General Electric Company
Balancing weight entry port for turbine rotor

Abstract:

A turbine rotor includes a rotor body and a balancing weight slot defined in an exterior circumference of the body. The balancing weight slot has a first axial width and a first radially outward facing surface at a first radial distance from a rotor axis. The rotor also includes a balancing weight entry port defined in a portion of the exterior circumference of the rotor body, aligned with the balancing weight slot. The balancing weight entry port has a second axial width greater than the first axial width and a second radially outward facing surface at a second radial distance from the axis of the rotor body smaller than the first radial distance. A method may include machining the entry port into the rotor with a tool. The method may be applied to a new rotor, or to remove cracks initiating from a previous entry port.