Shut-off device for an aerodynamic passage of a turbine engine, associated tool and method

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly that comprises an aerodynamic passage of a turbine engine, comprising a recess provided in a turbine engine casing, and a shut-off device (1) arranged inside the recess. The shut-off device (1) comprises a shut-off body (4) mounted inside the recess and provided with a chamber (5) in which a locking button (6) is installed, provided with means for locking the shut-off body (4) with the housing and able to slide between an unlocking position allowing the shut-off body (4) to be removed and a locking position in which an external face (6a) of the locking button (6) forms, with the shut-off body (4) and the casing, an external surface of the shut-off device (1) which is located in an extension of the passage, so as to ensure material continuity of the passage avoiding flow disturbances.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: Sealing device for turbomachine aerodynamic duct, associated tool and method

[0003] technical field

[0004] The present invention relates to a sealing device for an aerodynamic duct of a turbomachine. The invention finds a particularly advantageous application with an aircraft turbomachine.

[0005] The invention also relates to a tool for installing and removing such a sealing device, as well as an associated removal method.

[0006] Previous techniques

[0007] As is known in itself, a test machine for a test bench comprises from upstream to downstream an upstream flow channel, a blower having a moving bladed rotor module and a fixed bladed rectifier module, as well as a downstream flow channel.

[0008] The rotor module accelerates the air particles by deflecting them from the longitudinal axis of the engine. The rectifier module slows the air particles and converts some of their velocity into pressure. The rectifier module then returns the airflow, accelerated by the rotor module, to the longitudinal axis of the engine.

[0009] During a test campaign, it is important to be able to quickly assemble and disassemble a turbine blade and adjust its angular position to find the optimal setting for the turbomachine. These operations must be able to be carried out as quickly as possible without having to dismantle the machine, since it is fully instrumented.

[0010] After each change in angular pitch, it may be necessary to balance the rotor. For this purpose, a balancing wheel, usually accessible via a ferrule, is positioned beneath the aerodynamic duct. Therefore, there is a need to create an access interface to this balancing mechanism while minimizing disassembly operations and the impact on aerodynamic flow, thus compromising the reliability of measurements performed by the test machine.

[0011] For a production engine, it is also important to provide access interfaces, for example, for endoscopic inspections or connecting rod adjustments during maintenance. These interfaces must be easy to assemble and disassemble to minimize intervention time and the associated costs related to equipment downtime. Furthermore, these interfaces must preserve the flow within the aerodynamic duct to avoid increasing pressure losses.

[0012] Description of the invention

[0013] The invention aims to effectively meet this need by proposing an assembly comprising: a turbomachine aerodynamic duct with a housing provided in a turbomachine casing, and

[0014] - a sealing device located inside the housing made in the aerodynamic vein.

[0015] The obturator device comprises an obturator body mounted inside the housing, the obturator body having a chamber in which is installed a locking button having means for locking the obturator body with the housing and able to slide along a longitudinal axis inside the chamber between an unlocking position allowing removal of the obturator body and a locking position in which an external face of the locking button forms with the obturator body and the housing an external surface of the obturator device located in an extension of the vein, so as to ensure material continuity of the vein avoiding flow disturbances.

[0016] According to one feature, the locking means comprise at least one pair of transverse locks relative to the longitudinal axis and extending in opposite directions from the locking button towards the housing, the locks being disposed at least partly inside transverse grooves of a shape complementary to the locks, the transverse grooves being provided in the shutter body, extending in a transverse direction and forming a linear guide for the locks.

[0017] Advantageously, the locking button is a rectangular parallelepiped having four lateral faces extending from the outer face in a direction opposite to the vein, the locking button comprising on each lateral face of at least one pair of lateral faces opposite each other a lateral groove in which is housed a locking finger integral with an associated lock, the lateral groove being inclined with respect to the longitudinal sliding axis of the locking button, so as to transform the longitudinal sliding of the locking button into a translation of the locks in the transverse direction, each lock having one end disposed in cantilever with respect to the obturator body in the locking position, the end being retracted inside the obturator body in the unlocking position.

[0018] Preferably, the assembly includes a return spring installed between the locking button and a distal wall of the obturator body chamber, so as to exert an elastic return force which tends to push the locking button towards the locked position.

[0019] Advantageously, the assembly includes a groove formed on the housing to accommodate the ends of the locks, which are cantilevered from the obturator body in the locked position. The groove is fitted with a retaining wall to secure the locks in the locked position. This configuration prevents the locking button from protruding on the vein side.

[0020] For example, the shutter body includes on one lateral surface a longitudinal tab designed to fit into an associated longitudinal groove formed on the housing, thus creating a sliding connection. Such a configuration ensures the correct angular positioning between the shutter body and the housing.

[0021] According to another feature, the obturator body has at least one longitudinal indentation formed on a surface of a chamber side wall, the indentation being accessible from the vein when the release button is in the unlocked position. This feature makes it possible to hook the obturator body from the vein.

[0022] Advantageously, at least one longitudinal impression includes a distal edge forming a ramp with the lateral wall of the chamber and a proximal edge forming a stop representative of an intermediate position of the locking button in which the obturator body is disengaged from the housing.

[0023] In another aspect, the invention relates to a tool for inserting and removing the obturator body of an obturator device as defined above. The tool comprises a base with a shape complementary to the chamber of the obturator body, through which passes a longitudinal rod mounted for rotation and provided at one end with a knurled wheel and at the other end with a cam profile. This allows or induces a translational movement in a transverse direction of at least one lug following a rotation of the rod by a fraction of a turn. Each lug is designed to cooperate with the proximal edge of the impression so as to hook the tool onto the obturator body, or to cooperate with the distal edge of the impression so as to exert a force tending to push the lugs towards the cam profile of the tool. Such a tool allows the obturator body to be reliably hooked from the vein.

[0024] In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for removing a shutter body from a shuttering device of an assembly implemented by a tool as defined above. The method comprises the following successive steps: bringing the base of the tool into contact with the external face of the locking button,

[0025] - Pushing the base through the shutter body chamber to slide the locking button to an unlocked position, rotating the rod a fraction of a turn to hook the shutter body onto the tool, and extracting the shutter body by removing the tool from its housing. Brief description of the drawings

[0026] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0027] [Fig 1] is a perspective view of a shuttering device according to an example of an embodiment of the invention;

[0028] [Fig 2] is a perspective view of a removable part of the device in [Fig 1];

[0029] [Fig 3] is a cross-sectional view along a III-III direction of [Fig 2];

[0030] [Fig 4] is a perspective half-view of a fixed part of the shutter device of [Fig 1];

[0031] [Fig 5] is a cross-sectional view illustrating a shutter of the device from [Fig 1] in an intermediate position;

[0032] [Fig 6] is a perspective view of a tool for installing and removing the removable part of [Fig 2];

[0033] [Fig 7] is a cross-sectional view along direction VII-VII of [Fig 6];

[0034] [Fig 8] is a bottom view of the tool in [Fig 6]; and

[0035] [Fig 9] is a flowchart of a process for removing the removable part of [Fig 2] using the tool of [Fig 6],

[0036] Detailed description of at least one embodiment

[0037] Figure 1 shows in perspective a sealing device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The sealing device 1 is intended to be mounted inside a housing 2 of an aerodynamic duct of a turbomachine.

[0038] In the illustrated example, housing 2 is provided in a turbomachine casing 3 in the form of a through bore 3', as particularly visible in [Fig. 4]. It is of course possible to provide housing 2 on other turbomachine parts. The sealing device 1 comprises a sealing body 4 mounted inside housing 2.

[0039] The shutter body 4 is equipped with a chamber 5, particularly visible in Figure 3, in which a locking button 6 is installed. The locking button 6 is equipped with locking means 7 for the shutter body 4 with the housing 2, visible in [Fig. 2]. It should be noted that identical or similar elements bear the same reference numerals from one figure to another.

[0040] The locking button 6 is capable of sliding along a longitudinal axis X inside chamber 5 between a locked position and an unlocked position.

[0041] The unlocked position allows removal of the shutter body 4. In other words, in the unlocked position the shutter body 4 is not attached to the housing 2.

[0042] In the locked position, an external face 6a forms, with the obturator body 4 and the housing 3, an external surface 8 of the obturator device 1 located in line with the vein, so as to ensure material continuity of the vein and prevent flow disturbances. The external surface 8 also allows for angular indexing of the obturator body 4 relative to the vein.

[0043] As particularly visible in [Fig 2], the locking means 7 comprise at least one pair of latches 9 transverse to the longitudinal axis X and extending in opposite directions from the locking button 6 towards the housing 3. The latches 9 are disposed at least partially within transverse grooves 10 formed in the shutter body 4. The grooves 10 have a shape complementary to the latches 9 and extend in a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. The grooves 10 form a linear guide for the latches 9 in the transverse direction Y.

[0044] Preferably, locking button 6 is a rectangular parallelepiped having four lateral faces 6b, of which only two are visible in the example illustrated in [Fig 2], these four lateral faces 6b extend from the external face 6a in a direction opposite to the vein.

[0045] The locking button 6 includes a lateral groove 11 formed on each lateral face 6b by at least one pair of opposing lateral faces. In each lateral groove 11 is housed a locking finger 12 integral with an associated lock 9. Each lateral groove 11 is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis X of sliding of the locking button 6, so as to transform the longitudinal sliding of the locking button 6 into a translation of the locks 9 in the transverse direction Y. In the locked position, one end 9a of each lock 9 is cantilevered with respect to the shutter body 4. In the unlocked position, the end 9a of each lock 9 is retracted inside the shutter body 4.

[0046] As shown in [Fig. 3], the obturator device 1 is provided with a return spring 13 installed between the locking button 6 and a distal wall 5a of the chamber 5 of the obturator body 4, so as to exert an elastic return force that tends to push the locking button 6 towards the locked position. The obturator body 4 is provided with a shoulder 4a forming a stop against a retaining wall of a groove 14 of the housing 2.

[0047] As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the housing 2 includes a groove 14 for housing the ends 9a of the latches 9, which are cantilevered from the shutter body 4 in the locked position. The groove 14 has a retaining wall 14a that holds the latches 9 in the locked position by the elastic return force of the spring 13. Thus, in the locked position, the shutter body 4 is fixed to the housing 2. As previously mentioned, the groove 14 has a stop wall 14b for the shutter body 4.

[0048] Preferably, the shutter body 4 includes on a lateral surface 15 a longitudinal tab 16 designed to fit into an associated longitudinal groove 17 formed on an inner face of the housing 2 visible in [Fig. 4], so as to constitute a sliding connection. The tab 16 cooperates with the longitudinal groove 17 to ensure the correct orientation of the shutter body 4.

[0049] As illustrated in [Fig 3], the obturator body 4 is provided with at least one longitudinal impression 18 formed on a surface of a lateral wall 5b of the chamber 5. The impression 18 is accessible to an operator from the vein when the locking button 6 is in the unlocked position.

[0050] The impression 18 comprises a distal edge 18a and a proximal edge 18b. The distal edge 18a forms a ramp with the lateral wall 5b of the chamber 5. The proximal edge 18b forms a stop representative of an intermediate position of the locking button 6, visible in [Fig 5], in which the obturator body 4 is disengaged from the housing 2. The intermediate position of the locking button 6 is located between the locking position and the unlocking position.

[0051] Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate an example of the realization of a tool 19 for installing and removing the obturator body of an obturator device 1 as described previously.

[0052] The tool 19 includes a base 20 with a shape complementary to the chamber 5 of the shutter body 4. The base 20 is traversed by a longitudinal rod 21, mounted for rotation and provided at a first end 21a with a wheel 22 and at a second end 21b with a cam profile 23.

[0053] Following a rotation of the rod 21 by a fraction of a turn, here 90° or a quarter turn, the cam profile 23 allows or induces a translational movement in a transverse direction of at least one lug 24. More precisely, the cam profile 23 induces a translation of the lugs 24 from the cam profile 23 towards the obturator body 4 and allows a translation of the lugs 24 from the obturator body 4 towards the cam profile 23. Preferably, each lug 23 corresponds to a recess 18.

[0054] Each lug 24 is intended to cooperate with the proximal edge 18b of the impression 18 so as to hook the tool 19 to the obturator body 4, or to cooperate with the distal edge 18a of the impression 18 so as to exert a force tending to push the lugs 24 towards the cam profile 23 of the tool 19.

[0055] Thus, as illustrated in [Fig 8], the cam profile 23 actuated by the rotation of the rod 21 pushes the lugs 24 cantilevered relative to the base 20, thus enabling the cavities 18 to engage.

[0056] Conversely, to disengage the lugs 24 from the impressions 18, it is necessary to simultaneously compress and rotate the stem 21. Thus, the cam profile 23 allows the lugs 24 to retract, as they are pushed towards the cam profile 23 by the ramp formed by the distal edge 18a. It should be noted that the tool 19 and the obturator body 4 remain engaged until the rotation of the cam profile 23 has allowed the lugs 24 to retract.

[0057] Preferably, the tool 19 is equipped with a rotational indexing system 25 which allows the operator of the tool 19 to correctly position the rod 21 in rotation. For example, the system 25 may include an indexing finger 26 pushed by a spring 27 towards cavities 28 formed on the rod 21.

[0058] Figure 9 illustrates a flowchart of a process for removing a shutter body 4 from a shuttering device 1 as described above, using a tool 19.

[0059] The process begins with a step 30 of bringing the base 20 of the tool 19 into contact with the external face 6a of the locking button 6.

[0060] The process continues with a step 31 of pushing the base 20 through the chamber 5 of the shutter body 4, so as to slide the locking button 6 to an unlocked position.

[0061] The rod 21 is then rotated by a fraction of a turn so as to hook the obturator body 4 to the tool 19, by engaging the lugs 24 in the impressions 18 (step 32).

[0062] The process ends with a step 33 of extraction of the obturator body 4 by removing the tool 19 from the housing 2. It should be noted that the obturator body 4 remains attached to the tool 19 as long as the lugs 24 remain engaged in the impressions 18, which increases the safety of the operations.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Assembly comprising: a turbomachine aerodynamic duct having a housing (2) formed in a turbomachine casing (3), and - a sealing device (1) disposed inside the housing (2) made in the aerodynamic duct, characterized in that the sealing device (1) comprises a sealing body (4) mounted inside the housing (2), the sealing body (4) being provided with a chamber (5) in which is installed a locking button (6) provided with locking means (7) of the sealing body (4) with the housing (2) and capable of sliding along a longitudinal axis (X) inside the chamber (5) between an unlocking position allowing removal of the sealing body (4) and a locking position in which an external face (6a) of the locking button (6) forms with the sealing body (4) and the housing (3) an external surface (8) of the sealing device (1) located in an extension of the duct, so as to ensure material continuity of the duct avoiding flow disturbances.

2. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking means (7) comprise at least one pair of locks (9) transverse to the longitudinal axis (X) and extending in opposite directions from the locking button (6) towards the housing (3), the locks (9) being disposed at least partly inside transverse grooves (10) of a shape complementary to the locks (9), the transverse grooves (10) being provided in the obturator body (4), extending in a transverse direction (Y) and forming a linear guide for the locks (9).

3. Assembly according to claim 2, wherein the locking button (6) is a rectangular parallelepiped having four lateral faces (6b) extending from the outer face (6a) in a direction opposite to the vein, the locking button (6) comprising on each lateral face (6b) at least one pair of lateral faces opposite each other a lateral groove (11) in which is housed a locking finger (12) integral with an associated lock (9), the lateral groove (11) being inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of sliding of the locking button (6), so as to transform the longitudinal sliding of the locking button (6) into a translation of the locks (9) in the transverse direction (Y), each lock (9) having an end (9a) arranged cantilevered with respect to the shutter body (4) in the locking position, the end (9a) being retracted inside the shutter body (4) in the unlocking position.

4. Assembly according to claim 3, comprising a return spring (13) installed between the locking button (6) and a distal wall (5a) of the chamber (5) of the obturator body (4), so as to exert an elastic return force which tends to push the locking button (6) towards the locking position.

5. Assembly according to claim 4, comprising a groove (14) formed on the housing (2) intended to house the ends (9a) of the locks (9) arranged cantilevered from the obturator body (4) in the locking position, the groove (14) being provided with a retaining wall (14a) of the locks (9) in the locking position.

6. Assembly according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the obturator body (4) comprises on a lateral surface (15) a longitudinal tab (16) intended to fit into an associated longitudinal groove (17) formed on the housing (2), so as to constitute a sliding connection.

7. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the obturator body (4) is provided with at least one longitudinal indentation (18) formed on a surface of a lateral wall (5b) of the chamber (5), the indentation (18) being accessible from the vein when the unlocking button (6) is in the unlocked position.

8. Assembly according to claim 7, wherein at least one longitudinal impression (18) comprises a distal edge (18a) forming a ramp with the lateral wall (5b) of the chamber (5) and a proximal edge (18b) forming a stop representative of an intermediate position of the locking button (6) in which the obturator body (4) is disengaged from the housing (2).

9. Tool (19) for installing and removing the obturator body (4) of an obturator device (1) of an assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a base (20) of a shape complementary to the chamber (5) of the obturator body (4), through which passes a longitudinal rod (21), mounted for rotation and provided at a first end (21a) with a knurled wheel (22) and at a second end (21b) with a cam profile (23) so as to allow or induce a translational movement in a transverse direction of at least one lug (24) following a rotation of the rod (21) by a fraction of a turn, each lug (24) being intended to cooperate with the proximal edge (18b) of the impression (18) so as to hook the tool (19) to the obturator body (4) or to cooperate with the distal edge (18a) of the imprint (18) so as to exert a force tending to push the lugs (24) towards the cam profile (23) of the tool (19).

10. Method for removing a shutter body (4) of a shuttering device (1) of an assembly according to claim 8 implemented by a tool (19) according to claim 9, comprising the following successive steps: bringing the base (20) of the tool (19) into contact with the external face (6a) of the locking button (6), - pushing the base (20) through the chamber (5) of the shutter body (4), so as to slide the locking button (6) to an unlocked position, rotating the rod (21) by a fraction of a turn so as to hook the shutter body (4) to the tool (19), and extracting the shutter body (4) by removing the tool (19) from the housing (2).

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