Joints - Rolls-Royce Perspective

Dr John Schofield / Dr Jeff Green

Joints Workshop April 2009.

©2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Joints in Gas Turbine
Engine Structure
Fan
- Flanges / spigots
- dovetail Turbine Blades
- Splines
- snubbers - Dampers / seals
- V-blade
- Firtree
- Shroud
- Lockplate / cover plates

Key
Compressor Damping
- Rotor dovetails Stiffness / frequency
- Stator shrouds Stress

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

 Simplified Engine Model 3

Whole Engine Issues

z Whole engine uses a simplified model.
z Need simplified respresentation of joints.
z Static loads (thrust / external loads /
manoeuvres)
z Are stiffness effects adequate for tip
clearances and load distribution etc?
z Dynamic Loads
z Engine/Wing Dynamics (0-10 Hz)
– Frequency, damping, loads
z Engine Rotordynamics (30-500 Hz)
– Frequency, damping, loads
z Extreme events (eg Fan Blade Off)

Example Joint (and simplification)

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Damping
z Drive towards prediction of vibration amplitude for design and
certification.

Structure
(known)

Force Response HCF

(usually known) capability

Damping Wear / deterioration /

(aero & mechanical) contamination
(non-linear)
(measured ?)

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Effect of Non-linear Contact on Frequency
z Dampers can have a significant Campbell Diagram of HP Turbine
9000
influence on resonant frequency.
z Affect on resonant speed 8000 M5 With Damper
z Change in force amplitude
Without Damper Upstream
7000
vanes

Gas Turbine
6000

Frequency [Hz]
2F
Downstream
5000
vanes

1T
Frequency [Hz] 4000

3000
No. of
Burners
1E
2000
Low engine
1F
order
1000

High Pressure
Turbine Stage 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Shaft Speed [%]

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Effect of Joint on Modeshape => Stress
Typical position of strain
Contours of WP Stress gauges In engine tests.
At 2F resonance 3
1

Gauge Sensitivity
Gauge [Mpa/mm]
Position
1T Mode 2F Mode
1 579 779
Undamped 2 156 394
3 731 354
1 348 876
No damper With damper Damped 2 62 277
3 705 265

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Effect of Shroud Contact on Stator Response

z Uncertainty about inner shroud restraint => variability in effective stiffness

z Change of stiffness leads to change in amplitude and frequency.
z Difficulty interpreting measured results

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Effect of Shroud Contact on Stator Modes
z It gets more complicated ...

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Structural Integrity Assessment of Fan Dovetail Joints
•Assessment capabilities enhanced significantly in recent years
r1
¾Steady and vibration stress predictions
¾based on load extraction from ‘coarse’ FE model
and analytical half-space model.
¾Converged stresses using detailed FE sub-sub
modelling.
¾Robustness determined using short crack modelling M
techniques.
σpunch σpunch
¾Integrity of root managed via use of surface coatings r1 P r1
and treatments. Q
σbulk σbulk
¾More careful design possible.

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

 Outstanding Issues? 10

•Varying (patchy) friction, local wear, effect of local fillet, half-

space assumptions.
•Longer lasting surface coatings have clear cost benefits.
•EoB and near edge of bedding locations can be life limiting
features.
•Prediction of stresses near edge of bedding in vibration is
problematic.
¾Use of locked contact can be misleading

ABAQUS friction
analysis shows
separation of fillet
Locked contact and EoB stress.
during Region close to EoB
vibration. Stress is now showing a
from fillet and much reduced
EOB and fillet stress.
merge into one
stress peak

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc

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Summary of Needs
z Damping
Stability & Amplitude prediction (including non-linear effects)
z
z Friction Properties
z Validation of System Behaviour
z Interpretation of measured results (in engine)
z Rotor dynamics for stability
z Frequency
z Effect of blade dampers is already under control
z Snubbers / Interlocks (mainly for fleet support)
z Whole engine at high frequencies – accessories
z Stress
z Edge of bedding stress including steady stress and vibration.
z Surface treatments, coatings
z Wear

© 2009 Rolls-Royce plc