Rotor disc with passages
A rotor disc for a gas turbine engine includes an annular disc body configured to support a circumferential array of blades and having a plurality of passages defined therethrough. The passages form coils within the disc body and/or have a packing density of at least 0.1 in cross-sectional plane containing the central axis, the packing density being defined by a ratio between an open area of the passages and a solid area of the disc in the cross-sectional plane. A method of manufacturing a rotor disc is also discussed.
1. A rotor disc for a gas turbine engine, the rotor disc comprising an annular disc body configured to support a circumferential array of blades, the disc body having a plurality of passages defined therethrough forming coils within the disc body, the passages coiled around a central axis of the disc body.
2. The rotor disc as defined in claim 1 , wherein the passages have a packing density of at least 0.1 in a cross-sectional plane of the disc body, the cross-sectional plane containing the central axis and extending in a radial direction from the central axis, the packing density defined by a ratio between an open area of the passages and a solid area of the disc in the cross-sectional plane.
3. The rotor disc as defined in claim 1 , wherein the passages are in fluid communication with an environment around the rotor disc through openings formed in a corresponding surface of the disc body at opposed ends of the passages.
4. The rotor disc as defined in claim 1 , wherein the passages have elliptical cross-sections, major axes of the elliptical cross-sections of adjacent ones of the passages having different orientations from one another.
5. The rotor disc as defined in claim 1 , wherein the passages have elliptical cross-sections, major axes of the elliptical cross-sections of adjacent ones of the coils of a same one of the passages having different orientations from one another.
6. The rotor disc as defined in claim 1 , wherein the coils of a same one of the passages are spaced along a central axis of the disc body, and the coils of adjacent ones of the passages are spaced from each other along a radial direction of the disc body.
7. The rotor disc as defined in claim 6 , wherein the adjacent passages are offset along the central axis so that in a plane containing the central axis, cross-sections of the coils of a first one of the passages have central points aligned between the central points of the cross-sections of the coils of a second one of the passages adjacent the first passage.
8. A non-axial integrally bladed rotor including the rotor disc as defined in claim 1 and an array of uncooled blades integrally connected to the rotor disc.
9. A rotor disc for a gas turbine engine, the rotor disc comprising an annular disc body configured to support a circumferential array of blades, the disc body having a plurality of passages defined therethrough, the passages having a packing density of at least 0.1 in a cross-sectional plane of the disc body, the cross-sectional plane containing the central axis and extending in a radial direction from the central axis, the packing density defined by a ratio between an open area of the passages and a solid area of the disc in the cross-sectional plane, wherein the open areas have elliptical cross-sections, major axes of the elliptical cross-sections of adjacent ones of the open areas having different orientations from one another.
10. The rotor disc as defined in claim 9 , wherein the packing density of the passages is at least 0.3.
11. The rotor disc as defined in claim 9 , wherein the packing density of the passages is at least 0.7.
12. The rotor disc as defined in claim 9 , wherein the passages are in fluid communication with an environment around the rotor through openings formed in a corresponding surface of the disc body at opposed ends of the passages.
13. The rotor disc as defined in claim 9 , wherein the passages extend at least in part around a circumference of the disc.
14. The rotor disc as defined in claim 9 , wherein the open areas of adjacent passages form radially spaced rows of open areas offset along the central axis so that in the cross-sectional plane, the open areas of one of the rows have central points aligned between the central points of the open areas of an adjacent one of the rows.
15. A rotor disc for a gas turbine engine, the rotor disc comprising an annular disc body configured to support a circumferential array of blades, the disc body having a plurality of passages defined therethrough, the passages having a packing density of at least 0.1 in a cross-sectional plane of the disc body, the cross-sectional plane containing the central axis and extending in a radial direction from the central axis, the packing density defined by a ratio between an open area of the passages and a solid area of the disc in the cross-sectional plane, wherein the open areas of adjacent passages form radially spaced rows of open areas offset along the central axis so that in the cross-sectional plane, the open areas of one of the rows have central points aligned between the central points of the open areas of an adjacent one of the rows.