Abstract:
A fan blade comprises a main body having an airfoil extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The fan blade has at least one of a channel closed by a cover, and an end cap covering at least one of the leading and trailing edges. At least one of a cover and an end cap has a pair of opposed ends. A step is defined extending from at least one of a suction wall and a pressure wall of the airfoil, to an outer surface of the one of a cover and an end cap at one of the opposed ends, and the step being less than or equal to about 0.010 inch (0.0254 centimeter) in dimension.
Abstract:
A system (10) for the management of thermal transfer in a gas turbine engine (14) includes a heat generating sub-system disposed in operable communication with the engine (14), a fuel source (18) configured to supply a fuel, a fuel stabilization unit (16) configured to receive the fuel from the fuel source (18) and to provide the fuel to the engine (14), and a heat exchanger disposed in thermal communication with the fuel to effect the transfer of heat from the heat generating sub-system to the fuel. A method of managing such thermal transfer includes removing oxygen from the fuel in the fuel atabilization unit (16), transferring heat from the heat generating sub-system to the fuel, and combusting the fuel in gas turbine engine (14). System (10) can be used for the thermal management of an aircraft.