Compressor Inlet Guide Vane End-Cap Layout for Easier Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional inlet guide vane devices in compressors are difficult to access for inspection and maintenance, leading to increased downtime, potential damage, and misalignment due to disassembly, which affects the overall life and efficiency of the device.

Innovation Solution

A variable inlet guide vane apparatus integrated with a compressor end cap, featuring a ring gear and guide vanes that are rotatable relative to the housing, allowing selective adjustment of vane orientation without disassembly, and includes a motor for synchronized vane rotation, enabling easy access for maintenance and reducing exposure to contaminants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the guide vane housing is disconnected and disassembled to access guide vanes for maintenance, then the guide vanes can be inspected and repaired, but the compressor experiences significant downtime and bearing surfaces are exposed to contaminants

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to guide vanesVSAvoidcompressor downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The guide vane assembly is segmented from the housing, allowing the guide vanes to be accessed and maintained independently. The guide vanes are mounted on a rotatable ring gear that can be accessed through openings in the housing without disconnecting or disassembling the housing itself, enabling maintenance while minimizing compressor downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide vanes are pre-positioned on the ring gear with vane gears that extend through housing openings, allowing them to be accessed and maintained before any contamination can occur. The design anticipates maintenance needs by providing direct access paths through the housing structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of repair

If the guide vane housing is disassembled to access guide vanes, then maintenance can be performed, but bearing surfaces are exposed to contaminants leading to etching and corrosion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to guide vanesVSAvoidcontaminant exposure to bearing surfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vane gears are extracted from the internal housing structure and positioned to extend through openings in the housing. This allows the guide vanes to be accessed and maintained without disassembling the housing, keeping the bearing surfaces enclosed and protected from contaminants while still enabling maintenance access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing openings serve as intermediaries that provide access to the guide vanes without requiring housing disassembly. The vane gears extend through these openings, allowing maintenance personnel to access and maintain the guide vanes while the housing remains assembled and sealed, protecting internal bearing surfaces from contaminants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If conventional inlet guide vane devices are used, then the compressor can operate, but the guide vanes are difficult to access for inspection and maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompressor operationVSAvoidaccess to guide vanes

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The vane gears are positioned in a different spatial dimension by extending them through openings in the housing rather than keeping them entirely internal. This dimensional change allows maintenance personnel to access the guide vanes from the exterior of the housing without disassembly, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining compressor functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12516678B2Variable inlet guide vane apparatus combined with compressor end cap

Publication Date: 2026.01.06 COPELAND LP

AI summary

An inlet guide vane apparatus includes a compressor end cap connectable with a main body of a compressor housing and a housing portion connected to the end cap. The housing portion and the end cap cooperatively define a fluid flow passageway and guide vane openings extending into the fluid flow passageway. The inlet guide vane apparatus also includes a ring gear rotatable relative to at least one of the housing portion and the end cap and guide vanes connected to the housing portion and the end cap. Each guide vane extends through one of the guide vane openings and includes a vane gear operably connectable with the ring gear and disposed at an exterior of the housing portion and a vane disposed within the fluid flow passageway. Each guide vane is rotatable such that an orientation of the vane within the fluid flow passageway is selectively adjustable.