Compressor Vane Leading Edge Metal Deposition for Erosion and Weight Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airfoil manufacturing processes face challenges in bonding metallic leading edge sheaths, leading to increased costs and difficulties in achieving robustness against erosion, abrasion, and impact from foreign objects while maintaining weight and aerodynamic performance.
Innovation Solution
A vane design with recess areas on the leading edge where metal is deposited to provide erosion protection, increase stiffness for frequency tuning, and enhance strength against foreign object impacts, using materials like aluminum, copper, nickel, titanium, or iron, with a smooth surface finish to improve aerodynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metallic leading edge sheath is bonded to the airfoil body, then strength and erosion resistance are improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the leading edge reinforcement function directly into the airfoil body structure by creating a recess area and depositing metal onto it, eliminating the need for separate sheath bonding operations. This integration maintains strength benefits while removing the time-consuming bonding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess area is prepared in advance on the airfoil body before metal deposition. This preliminary structural preparation allows the deposited metal to bond directly to a pre-formed substrate, streamlining the manufacturing process and eliminating subsequent bonding steps.
2Reliability
If a metallic leading edge sheath is bonded to the airfoil body, then erosion and abrasion resistance are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the erosion protection function with the airfoil body structure by depositing metal directly onto a recess area, creating an integrated solution that eliminates the complexity of separate sheath components and bonding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical bonding system with a direct metal deposition process. Instead of mechanically bonding separate sheath components, the metal is deposited directly onto the airfoil body, simplifying the manufacturing system and reducing operational complexity.
3Strength
If metal is deposited on the recess area, then strength against foreign object impact is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies metal deposition only to specific recess areas on the leading edge where foreign object impact is most likely to occur, rather than coating the entire airfoil. This localized approach provides impact resistance exactly where needed while minimizing unnecessary weight addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by depositing metal only on the necessary recess areas rather than the entire surface. This selective deposition provides sufficient protection against foreign object impact while avoiding excessive material application and associated weight increase.
4Weight of moving object
If the recess area is minimized, then weight is reduced, but protection against erosion and impact decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent concentrates metal deposition in precisely defined recess areas on the leading edge where protection is most critical. This localized quality approach ensures that minimized material usage still provides adequate protection by targeting high-risk zones rather than distributing material uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess area design replicates the natural impact patterns and erosion zones on the leading edge, concentrating protection where it is most needed. This copying of real-world wear patterns allows for minimized material usage while maintaining effective protection capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design minimizes weight, optimizes stiffness, and enhances strength and aerodynamic performance, enabling improved durability and service life of airfoils in gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
a deposited metal on the recess area
Implementation Method 2
an outer surface of the deposited metal on the recess area is flush with an outer surface of the airfoil body
Data Source
AI summary
A vane including an airfoil body extending from a root to a tip defining a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the airfoil body includes a leading edge between the root and the tip. The vane includes a pressure side and a suction side and a recess area on the leading edge. The recess area includes a pressure side recess area and a suction side recess area, and a metal is deposited on the recess area. A method of manufacturing the vane and a gas turbine engine including the vane are also disclosed.