IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,341,065
Granted Patent B2
US 9,341,065 · App. 14/663,308 · Granted May 17, 2016

Dual element turbine blade

Inventors: Kenneth G. Caldeira (Redwood City, CA); William D. Duncan (Mill Creek, WA); Bran Ferren (Beverly Hills, CA); William Gates (Medina, WA); W. Daniel Hillis (Encino, CA); Roderick A. Hyde (Redmond, WA); Muriel Y. Ishikawa (Livermore, CA); Edward K. Y. Jung (Bellevue, WA); Jordin T. Kare (San Jose, CA); John Latham (Boulder, CO); Nathan P. Myhrvold (Medina, WA); Stephen H. Salter (Edinburgh, GB); Clarence T. Tegreene (Mercer Island, WA); David B. Tuckerman (Lafayette, CA); Thomas A. Weaver (San Mateo, CA); Charles Whitmer (North Bend, WA); Lowell L. Wood, Jr. (Bellevue, WA); Victoria Y. H. Wood (Livermore, CA)
Assignee: Elwha LLC
F01D5/147F01D5/282F05D2300/603Y10T29/49339
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,341,065
App. No.
14/663,308
Granted
May 17, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of manufacturing a turbine blade includes providing a core element having a base portion, a tip portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the base portion and the tip portion. The intermediate portion has a non-uniform cross-section and is a high-strength fiber material. The method also includes surrounding the core element with a shell, the volume between the core element and the shell forming a void.

Claims (36)

1. A method of manufacturing a turbine blade, comprising:

providing a core element including a base portion, a tip portion, and an intermediate portion extending between the base portion and the tip portion, the intermediate portion having a non-uniform cross section and comprising a fiber material;

surrounding the core element with a shell, a volume between the core element and the shell forming a void;

positioning a structural element within the void, wherein the core element comprises a plurality of individual fibers, at least one of the plurality of individual fibers peeling off of the core element to form the structural element; and

engaging the core element and the shell with the structural element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core element defines an outer surface extending along the intermediate portion.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the shell includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and a wall, the inner surface and the outer surface disposed on opposite sides of the wall.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the structural element extends from the outer surface of the core element to the inner surface of the shell.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising constructing the core element from a first material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first material is non-metallic.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the core element comprises a plurality of individual fibers.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising constructing the shell from a second material.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first material is non-metallic.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the core element comprises a plurality of individual fibers.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is non-metallic.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is different than the first material.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second material is metallic.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a base member.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising coupling the shell to the base member.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising insulating the core element from a high temperature operating environment with the shell.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the shell to the base portion of the core element.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising coupling the shell to the tip portion of the core element.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shell includes an intake side and an exhaust side.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising extending the structural element from the core element toward the intake side of the shell.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising extending the structural element from the core element toward the exhaust side of the shell.

22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

extending a cooling element through the void, the cooling element configured to increase a maximum operating temperature at the turbine blade.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising providing a fluid within the cooling element.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising transferring energy from the turbine blade with the fluid.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising transferring energy from the shell to the core element with the fluid.

26. The method of claim 23 , further comprising transferring energy from the shell with the fluid.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the cooling element includes a plurality of heat sinks extending into the void from the shell.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the shell includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and a wall, the inner surface and the outer surface disposed on opposite sides of the wall.

29. The method of claim 2 , further comprising coupling first ends of the plurality of heat sinks to the inner surface.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein second ends of the plurality of heat sinks comprise free ends configured to move relative to the first ends.

31. The method of claim 29 , further comprising coupling second ends of the plurality of heat sinks to the core element.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 13966732 · Aug 14, 2013
Related Publication 20150345312A1 · Dec 3, 2015