US 12,134,974 B2
Core air leakage redirection structures for aircraft engines
Ya-Tien Chiu, Niskayuna, NY (US); Giridhar Jothiprasad, Clifton Park, NY (US); David V. Parker, Middleton, MA (US); and Michael Macrorie, Winchester, MA (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/880,832.
Prior Publication US 2024/0044257 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. F01D 9/04 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 9/041 (2013.01) [F05D 2220/3216 (2013.01); F05D 2230/237 (2013.01); F05D 2240/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stator structure comprising:
a casing centered about a longitudinal axis of a turbine engine;
a plurality of stator blades coupled to and extending inward from the casing towards the longitudinal axis; and
a stator hub disposed within the casing, centered about the longitudinal axis, and coupled to the plurality of stator blades, the stator hub including a facing that is disposed generally perpendicular to the casing and a front edge surface disposed generally perpendicular to the facing, the stator hub including a redirection structure including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion disposed on the front edge surface of the stator hub and extending upward from the front edge surface, and the second portion disposed on the facing of the stator hub and extending outward from the facing and into an axial gap between the plurality of stator blades and adjacent rotor blades, wherein a core air flow moves along the longitudinal axis at an entering angle and past the plurality of stator blades, and a leakage air flow moves in a direction different to the core air flow;
wherein at least a portion of the redirection structure is disposed along and extends past a leading edge of the plurality of stator blades, and wherein the redirection structure is configured to redirect and conform the leakage air flow to merge into the core air flow at substantially the entering angle.