US 12,312,977 B2
Turbine engine with a primary stage of airfoils and a subsidiary stage of airfoils
Arthur William Sibbach, Boxford, MA (US); Nicholas Joseph Kray, Mason, OH (US); and Benjamin Thomas Van Oflen, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/489,533.
Prior Publication US 2025/0129723 A1, Apr. 24, 2025
Int. Cl. F01D 5/28 (2006.01); F02K 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 5/286 (2013.01) [F02K 3/06 (2013.01); F05D 2240/303 (2013.01); F05D 2300/603 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A turbine engine, comprising:
an engine core defining an engine centerline and comprising a rotor assembly and a stator assembly;
a primary stage of airfoils circumferentially arranged about the engine centerline and defining at least a portion of the rotor assembly, a first airfoil of the primary stage of airfoils comprising:
a first main body portion extending chordwise between a first body leading edge and a first trailing edge; and
a first leading edge protector receiving at least a portion of the first body leading edge of the first main body portion, the first leading edge protector extending chordwise from a first leading edge towards the first trailing edge of the first main body portion for a primary leading length (PLL);
wherein the first main body portion and the first leading edge protector together define an exterior surface of the first airfoil, wherein the first leading edge of the first leading edge protector is different from and forward of the first body leading edge of the first main body portion, and
wherein a primary chord length (PCL) is defined as extending chordwise between the first leading edge of the first leading edge protector and the first trailing edge of the first main body portion; and
a subsidiary stage of airfoils located upstream of the primary stage of airfoils and circumferentially arranged about the engine centerline, a second airfoil of the subsidiary stage of airfoils comprising:
a second main body portion extending chordwise between a second body leading edge and a second trailing edge; and
a second leading edge protector receiving at least a portion of the second body leading edge of the second main body portion, the second leading edge protector extending chordwise from a second leading edge towards the second trailing edge of the second main body portion for a subsidiary leading length (SLL);
wherein the second main body portion and the second leading edge protector together define an exterior surface of the second airfoil, wherein the second leading edge of the second leading edge protector is different from and forward of the second body leading edge of the second main body portion, and
wherein a subsidiary chord length (SCL) is defined as extending chordwise between the second leading edge of the second leading edge protector and the second trailing edge of the second main body portion;
wherein the primary leading length (PLL) and the primary chord length (PCL) are related to the subsidiary leading length (SLL) and the subsidiary chord length (SCL) by a stage protection factor (SPF), and
wherein

OG Complex Work Unit Math
and SPF is greater than or equal to 0.3 and less than or equal to 5 (0.3≤SPF≤5).