Patent ID: 6454533
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: F03B,Y02E,Y02P,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of fabricating a blade for a hydraulic turbine or pump, the blade including a pressure surface and an oppositely facing suction surface, a leading edge and a spaced apart trailing edge, and an inner edge and a distal outer edge, each of the pressure and suction surfaces having a three-dimensional curvature extending from the inner edge to the outer edge to provide the blade with a curved hydrofoil shape, the method comprising:pressing a first generally flat plate into a curved pressure-side member including at least a substantial portion of the curved pressure surface and an opposed first inner surface, the curved pressure-side member having a three-dimensional twisted curvature extending from the inner edge to the outer edge of the blade; pressing a second generally flat plate into a curved suction-side member including at least a substantial portion of the curved suction surface and an opposed second inner surface, the curved suction-side member having a complementary three-dimensional twisted curvature extending from the inner edge to the outer edge of the blade; and fixedly securing the curved pressure-side and suction-side members together with the first and second inner surfaces facing each other to provide the blade with the curved hydrofoil shape.