Tandem blade rotor disk

Abstract

A tandem rotor disk apparatus may include a rotor disk body concentric about an axis. The tandem rotor disk apparatus may also include a first blade extending radially outward of the rotor disk body and a second blade extending radially outward of the rotor disk body. The first blade may be offset from the second blade in a direction parallel to the axis. The tandem rotor disk apparatus may be implemented in a gas turbine engine with no intervening stator vane stages disposed between the first blade and the second blade. The tandem rotor disk apparatus may include two separate rotor disk bodies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tandem rotor disk apparatus comprising:
 a rotor disk body concentric about an axis;   a first blade extending radially outward of the rotor disk body; and   a second blade extending radially outward of the rotor disk body;   wherein the first blade is offset from the second blade in a direction parallel to the axis.   
     
     
         2 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first blade and the second blade is coupled to the rotor disk body and the other of the first blade and the second blade is integrally formed with the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         3 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the first blade and the second blade is coupled via axial engagement to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         4 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the one of the first blade and the second blade is coupled via tangential engagement to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         5 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein both the first blade and the second blade are coupled to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         6 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first blade and the second blade are integrally formed together and are jointly coupled to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         7 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first blade and the second blade are individually coupled to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         8 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein both the first blade and the second blade are integrally formed with the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         9 . A tandem rotor disk apparatus comprising:
 a first rotor disk body concentric about an axis;   a second rotor disk body directly coupled to the first rotor disk body and concentric about the axis;   a first blade extending radially outward of the first rotor disk body; and   a second blade extending radially outward of the second rotor disk body;   wherein the first rotor disk body and the first blade are offset from the second rotor disk body and the second blade in a direction parallel to the axis.   
     
     
         10 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first rotor disk body is coupled to the second rotor disk body via a snap interference fit. 
     
     
         11 . The tandem rotor disk apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first rotor disk body is coupled to the second rotor disk body via one or more tie rods. 
     
     
         12 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
 a blade stage comprising sets of tandem blades circumferentially distributed about an engine central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein each set of tandem blades comprises a forward blade and an aft blade that are directly axially adjacent to each other without an intervening stator vane.   
     
     
         13 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 12 , wherein the blade stage is of a compressor section. 
     
     
         14 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 13 , wherein the blade stage is an aft-most blade stage of the compressor section. 
     
     
         15 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 12 , further comprising a rotor disk body, wherein the sets of tandem blades extend radially outward from the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         16 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 15 , wherein one of the forward blade and the aft blade of each set of tandem blades is coupled to the rotor disk body and the other of the forward blade and the aft blade is integrally formed with the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         17 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 16 , wherein the one of the forward blade and the aft blade is coupled via axial engagement to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         18 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 16 , wherein the one of the forward blade and the aft blade is coupled via tangential engagement to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         19 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 15 , wherein both the forward blade and the aft blade are coupled to the rotor disk body. 
     
     
         20 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 15 , wherein both the forward blade and the aft blade are integrally formed with the rotor disk body.