IP Library Granted Patent US 12,371,998
Granted Patent B2
US 12,371,998 · App. 18/343,980 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Nested damper pin and vibration dampening system for turbine nozzle or blade

Inventor: Zachary John Snider (Pelzer, SC)
Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
F01D5/26F01D5/10F05D2260/96
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,371,998
App. No.
18/343,980
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vibration dampening system is provided for a turbine nozzle or blade. A body opening extends through the turbine nozzle or blade, e.g., through the airfoil among potentially other parts of the nozzle or blade. A vibration dampening system includes a plurality of stacked damper pins within the body opening. Each damper pin includes an outer body having defined therein an inner opening and a plurality of side openings extending from the inner opening through an outer surface of the outer body; and an inner body that is nested and movable within the inner opening of the outer body. The inner body includes a first portion including a plurality of arms, each arm extending through a respective side opening of the outer body to frictionally engage the body opening. The end surfaces of the damper pins and the two bodies frictionally engage to dampen vibration.

Claims (32)

1. A damper pin for a vibration dampening system for a turbine nozzle or blade, the damper pin comprising:

an outer body having defined therein an inner opening and a plurality of side openings extending from the inner opening through an outer surface of the outer body; and

an inner body nested and movable within the inner opening of the outer body, the inner body including a first portion including a plurality of arms, each arm extending through a respective side opening of the plurality of side openings of the outer body,

wherein the plurality of arms defines an outer dimension greater than an outer dimension of the outer body, the outer dimension of the plurality of arms being configured to engage an inner surface of a body opening in the turbine nozzle or blade in which the damper pin is positioned.

2. The damper pin of claim 1 , wherein the outer body and the inner body are additively manufactured, and wherein, prior to separation after the additive manufacturing, the outer body and the inner body are integrally coupled and fixed relative to one another by a removable coupling element.

3. A damper pin for a vibration dampening system for a turbine nozzle or blade, the damper pin comprising:

an outer body having defined therein an inner opening and a plurality of side openings extending from the inner opening through an outer surface of the outer body; and

an inner body nested and movable within the inner opening of the outer body, the inner body including a first portion including a plurality of arms, each arm extending through a respective side opening of the plurality of side openings of the outer body, wherein the inner body further includes:

a second portion having an outer surface configured to frictionally engage a first section of the inner opening of the outer body,

a third portion extending through a second section of the inner opening of the outer body in a spaced manner, and

wherein the first portion of the inner body including the plurality of arms is positioned between the second portion and the third portion of the inner body.

4. The damper pin of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the second portion of the inner body has a bulbous portion, and the first section of the inner opening of the outer body has a complementary concave surface to the bulbous portion.

5. The damper pin of claim 3 , wherein the second section of the inner opening of the outer body is spaced from the third portion of the inner body by a distance that delimits an amount of side-to-side tilting movement of the inner body within the outer body.

6. The damper pin of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the inner body and the first section of the inner opening of the outer body frictionally engage under influence of the plurality of arms engaging an inner surface of a body opening in the turbine nozzle or blade.

7. The damper pin of claim 3 , wherein the outer body further includes a first end surface and an opposing second end surface, and wherein the inner opening of the outer body extends through the first end surface and the second end surface, wherein the third portion of the inner body extends through one of the first and second end surfaces from the inner opening.

8. The damper pin of claim 7 , wherein the damper pin is one of a plurality of identical damper pins in the vibration dampening system; wherein the first end surface of the outer body of each respective damper pin is at least partially concave, and the second end surface of the outer body of each respective damper pin is at least partially convex, whereby the first end surface of the damper pin is configured to frictionally engage with the second end surface of an adjacent damper pin.

9. A vibration dampening system for a turbine nozzle or blade, the vibration dampening system comprising:

a plurality of stacked damper pins, each damper pin including:

an outer body having defined therein an inner opening and a plurality of side openings extending from the inner opening through an outer surface of the outer body; and

an inner body nested and movable within the inner opening of the outer body, the inner body including a first portion including a plurality of arms, each arm extending through a respective side opening of the plurality of side openings of the outer body.

10. The vibration dampening system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of arms define an outer dimension greater than an outer dimension of the outer body, the outer dimension of the plurality of arms being configured to engage an inner surface of a body opening in the turbine nozzle or blade in which the damper pin is positioned.

11. The vibration dampening system of claim 9 , wherein the inner body further includes:

a second portion having an outer surface configured to frictionally engage a first section of the inner opening of the outer body,

a third portion extending through a second section of the inner opening of the outer body in a spaced manner, and

wherein the first portion of the inner body including the plurality of arms is positioned between the second portion and the third portion of the inner body.

12. The vibration dampening system of claim 11 , wherein the outer surface of the second portion of the inner body has a bulbous portion, and the first section of the inner opening of the outer body has a complementary concave surface to the bulbous portion.

13. The vibration dampening system of claim 11 , wherein the second section of the inner opening of the outer body is spaced from the third portion of the inner body by a distance that delimits an amount of side-to-side tilting movement of the inner body within the outer body.

14. The vibration dampening system of claim 11 , wherein the outer surface of the inner body and the first section of the inner opening of the outer body frictionally engage under influence of the plurality of arms engaging an inner surface of a body opening in the turbine nozzle or blade.

15. The vibration dampening system of claim 11 , wherein the outer body further includes a first end surface and an opposing second end surface, and wherein the inner opening of the outer body extends through the first end surface and the second end surface, wherein the third portion of the inner body extends through one of the first and second end surfaces from the inner opening.

16. The vibration dampening system of claim 15 , wherein the first end surface of the outer body is at least partially concave, and the second end surface of the outer body is at least partially convex, whereby the first end surface and the second end surface of adjacent damper pins frictionally engage.

17. The vibration dampening system of claim 9 , wherein the outer body and the inner body are additively manufactured, and wherein, prior to separation after the additive manufacturing, the outer body and the inner body are integrally coupled and fixed relative to one another by a removable coupling element.

18. The vibration dampening system of claim 9 , further comprising a retention damper pin engaging with an endmost one of the plurality of stacked damper pins.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2023
From: SNIDER, ZACHARY JOHN
To: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 064114/0130 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250003344A1 · Jan 2, 2025
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