Actuator Spacer Assembly for Turbine Engine Air Bleed Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mounting control cylinders for air discharge valves in turbomachines, particularly in restricted access conditions, result in bulky and costly spacers with significant mass, leading to installation constraints, vibration issues, and complex fire-resistant design requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method and design for mounting control cylinders without side openings in the spacer, allowing the mechanical junction to be inside the spacer during assembly, using a ball joint or articulated connection, and sizing the cylinder to optimize access and reduce overall size, with the spacer being either fixed to the cylinder or made in one piece, ensuring a fire-resistant and low-mass solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If lateral openings are provided in the spacer to allow operator access for connecting piston rod to transmission mechanism, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to fire-resistant sealing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The piston rod is extended before mounting the spacer, allowing the mechanical junction to be formed in advance. This preliminary action enables the operator to complete the connection while the rod is accessible, eliminating the need for lateral openings in the spacer and simplifying the fire-resistant design.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing openings in the spacer for access, the invention inverts the approach by extending the piston rod beyond the spacer during assembly. The access problem is solved by reversing the typical configuration where the rod would be enclosed, allowing connection from the opposite side.
2Ease of operation
If a bulky spacer with lateral openings is used to accommodate piston rod connection in restricted access conditions, then ease of operation is improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The piston rod is extended before the spacer is mounted, allowing the mechanical junction to be formed in advance. This eliminates the need for a bulky spacer with lateral openings, significantly reducing the weight of the control cylinder system while still enabling assembly in restricted access conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by having the piston rod extend beyond the spacer rather than being enclosed within it. This reversal eliminates the need for heavy fire-resistant sealing structures, reducing overall weight while maintaining assembly feasibility.
3Volume of moving object
If the piston rod is retracted during mounting, then the mechanical junction is positioned inside the spacer for compactness, but access for connection is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The piston rod is extended before mounting the spacer, allowing the mechanical junction to be formed in advance when access is available. After connection, the rod is retracted to position the junction inside the spacer for compactness. The preliminary extension action resolves the access problem before compactness is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston rod is made dynamic by extending it during assembly for access, then retracting it after connection for compactness. This dynamic adjustment of the rod position allows the system to transition between two states: an assembly state with maximum access and an operational state with minimum volume.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4a
AI summary
Method for assembling an actuator (62) for air bleed valves (48) arranged between low-pressure and high-pressure compressors of a turbine engine, the actuator including a piston rod (68) surrounded by a spacer (64) that extends the piston cylinder (66) and is to be coupled to the end (74) of a transmission mechanism connected to the bleed valves, the method including the following consecutive steps: withdrawing the piston rod (68) such that it projects beyond the spacer (64); coupling the projecting piston rod (68) to the end (74) of the transmission mechanism; returning the piston rod (68) so as to bring the cylinder (66) closer to the casing wall (60); and attaching the spacer (64) to the casing wall (60). The invention also relates to the corresponding air bleed valve actuator.