Turbine engine guide vane incorporating an electrical distribution device

Abstract

The invention relates to a guide vane (10) for a stator (5) of an aircraft turbine engine (1), the guide vane (10) extending in a first direction (X) between a leading edge (11) and a trailing edge (12), and in a second direction (Y) orthogonal to the first direction (X) between a first end (13) and a second end, the guide vane (10) being hollow in the second direction (Y) and comprising a housing (14) extending from the first end (13) to the second end. The guide vane (1) also comprises an electrical distribution device (20) disposed in the housing (14), the electrical distribution device (20) comprising a first connector (21) disposed at the first end (13) of the guide vane (10), a second connector disposed at the second end of the guide vane (10), and a plurality of electric cables that extend in the housing (14) and are electrically connected between the first connector (21) and the second connector.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title of the invention: Turbomachine guide vane incorporating an electrical distribution device

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The invention relates to electrical distribution within aircraft turbomachines, and more particularly to a blade architecture comprising electricity routing elements.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] In Figure 1 is illustrated a conventional architecture of a turbomachine 1 called an extended fairing. The turbomachine 1 has an axis of revolution 2 on which is centered a nacelle fairing 3, a fan 4, a rectifier 5 and a central body 6. The fan 4 comprises blades 7 rotating around the axis of revolution 2, while the rectifier 5 comprises a ring of fixed blades 8, called guide vanes, distributed around the axis of revolution 2, the ring of fixed blades 8 being stationary.

[0007] The nacelle fairing 3 extends almost over the entire length of the turbomachine 1 in the direction of the axis of revolution 2. The nacelle fairing 3 thus comprises a first portion 31 located upstream of the fan 4, a second portion 32 located around the fan 4 and the rectifier 5, and a third portion 33 located downstream of the rectifier 5.

[0008] Climate change is a major concern for many legislative and regulatory bodies around the world. Indeed, various carbon emission restrictions have been, are being, or will be adopted by various states. In particular, an ambitious standard applies to both new aircraft types and those currently in operation, requiring the implementation of technological solutions to bring them into compliance with current regulations. Civil aviation has been mobilizing for several years now to contribute to the fight against climate change.

[0009] Technological research efforts have already made it possible to significantly improve the environmental performance of aircraft, particularly thanks to less energy-intensive, more environmentally friendly aeronautical components and products whose integration and use in civil aviation have moderate environmental impacts with the aim of improving the energy efficiency of aircraft.

[0010] It is known in particular of new generations of aircraft engines allowing a reduction in weight of aircraft, in particular by the materials used and the lighter on-board equipment, and thus aiming to very significantly improve the performance of aircraft and, in this sense, contribute to the reduction of the environmental impact of aircraft. This is the case in particular of certain aircraft engine architectures, such as that illustrated in Figure 2, in particular architectures currently under development, involve greatly reduced aerodynamic lines, particularly close to the engine, thus creating a break in the nacelle fairing with the fan casing and the air intake.

[0011] The so-called reduced shroud turbomachine architecture illustrated in FIG. 2 differs from the so-called extended shroud turbomachine architecture illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the nacelle shroud 3 does not comprise the third portion 33 downstream of the rectifier 5. In this turbomachine architecture, the nacelle shroud 3 comprises only the first portion 31 extending upstream of the fan 4 and the second portion 32 extending around the fan 4 and the rectifier 5. The nacelle shroud 3 may comprise another third portion 330 but which is not in the extension of the second portion 32, its diameter being significantly smaller than that of the second portion 32.

[0012] These new architectures make it more difficult to distribute electricity from the engine or mast to the air intake, because the structure connecting the engine and the fan casing, i.e. the blower casing, is limited to the rectifiers ("Outlet Guide Vanes" in English, or OGV).

[0013] Currently known cabling solutions are not optimal because they consist of bundles routed on the surfaces of structures, fixed on supports or glued directly.

[0014] Furthermore, the main role of a rectifier is to guide the airflow. Any element added to its surface would have the effect of modifying its aerodynamic performance. In addition, the electrical distribution through a rectifier vane, or OGV, can be complex to install or replace. The electrical wiring and connectors used must be installed in the structures for the same reasons as those mentioned above.

[0015] Current connection solutions involving manual coupling by an operator would require access hatches to these connectors, which would therefore be heavier, more complex to design, and less aerodynamic than current fan casings.

[0016] Statement of the invention

[0017] The invention aims to provide a technical solution allowing the distribution of electrical signals between the rear of the nacelle and the air inlet on turbomachines with a nacelle fairing limited to the upstream portion of the turbomachine without impacting the aerodynamics of the rectifier guide vanes and the maintainability of the electrical distribution device.

[0018] An object of the invention provides a guide vane for a rectifier of an aircraft turbomachine, the guide vane extending in a first direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction between a first end and a second end, the guide vane being hollow in the second direction and comprising a housing extending from the first end to the second end.

[0019] According to a general characteristic of the invention, the guide vane further comprises an electrical distribution device arranged in said housing, the electrical distribution device comprising a first connector arranged at said first end of the guide vane, a second connector arranged at said second end of the guide vane, and a plurality of electrical cables extending in said housing and electrically connected between the first connector and the second connector.

[0020] Guide vanes for a rectifier are fixed vanes, i.e. vanes arranged on a ring fixed relative to the turbomachine. The internal space present in a hollow vane provides a housing or passage thus allowing electrical cables to pass without disturbing the aerodynamics of the guide vane. The configuration of the electrical distribution device with electrical cables extending between connectors arranged at each end of the guide vane makes it easier to mount the rectifier ring equipped with guide vanes and thus facilitates the electrical connection of the connectors to the other electrical elements of the turbomachine.

[0021] According to a first embodiment of the guide vane, at least part of the electrical cables form a sheet of flexible electrical cables.

[0022] Electrical cables can be laid flat to optimize electrical cable density, for example in the form of a sheet of electrical cables, or even a plurality of sheets of electrical cables superimposed on each other.

[0023] In a variant of the guide vane, the vane comprises a superposition of at least two layers of flexible electrical cables in said housing.

[0024] According to a second embodiment of the guide vane, at least one connector among the first connector and the second connector may comprise a plate made of electrically insulating material provided with orifices each surmounted by a flush contact, each flush contact being electrically connected to at least one of said electrical cables, and said plate being shaped to close the housing of the guide vane at the corresponding end.

[0025] The plate made of electrically insulating material, which is perforated with holes, allows each electrical cable to be kept at a distance from each other and separated by an insulator. This ensures electrical insulation between the different cables and the different contacts.

[0026] Flush contacts can be so-called piston or lamella contact devices for example.

[0027] According to a third embodiment of the guide vane, said plate comprises an inner face and an outer face, the outer face carrying the contacts by flush mounting and the inner face facing the interior of the housing of the guide vane, said plate further comprising a ground connection extending from one end of the plate in contact with a wall of the guide vane to a ground connection point located on the inner face of the plate. This configuration makes it possible to provide at least one electrical grounding point, for example for a return signal or shielding.

[0028] According to a fourth embodiment of the guide vane, it may further comprise a resin in said housing in which the electric cables are taken. In other words, the housing is filled with a resin in which the electric cables are fixed.

[0029] The use of a resin injected into the housing during blade assembly protects the blade from wear linked to mechanical stresses such as vibrations and also improves electrical insulation with the walls of the guide blade in particular.

[0030] According to a fifth embodiment of the guide vane, the plate of a connector may further comprise an injection orifice communicating with said housing, the orifice making it possible to inject the resin during assembly of the vane, and the orifice being plugged at the end of the injection.

[0031] Having an injection port in the connector rather than in a wall of the guide vane helps avoid impacting the aerodynamics of the guide vane. Plugging it after blade manufacture prevents fluids, dust, or other contaminants from entering the connector.

[0032] According to a sixth embodiment of the guide vane, it may further comprise at least one keying device on its first end and at least one keying device on its second end.

[0033] The alignment pins allow each guide vane to be aligned during assembly with the rest of the turbomachine and thus ensure a good electrical connection of the electrical distribution devices.

[0034] In another object of the invention, there is provided a turbomachine for aircraft comprising a straightening ring provided with at least one guide vane as defined above.

[0035] In another object of the invention, an aircraft is proposed comprising at least one turbomachine as defined above.

[0036] Brief description of the drawings [Fig. 1] Figure 1 schematically represents an extended shroud turbomachine architecture according to the state of the art.

[0037] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 schematically represents a reduced-shroud turbomachine architecture according to the state of the art.

[0038] [Fig. 3] Figure 3 represents a partial view of a guide vane for a turbomachine rectifier according to the invention.

[0039] [Fig. 4] Figure 4 shows an exploded view of said guide vane.

[0040] Description of the embodiments

[0041] Figure 3 shows a partial view of a guide vane for a rectifier of an aircraft turbomachine according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0042] The guide vane 10 according to the invention is intended to be mounted on a turbomachine 1 with a nacelle fairing 3 called a reduced fairing as illustrated in FIG. 2 to solve the technical problems mentioned above, but can also be mounted on a rectifier 5 of a turbomachine 1 with a nacelle fairing 3 called an extended fairing as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0043] The guide vane 10 extends in a first direction X between a leading edge 11 and a trailing edge 12, and in a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X between a first end 13 and a second end not shown in FIG. 3.

[0044] As illustrated in Figure 4 which represents an exploded view of the blade 10 of Figure 3, the guide blade 10 is hollow in the second direction Y and comprises a housing 14 extending from the first end 13 to the second end of the blade in the second direction Y.

[0045] The guide vane 10 comprises an electrical distribution device 20 mounted inside the housing 14. The electrical distribution device 20 comprises a first connector 21 mounted on the first end 13 of the guide vane 10, a second connector mounted on the second end of the guide vane 10 (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4), and a flexible electrical cable bundle 22 extending in the housing 14 and electrically connected between the first connector 21 and the second connector. The first connector 21 and the second connector (not shown) each have a shape adapted to that of the corresponding end. The first connector 21 comprises a plate 23 made of electrically insulating material provided with orifices each surmounted by a flush contact 24. Each flush contact 24 is electrically coupled to an electrical cable of the bundle 22 of electrical cables.

[0046] Furthermore, the plate 23 is shaped to close the housing 14 of the guide vane 10 at the corresponding end, i.e. to close the housing 14 at the first end 13 for the first connector 21 and to close the housing 14 at the second end for the second connector.

[0047] The 24 flush contacts are plunger or blade contacts.

[0048] The positioning of the flush contacts 24 can be chosen according to the geometry of the corresponding end.

[0049] On an external surface 25 in contact with the walls of the guide vane 10 delimiting the housing 14, the plate 23 comprises a ring 25 made of electrically conductive material. The ring 25 is electrically connected to a ground connection point located on an internal face of the plate 23, the internal face of the plate being arranged opposite the interior of the housing, the plate 23 comprising an external face opposite the internal face and on which the contacts 24 are mounted flush.

[0050] During the manufacture of the guide vane 10 according to the invention, once the electrical distribution device 20 is installed in the guide vane 10, a resin is injected into the housing 14 to fix the sheet of electrical cables 22.

[0051] The resin injection is carried out through an injection orifice provided in the plate 23 of the first connector 21, the injection orifice passing through the plate 23 to communicate with the housing 14. At the end of the resin injection, the injection orifice is plugged to prevent any intrusion of fluid or dust for example.

[0052] The guide vane 10 further comprises on each of the first and second ends, two keying devices 15 for aligning each guide vane 10 during assembly with the rest of the turbomachine 1 and thus ensuring a good electrical connection of the electrical distribution devices 20.

[0053] The invention thus provides a technical solution allowing the distribution of electrical signals between the rear of the nacelle and the air inlet on turbomachines with a nacelle fairing limited to the upstream portion of the turbomachine without impacting the aerodynamics of the rectifier guide vanes and the maintainability of the electrical distribution device.

Claims

Claims

1. Guide vane (10) for a rectifier (5) of a turbomachine (1) for an aircraft, the guide vane (10) extending in a first direction (X) between a leading edge (11) and a trailing edge (12), and in a second direction (Y) orthogonal to the first direction (X) between a first end (13) and a second end, the guide vane (10) being hollow in the second direction (Y) and comprising a housing (14) extending from the first end (13) to the second end, characterized in that it further comprises an electrical distribution device (20) arranged in said housing (14), the electrical distribution device (20) comprising a first connector (21) arranged at said first end (13) of the guide vane (10), a second connector arranged at said second end of the guide vane (10),and a plurality of electrical cables extending in said housing (14) and electrically connected between the first connector (21) and the second connector.,

2. A guide vane (10) according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the electrical cables form a flexible electrical cable web (22).

3. A guide vane (10) according to claim 2, comprising a superposition of at least two layers of flexible electrical cables in said housing (14).

4. Guide vane (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which at least one connector among the first connector (21) and the second connector comprises a plate (23) of electrically insulating material provided with orifices each surmounted by a flush contact (24), each flush contact (24) being electrically connected to at least one of said electrical cables, and said plate (23) being shaped to close the housing (14) of the guide vane (10) at the corresponding end.

5. A guide vane (10) according to claim 4, wherein said plate (23) comprises an inner face and an outer face, the outer face carrying the flush contacts (24) and the inner face facing the interior of the housing (14) of the guide vane (10), said plate (23) further comprising a ground connection (25) extending from one end of the plate (23) in contact with a wall of the guide vane (10) to a ground connection point located on the inner face of the plate (23).

6. A guide vane (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a resin in said housing (14) in which the electrical cables are taken.

7. Guide vane (10) according to claim 6, wherein said plate (23) of at least one connector comprises an injection orifice communicating with said housing (14), the orifice allowing the resin to be injected during assembly of the vane, and the orifice being plugged at the end of the injection.

8. Guide vane (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least one keying device (15) on its first end (13) and at least one keying device on its second end.

9. Turbomachine (1) for aircraft comprising a straightening ring (5) provided with at least one guide vane (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Aircraft comprising at least one turbomachine (1) according to claim 9.

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