Compressor Case Stator Ring Hook Repair Patch Plug
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compressor cases in gas turbine engines are prone to damage during transport, positioning, or assembly, particularly at the stator ring hook area, where existing repair methods are inadequate in ensuring precise fit and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the removal of compressor case material at the damaged stator ring hook location to create a complementary space for a patch plug, which is then slid into place and fastened with a fastener to restore structural integrity and precision alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an encircling patch ring is added to the entire compressor case, then the damaged stator ring hook can be repaired, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing precision is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The repair solution divides the patch into multiple segments that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together to form the complete repair structure. This segmentation allows each piece to be precisely fabricated separately and then joined using interference fits and fasteners, maintaining high manufacturing precision while avoiding the complexity of creating a single large encircling patch ring
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing repair patches only at the specific damaged locations rather than encircling the entire compressor case. Each patch is tailored to the specific damage area, using complementary shapes that inter-fit precisely with the damaged stator ring hook portions. This localized approach maintains structural integrity at the repair sites while minimizing overall device complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If material is removed from the compressor case to create a complementary space, then the patch plug can achieve precise fit, but the manufacturing precision of the original case is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-removing material from the compressor case to create complementary spaces that precisely accommodate the patch plugs. These spaces are prepared in advance with specific geometries that match the patches, ensuring precise inter-fitting. The preliminary material removal creates interference fits that maintain strength while achieving the required manufacturing precision for the repair
Solution Approach 2:
The repair creates a composite structure where the original compressor case material is combined with the patch plug material. The patches are designed to inter-fit with the remaining case material, creating a composite repair structure that restores strength. The fasteners and interference fits ensure the composite structure acts as a unified load-bearing component
3Ease of manufacture
If the patch plug is slid into place from the flange face, then the repair process is simplified, but the reliability of the repair is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patch is divided into segments that can be individually slid into place from the flange face opening. This segmentation allows each piece to be installed through the existing access points without requiring complex disassembly, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining reliability through proper interference fits and fastening
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses fasteners as intermediaries to secure the patches after sliding them into place. These fasteners act as mediators that provide additional mechanical connection between the patches and the compressor case, ensuring reliable attachment while maintaining the simplicity of the sliding installation method
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor case, and an associated method, repaired from damage to a segment of a stator ring hook. Two halves are engaged together at flange faces that define parting lines and that define a hollow interior, the ring hook being located at the interior, compressor case material having been removed at the stator ring hook location and a location of one of the flange faces to provide a space. A patch plug is slid into the space from the one flange face, the shape of the patch plug being complementary to a shape of the missing material space and inter-fitting therein, with an end of the patch plug being located at the one flange face to face an opposed half of the case with the two halves together. A fastener fastens the patch plug to the case and extending from the interior, through the patch plug, to the case.