Blade disk seal

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for reducing the operating stresses in a disk of a gas turbine engine while providing a seal plate to minimize leakage of a cooling fluid from the blades positioned in the disk. The seal plate is fastened to a tang of one or more of the blades. The seal plate configuration can be utilized with a newly manufactured disk and blades or with a modification to an existing disk and blades. The disk, blade, and seal plate configuration reduce operating stresses in the disk that are caused by mechanical loading on the disk by one or more rotating blades.

1 . A disk assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:
 a disk having an outer circumferentially extending surface, a center axis, a thickness, and a plurality of blade slots having a slot length extending at least partially through the thickness, the plurality of blade slots are spaced generally equally about the outer circumferentially extending surface;   one or more blades positioned in each of the blade slots and extending radially outward from the disk, the one or more blades each having a root portion, an airfoil portion, and a tang;   one or more seal plates configured to receive the tang of the blade so as to secure the one or more seal plates to the tangs of the one or more blades;   wherein at least one seal is formed between the tang of the blade and the one or more seal plates.   
   
   
       2 . The disk assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the root portion has a root length and a profile corresponding substantially to the blade slots. 
   
   
       3 . The disk assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more fasteners for securing the one or more seal plates to the tangs of the one or more blades. 
   
   
       4 . The disk assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the tang has a thickness and extends radially inward and is spaced axially from the root portion by a seal slot, the tang also having a through hole. 
   
   
       5 . The disk assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the seal plate comprises a first member having a first thickness and a second member having a second thickness, the first member being generally parallel to the second member and separated from the second member by a leg, the first member having one or more through holes in the first thickness and the second member having one or more holes in the second thickness. 
   
   
       6 . The disk assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the leg of the seal plate contacts the tang upon rotation of the disk assembly. 
   
   
       7 . The disk assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more fasteners and the one or more holes in the second member are threaded such that when one or more fasteners are placed through the one or more holes in the first member, through the hole in the tang, the one or more fasteners engage with a corresponding one or more threaded holes in the second member. 
   
   
       8 . The disk assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more fasteners are positioned such that at least the second member of the one or more seal plates contacts the tang. 
   
   
       9 . A seal plate for minimizing a cooling fluid leakage between a portion of a disk and one or more blades, the seal plate comprising:
 a first member having a first thickness, a first height, a first width and a first through hole;   a second member having a second thickness, a second height, and a second width, where the second member is generally parallel to the first member; and   a leg connecting the first member to the second member, the leg having at least one flat portion; wherein   the seal plate is capable of being positioned to seal a joint between a portion of the disk and the one or more blades and is secured to the one or more blades by a fastener.   
   
   
       10 . The seal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness and the first height is greater than the second height. 
   
   
       11 . The seal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the second member further comprises a second through hole. 
   
   
       12 . The seal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the first through hole has a constant diameter and the second through hole is threaded. 
   
   
       13 . The seal plate of  claim 12 , wherein the fastener has threads that correspond to the threads of the second through hole. 
   
   
       14 . The seal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second widths are equal to or greater than a width of a slot in the disk. 
   
   
       15 . A disk assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:
 a disk having an outer circumferentially extending surface, a center axis, a thickness, a hook portion, and a plurality of blade slots having a slot length extending at least partially through the thickness, the plurality of blade slots are spaced generally equally about the outer circumferentially extending surface;   one or more blades positioned in each of the blade slots and extending radially outward from the disk, the one or more blades each having a root portion, an airfoil portion, and a tang;   one or more seal plates configured to engage the hook portion of the disk so as to secure the one or more seal plates to the tangs of the one or more blades;   wherein at least one seal is formed between the hook portion of the disk and the one or more seal plates.   
   
   
       16 . The disk assembly of  claim 15  further comprising a pin for securing the seal plate to the tang of the blade. 
   
   
       17 . The disk assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the pin prevents circumferential movement of the seal plate relative to the blade. 
   
   
       18 . The disk assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the seal is formed upon rotation of the disk assembly by centrifugal loads such that the one or more seal plates move radially outward and contact a portion of the hook portion of the disk. 
   
   
       19 . The disk assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the seal is formed along corresponding chamfered surfaces of the hook portion and seal plates. 
   
   
       20 . The disk assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more plates comprises up to six plates. 
   
   
       21 . A seal plate for minimizing a cooling fluid leakage between a portion of a disk and one or more blades, the seal plate comprising:
 a circumferentially extending base member;   a first vertical member extending radially outward from an end of the circumferentially extending base member; and,   a second vertical member extending radially outward from the first vertical member; wherein   the first and second vertical members are connected by an axial member.   
   
   
       22 . The seal plate of  claim 21 , wherein the circumferentially-extending base member has a portion with an angled surface. 
   
   
       23 . The seal plate of  claim 22 , wherein the angled surface contacts the angled surface of a blade tang to form a sealing surface. 
   
   
       24 . The seal plate of  claim 21  further comprising one or more openings for a pin. 
   
   
       25 . The seal plate of  claim 24 , wherein the pin attaches to the tang of the blade. 
   
   
       26 . The seal plate of  claim 21  further comprising a circumferentially-extending seal positioned between the second vertical member and the disk.