Light weight steam turbine blade

摘要

A steam turbine blade is provided in which the geometry of the blade airfoil is configured to reduce the weight of the blade while maintaining adequate thermodynamic performance. The blade has a high camber angle to increase its stiffness and an airfoil portion having pressure and suction surfaces. The curvature of the portion of the pressure surface between the base and 75% blade height has a point of inflection in an area adjacent the leading edge so that the curvature switches sign. The curvature upstream of the point of inflection is concave, while the curvature downstream of the point of inflection is convex.