud segment configured to form a portion of an annular assembly about a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine;
wherein at least one circumferentially facing surface of the axially inner shroud segment includes a mating surface configured to form a seal with a circumferentially facing surface of a complementary fan assembly element;
wherein the axially inner shroud segment includes a rotor hub interface configured to physically connect to a complementary portion of a rotor hub;
a first set of fan blades physically connected to and extending axially from a face of the axially inner shroud segment;
and
a first axially outer shroud segment physically connected to the first set of fan blades;
wherein the axially inner shroud segment and the first axially outer shroud segment are axially spaced from one another relative to the rotor hub;
wherein each fan blade of the first set of fan blades includes a first axial end fully connected to the axially inner shroud segment and a second axial end fully connected to the first axially outer shroud segment;
and
wherein the fan assembly is configured to allow fluid flow between adjacent fan blades of the first set of fan blades during operation of the dynamoelectric machine.

7 more elements

A segmented fan assembly comprising:

a rotor hub;
and
a set of fan assembly elements physically connected to the rotor hub, wherein each of the fan assembly elements is physically connected to adjacent fan assembly elements in the set of fan assembly elements to form a substantially continuous body, and each of the fan assembly elements includes:
an axially inner shroud segment configured to form a portion of an annular assembly about a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine;
wherein at least one circumferentially facing surface of the axially inner shroud segment includes a mating surface configured to form a seal with a circumferentially facing surface of a complementary fan assembly element;
wherein the axially inner shroud segment includes a rotor hub interface configured to physically connect to a complementary portion of the rotor hub;
a first set of fan blades physically connected to and extending axially from a face of the axially inner shroud segment;
and
a first axially outer shroud segment physically connected to the first set of fan blades;
wherein the axially inner shroud segment and the first axially outer shroud segment are axially spaced from one another relative to the rotor hub;
wherein each fan blade includes a first axial end fully connected to the axially inner shroud segment and a second axial end fully connected to the first axially outer shroud segment;
and
wherein the fan assembly is configured to allow fluid flow between adjacent fan blades of the first set of fan blades during operation of the dynamoelectric machine.

10 more elements

A dynamoelectric machine comprising:

a stator;
a rotor disposed substantially within the stator;
a rotor hub disposed circumferentially about a portion of the rotor;
and
a set of fan assembly elements physically connected to the rotor hub;
wherein each of the fan assembly elements is physically connected to adjacent fan assembly elements in the set of fan assembly elements to form a substantially continuous body, and each of the fan assembly elements includes:
an axially inner shroud segment configured to form a portion of an annular assembly about a rotor of a dynamoelectric machine;
wherein at least one circumferentially facing surface of the axially inner shroud segment includes a mating surface configured to form a seal with a circumferentially facing surface of a complementary fan assembly element;
wherein the axially inner shroud segment includes a rotor hub interface configured to physically connect to a complementary portion of the rotor hub;
a first set of fan blades physically connected to and extending axially from a face of the axially inner shroud segment;
and
a first axially outer shroud segment physically connected to the first set of fan blades;
wherein the axially inner shroud segment and the first axially outer shroud segment are axially spaced from one another relative to the rotor hub;
wherein each fan blade includes a first axial end fully connected to the axially inner shroud segment and a second axial end fully connected to the first axially outer shroud segment;
and
wherein the fan assembly is configured to allow fluid flow between adjacent fan blades of the first set of fan blades during operation of the dynamoelectric machine.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.