Blade having asymmetrical mid-span structure portions and related bladed wheel structure

Abstract

A blade includes a body including an airfoil section, a root at an end of the body for coupling the blade to a hub, a first mid-span structure portion extending from the body, and a second mid-span structure portion extending from the body. The first and second mid-span structure portions extend from the body in an asymmetrical manner. A structure includes a bladed wheel including a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades extending from a hub, and a set of mid-span structures coupling adjacent blades of the plurality of circumferentially spaced blades. The set of mid-span structures are positioned in a non-uniform radial position arrangement.

1 . A bladed wheel structure comprising:
 a bladed wheel including a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades extending from a hub;   a set of mid-span structures coupling adjacent blades of the plurality of circumferentially spaced blades,   wherein the set of mid-span structures are positioned in a non-uniform radial position arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The bladed wheel structure of  claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform radial position arrangement includes each mid-span structure extending obliquely relative to each adjacent blade. 
     
     
         3 . The bladed wheel structure of  claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform radial position arrangement includes each mid-span structure having a first end having a first radial position relative to the hub on a first blade and a second end having a second radial position relative to the hub different than the first radial position on a second blade that is adjacent to the first blade. 
     
     
         4 . The bladed wheel structure of  claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform radial position arrangement includes a first mid-span structure positioned at a first radial position relative to the hub between a first blade and a second blade adjacent to the first blade, and a second mid-span structure positioned at a second radial position relative to the hub different than the first radial position between the first blade and a third blade adjacent to the first blade. 
     
     
         5 . The bladed wheel structure of  claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform radial position arrangement is configured to detune resonant frequency vibrations. 
     
     
         6 . The bladed wheel of  claim 1 , wherein each mid-span structure includes a wire extending between the adjacent blades. 
     
     
         7 . A blade comprising:
 a body including an airfoil section;   a root at an end of the body for coupling the blade to a hub;   a first mid-span structure portion extending from the body; and   a second mid-span structure portion extending from the body,   wherein the first and second mid-span structure portions extend from the body in an asymmetrical manner.   
     
     
         8 . The blade of  claim 7 , wherein the asymmetrical manner in which the first and second mid-span structure portions extend from the body is configured to detune resonant frequency vibrations. 
     
     
         9 . The blade of  claim 7 , wherein the first mid-span structure portion includes a longitudinal axis that extends at an oblique angle from a first side of the body, and the second mid-span structure portion includes a longitudinal axis that extends at an oblique angle from a second side of the body such that the first and second mid-span structure portions of adjacent blades mate. 
     
     
         10 . The blade of  claim 8 , wherein the oblique angles in which the first and second mid-span structure portions extend from the body are configured to detune resonant frequency vibrations. 
     
     
         11 . The blade of  claim 7 , wherein the first mid-span structure portion includes a first end having a first radial position relative to the hub and a second end having a second radial position relative to the hub that is different than the first radial position, and
 the second mid-span structure portion includes a first end having a third radial position relative to the hub and a second end having a fourth radial position relative to the hub that is different than the third radial position.   
     
     
         12 . The blade of  claim 11 , wherein the first radial position of the first end of the first mid-span structure portion is greater than the fourth radial position of the second end of the second mid-span structure portion, and the second radial position and the third radial position are substantially equal. 
     
     
         13 . The blade of  claim 7 , wherein the blade includes only the first mid-span structure portion and the second mid-span structure portion extending from a mid-span section of the blade. 
     
     
         14 . The blade of  claim 13 , wherein the first mid-span structure portion extends from a first side of the body at a first radial position, and the second mid-span structure portion extends from a second side of the body at a second radial position different than the first radial position,
 wherein each mid-span structure portion is configured for mating with one of a mating portion of the respective mid-span structure on an adjacent blade and a body of the adjacent blade.   
     
     
         15 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second radial positions are configured to detune resonant frequency vibrations.