US 12,168,939 B1
Radial turbine assembly with intermediate blade bonding ring
Michael D. Wood, Indianapolis, IN (US); Matthew T. Kush, Indianapolis, IN (US); Timothy P. Fuesting, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Sep. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/371,840.
Int. Cl. F01D 5/04 (2006.01); B23K 1/00 (2006.01); F01D 5/30 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 5/3061 (2013.01) [B23K 1/0018 (2013.01); F01D 5/04 (2013.01); F05D 2220/30 (2013.01); F05D 2230/237 (2013.01); F05D 2240/24 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A radial turbine rotor, the rotor comprising:
a hub arranged around a central axis that defines a radially-innermost surface of the rotor,
a plurality of turbine blades located circumferentially outward of the hub, each of the plurality of turbine blades formed to include a platform portion and an airfoil portion radially outward of the platform portion, and
an intermediate ring extending around the central axis and coupled with the hub and each of the plurality of turbine blades to locate the intermediate ring radially between the hub and each of the plurality of turbine blades, wherein the hub is fixed to the intermediate ring by a diffusion bond joint formed between a radially-outwardly facing surface of the hub and a radially-inwardly facing surface of the intermediate ring,
wherein each of the plurality of turbine blades is fixed to the intermediate ring by a blade joint formed between each of the plurality of turbine blades and a radially-outwardly facing surface of the intermediate ring opposite the radially-inwardly facing surface of the intermediate ring, an entirety of the radially-outwardly facing surface of the intermediate ring being smooth and unblemished.
 
6. A method of assembling a radial turbine rotor, the method comprising:
manufacturing a plurality of turbine blades, each of the plurality of turbine blades formed to include a platform portion and an airfoil portion extending radially outward from the platform portion,
manufacturing an intermediate ring that extends circumferentially about a central axis,
machining a radially-outwardly facing surface of the intermediate ring so that the radially-outwardly facing surface is smooth and unblemished,
manufacturing a hub that extends circumferentially about the central axis,
fixing a radially-inwardly facing surface of the platform portion of each of the plurality of turbine blades to the intermediate ring by a blade joint to locate the plurality of turbine blades radially outward of the intermediate ring, and
fixing a radially-inwardly facing surface of the intermediate ring to a radially-outwardly facing surface of the hub by a hub joint to locate the hub radially inward of the intermediate ring.