airfoil and methods of laser shock peening of airfoil

Abstract

A blade for rotating equipment. The blade includes a root and an airfoil with a leading edge attached to the root. The blade may include a laser shot peened root patch extending along the leading edge and the root.

1 . A blade for rotating equipment, comprising:
 a root;   an airfoil attached to the root;   the airfoil comprising a leading edge; and   a laser shot peened root patch extending along the leading edge and the root.   
   
   
       2 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the laser shot peened root patch further comprises a shot peened root patch. 
   
   
       3 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the leading edge comprises a leading edge treated area. 
   
   
       4 . The blade of  claim 3 , wherein the leading edge treated area extends from the laser shot peened root patch. 
   
   
       5 . The blade of  claim 3 , wherein the leading edge treated area is separated from the laser shot peened root patch. 
   
   
       6 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the airfoil comprises a trailing edge and wherein the trailing edge comprises a trailing edge treated area. 
   
   
       7 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the airfoil comprises a tip and wherein the tip comprises a tip treated area. 
   
   
       8 . A method of laser shock peening a blade for a turbine, comprising:
 applying laser shock peening to a leading edge of the blade about a root thereof, and   applying laser shock peening to the root of the blade about the leading edge thereof.   
   
   
       9 . The method of clam  8 , further comprising applying laser shock peening to another portion of the leading edge of the blade. 
   
   
       10 . The method of clam  9 , wherein the other portion of the leading edge of the blade comprises the entire leading edge. 
   
   
       11 . The method of clam  8 , further comprising applying laser shock peening to a trailing edge of the blade. 
   
   
       12 . The method of clam  8 , further comprising applying laser shock peening to a tip of the blade. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying shot peening to the blade. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of applying laser shock peening to a leading edge of the blade about a root thereof comprises applying laser shock peening to a new blade. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of applying laser shock peening to a leading edge of the blade about a root thereof comprises applying laser shock peening to a used blade. 
   
   
       16 . A blade for rotating equipment, comprising:
 a root;   an airfoil attached to the root;   the airfoil comprising a leading edge;   a laser shock peened root patch extending along the leading edge and the root; and   a leading edge laser shock peened area extending along the leading edge.   
   
   
       17 . The blade of  claim 16 , wherein the leading edge laser shock peened extends from the laser shock peened root patch. 
   
   
       18 . The blade of  claim 16 , wherein the leading edge laser shock peened is separated from the laser shock peened root patch. 
   
   
       19 . The blade of  claim 16 , wherein the airfoil comprises a trailing edge and wherein the trailing edge comprises a trailing edge treated area. 
   
   
       20 . The blade of  claim 16 , wherein the airfoil comprises a tip and wherein the tip comprises a tip treated area.