Fan Exit Guide Vane Tension Member for Acoustic and Load Decoupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fan exit guide vanes in gas turbine engines are not optimized for structural, performance, and acoustic requirements across a wide range of operating conditions, leading to suboptimal design and increased airflow back pressure.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of a load carrying member within the fan exit guide vane, which includes a leading edge, trailing edge, radially inner and outer attachment regions, and a load member cavity, allowing for a tension load path and additional acoustic treatment, enabling customization and decoupling of aerodynamic and structural loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a monolithic load carrying design is used for fan exit guide vanes, then manufacturing is simpler, but structural optimization for tension loads is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidstructural load carrying capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The fan exit guide vane is divided into two functional parts: a monolithic vane structure for aerodynamic function and a separate load carrying member (tension rod) for structural load support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the vane for aerodynamic performance and the tension rod for tension load carrying, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The load carrying function is extracted from the monolithic vane structure and placed into a separate tension rod that passes through the vane. This extraction allows the vane to be designed purely for aerodynamic considerations while the tension rod handles the structural tension loads, improving overall structural optimization without complicating vane manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If fan exit guide vanes are designed to meet structural, performance and acoustic requirements across a wide range of operating conditions, then reliability is improved, but optimization at any single mission condition is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance across operating conditionsVSAvoidoptimization at single mission condition

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The fan exit guide vane with integrated tension rod serves multiple functions simultaneously: aerodynamic flow guidance, structural tension load support, and acoustic treatment accommodation. This multi-functionality allows the design to meet structural, performance, and acoustic requirements across a wide range of operating conditions, improving reliability without sacrificing single-condition optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the fan exit guide vane system are optimized for different functions: the vane aerodynamic surface is optimized for airflow characteristics, the tension rod is optimized for tension load carrying, and the internal cavity is optimized for acoustic treatment. This local quality approach allows each component to excel at its specific function while contributing to overall system performance across multiple operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If acoustic treatment is added to fan exit guide vanes, then acoustic performance is improved, but structural load carrying capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacoustic treatmentVSAvoidstructural load carrying capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic treatment is extracted from the solid vane material and placed into a dedicated internal cavity. This extraction allows the vane to maintain its structural integrity and load carrying capacity while providing space for acoustic treatment materials, resolving the contradiction between acoustic performance and structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The acoustic treatment is nested within the internal cavity of the fan exit guide vane, with the tension rod passing through the cavity. This nesting arrangement accommodates acoustic treatment materials without compromising the structural load carrying path provided by the tension rod, allowing both acoustic performance and structural strength to coexist.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20260009357A1Fan exit guide vane with load carrying tension member

Publication Date: 2026.01.08 RTX CORP

AI summary

A fan exit guide vane with a load member including a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; a radially inner attachment region opposite spanwise from a radially outer attachment region; a span dimension extending between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the fan exit guide vane; a load member cavity formed within the fan exit guide vane extending spanwise through the fan exit guide vane from the radially inner attachment region to the radially outer attachment region; and the load member extending through the load member cavity beyond each of the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region of the fan exit guide vane.