Tubine blade and related method of forming
The disclosure provides a turbine blade. A turbine blade includes a shroud at a tip of the blade and an airfoil having a leading edge extending between the shroud and a root of the blade; a cutout portion extending at least along the leading edge of the airfoil nearest the shroud; an insert welded to the cutout portion at a weld region; and a weld-free region located between the insert and the cutout portion nearest the shroud.
1. A turbine blade comprising:
a shroud at a tip of the blade and an airfoil having a leading edge extending between the shroud and a root of the blade;
a cutout portion extending at least along the leading edge of the airfoil nearest the shroud;
an insert welded to the cutout portion at a weld region; and
a weld-free region located between the insert and the cutout portion nearest the shroud.
2. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the insert is a hardened material.
3. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the insert has an increased thickness nearest the shroud.
4. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the insert extends beyond the shroud in an axial direction.
5. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the insert extends beyond a base of the shroud in a radial direction.
6. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the insert extends to an outermost surface of the shroud in a radial direction.
7. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the weld region includes a thermally affected zone, and wherein the thermally affected zone does not extend to the shroud.
8. The turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the weld-free region between the insert and the cutout portion includes a gap.
9. The turbine blade of claim 8 , wherein the gap includes a constant width along a length of the gap.
10. The turbine blade of claim 8 , wherein the gap includes a rounded portion between the weld region and the weld-free region.
11. A method for forming a turbine blade having a shroud at a tip of the blade, the method comprising:
removing a portion of a leading edge of an airfoil to form a cutout portion, the removed portion including at least a portion of the leading edge nearest the shroud; and
welding an insert to the cutout portion only at a weld region, wherein the weld region is located a distance from the shroud, wherein the welding includes forming a gap between the insert and the cutout portion at a weld-free region nearest the shroud.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the welding the insert to the cutout portion includes forming a thermally affected zone that does not extend to the shroud.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming of the gap includes forming the gap with a constant width along a length of the gap.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming of the gap includes forming a rounded portion between the weld region and the weld-free region.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming the insert such that the insert has an increased thickness nearest the shroud.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming the insert such that the insert extends beyond the shroud in an axial direction.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming the insert such that the insert extends beyond a base of the shroud in a radial direction.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming the insert such that the insert extends to an outermost surface of the shroud in a radial direction.
19. A turbine blade comprising:
a platform at a root of the blade and an airfoil having a trailing edge extending between the platform and a tip of the blade;
a cutout portion extending at least along the trailing edge of the airfoil nearest the platform;
an insert welded to the cutout portion at a weld region; and
a weld-free region located between the insert and the cutout portion nearest the platform.