EP-4119771-B1 - RADIAL TURBINE ROTOR FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINE

Inventors

• KURLAK, PAUL
• RIAHI, ARDESHIR
• Kamrath, Benjamin D.
• SMOKE, JASON
• McClintic, John

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20220629

Claims (16)

1. A first radial turbine rotor (210) associated with an engine, comprising: a disk (220); a plurality of blades (222a-j) spaced apart about a perimeter of the disk, each blade of the plurality of blades including a forward end (232), an aft end (234) and a root (230); a plurality of sectors (224a-j, 224a'-j', 224a"-j", 224a‴-j‴), with each sector of the plurality of sectors coupled to the root of a respective blade of the plurality of blades, each sector of the plurality of sectors defines a first surface (226) configured to contact a working fluid and a second surface (240) configured to be coupled to the disk, a first forward wall (242) and a second aft wall (244), each sector of the plurality of sectors defining at least one pocket (202, 250, 252, 300, 302, 354, 356, 404, 406) between the first surface and the second surface proximate the forward end that extends toward the aft end, wherein the at least one pocket is axially bounded by the first forward wall (242) and the second aft wall (244); and a feather seal slot (204) defined between adjacent sectors of the plurality of sectors proximate the first surface.
2. The first radial turbine rotor of Claim 1, wherein each blade of the plurality of blades includes a pressure side (236) opposite a suction side (238), and the at least one pocket includes a first pocket (250, 300, 354, 404) defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors proximate the pressure side and a second pocket (252, 302, 356, 406) defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors proximate the suction side.
3. The first radial turbine rotor of Claim 1, wherein a recess of the feather seal slot is defined radially outboard of the at least one pocket and the at least one pocket is a void defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors.
4. The first radial turbine rotor of Claim 1, wherein a recess of the feather seal slot is in communication with the at least one pocket and the at least one pocket is a void defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors.
5. The first radial turbine rotor of Claim 4, wherein the at least one pocket is defined between the first surface (226) and the second surface (240) to extend from proximate the forward end to the aft end such that the at least one pocket is coextensive with a second end of the recess of the feather seal slot.
6. A radial turbine rotor (200) wherein the radial turbine rotor is an axially split radial turbine rotor with the first radial turbine rotor (210) of claim 1 coupled to a second radial turbine rotor (212).
7. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 6, wherein the second radial turbine rotor includes a second disk (460), a plurality of second blades (462) spaced apart about a perimeter of the second disk and a plurality of second sectors (464), with each second sector of the plurality of second sectors coupled to a respective second blade of the plurality of second blades, and a second feather seal slot is defined between adjacent second sectors of the plurality of second sectors.
8. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 7, further comprising a plurality of stress relief slots (456 a-j) defined between the adjacent sectors of the plurality of sectors of the first radial turbine rotor.
9. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 8, wherein the second radial turbine rotor includes a second plurality of stress relief slots (512 a-j) defined through the adjacent second sectors of the plurality of second sectors.
10. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 9, wherein the second radial turbine rotor includes a second plurality of second stress relief holes (510a-j), each second stress relief hole of the second plurality of stress relief holes defined through at least a portion of the disk, and each of the second plurality of stress relief slots is in communication with a respective second stress relief hole of the second plurality of second stress relief holes.
11. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 10, wherein the first radial turbine rotor further comprises a plurality of stress relief holes (206a-j), each stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes defined through at least a portion of the disk, and each of the plurality of stress relief slots is in communication with a respective stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes.
12. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 11, wherein each stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes is offset from each second stress relief hole of the second plurality of second stress relief holes.
13. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 11, wherein each stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes is coincident with each second stress relief hole of the second plurality of stress relief holes.
14. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 7, wherein each sector of the plurality of sectors includes a first feather seal recess defined proximate the suction side and a second feather seal recess defined proximate the pressure side, with the first feather seal recess and the second feather seal recess cooperating to define the feather seal slot between the adjacent sectors of the plurality of sectors.
15. The radial turbine rotor of Claim 14, wherein the second feather seal slot is misaligned with the feather seal slot.
16. The first radial turbine rotor of Claim 1, wherein the at least one pocket comprises an enlarged forward recess portion defined proximate the forward end that tapers to an aft recess portion, the aft recess portion extending from the forward recess portion to the aft end.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly relates to a radial turbine rotor for a gas turbine engine. BACKGROUND Gas turbine engines may be employed to provide power to various devices. For example, a gas turbine engine may be employed as an auxiliary power unit to provide power to a mobile platform, such as an aircraft, tank, etc. In certain examples, gas turbine engines include a radial turbine rotor positioned immediately downstream of a combustion section of the gas turbine engine. Generally, higher radial turbine rotor working fluid temperature and higher radial turbine rotor speed are required to improve gas turbine engine efficiency. Increased speeds and higher temperatures, however, may increase cyclic stress-induced fatigue of the radial turbine rotor. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a radial turbine rotor with reduced stresses for operating at increased rotational speeds. In addition, it is desirable to provide a radial turbine rotor that isolates the high temperature turbine working fluid from a remainder of the radial turbine rotor during the operation of the gas turbine engine to reduce thermal induced fatigue. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. Radial turbine rotors of the prior art are disclosed in EP 2865482 A1 or EP 2998049 A1 for example. SUMMARY According to the invention, a first radial turbine rotor associated with an engine according to claim 1 is provided. Each blade of the plurality of blades includes a pressure side opposite a suction side, and the at least one pocket includes a first pocket defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors proximate the pressure side and a second pocket defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors proximate the suction side. A recess of the feather seal slot is defined radially outboard of the at least one pocket. A recess of the feather seal slot is in communication with the at least one pocket. The at least one pocket is defined between the first surface and the second surface to extend from proximate the forward end to the aft end such that the at least one pocket is coextensive with a second end of the recess of the feather seal slot. In another aspect of the invention, a radial turbine rotor which is an axially split radial turbine rotor is provided and comprises the first radial turbine rotor of claim 1 coupled to a second radial turbine rotor. The second radial turbine rotor includes a second disk, a plurality of second blades spaced apart about a perimeter of the second disk and a plurality of second sectors, with each second sector of the plurality of second sectors coupled to a respective second blade of the plurality of second blades, and a second feather seal slot is defined between adjacent second sectors of the plurality of second sectors. The radial turbine rotor includes a plurality of stress relief slots defined between the adjacent sectors of the plurality of sectors of the first radial turbine rotor. The second radial turbine rotor includes a second plurality of stress relief slots defined through the adjacent second sectors of the plurality of second sectors. The second radial turbine rotor includes a second plurality of second stress relief holes, each second stress relief hole of the second plurality of stress relief holes defined through at least a portion of the disk, and each of the second plurality of stress relief slots is in communication with a respective second stress relief hole of the second plurality of second stress relief holes. The first radial turbine rotor further comprises a plurality of stress relief holes, each stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes defined through at least a portion of the disk, and each of the plurality of stress relief slots is in communication with a respective stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes. Each stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes is offset from each second stress relief hole of the second plurality of second stress relief holes. Each stress relief hole of the plurality of stress relief holes is coincident with each second stress relief hole of the second plurality of stress relief holes. Each sector of the plurality of sectors includes a first feather seal recess defined proximate the suction side and a second feather seal recess defined proximate the pressure side, with the first feather seal recess and the second feather seal recess cooperating to define the feather seal slot between the adjacent sectors of the plurality of sectors. The second feather seal slot is misaligned with the feather seal slot. The at least one pocket is a void defined in each sector of the plurality of sectors. Different aspects o