Composite Variable Stator Vane for Aircraft Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing variable stator vanes in aircraft engines are heavy, affecting engine mass and efficiency, and their design complicates airflow due to connection fillets, which impede laminar airflow and increase fabrication costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of composite materials for blade and internal structural elements with metallic contact surfaces and caps, eliminating the need for connection fillets, reduces mass and improves airflow by using separate fabrication methods for each component, optimizing material choice and assembly techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If fully metallic variable stator vanes are used, then strength and friction properties are ensured, but mass increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) for the blade and internal pivot structural elements to reduce mass, while using metallic materials (titanium or steel) specifically for contact surfaces of the pivot cap to ensure friction properties and strength. This composite construction allows the moving parts to be significantly lighter than fully metallic designs while maintaining necessary mechanical properties through selective material placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements local quality by applying different materials to different parts of the same component: composite materials for non-contact structural elements where mass reduction is prioritized, and metallic materials for contact surfaces where friction and wear resistance are critical. This localized material selection optimizes both mass and mechanical performance.
2Strength
If connection fillets are included between blade and pivot, then structural strength is improved, but airflow laminarity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the connection fillet from the design by using a precise fit-between-blade-and-pivot interface. The composite blade and pivot are designed to mate directly without requiring filleted transitions, removing the source of airflow turbulence while maintaining structural integrity through the precision interface and internal locking mechanisms.
3Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used for blade and internal pivot elements, then mass is reduced, but fabrication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the variable stator vane into distinct components: the blade, internal pivot structural elements, and pivot cap with contact surfaces. Each segment can be fabricated using appropriate methods (composite layup for blades, metal machining for contact surfaces) and then assembled. This segmentation reduces overall fabrication complexity by allowing specialized processes for each component rather than requiring complex integrated manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
A variable stator vane for a compressor guide vane is provided. The vane includes a blade and a pivot. The pivot includes an internal pivot element and a pivot cap. The blade and the internal pivot element are each made from a composite material. At least one contact surface of the pivot cap is metallic.