Forged Guide Vane Cavity for De-Icing and Bird-Strike Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Guide vanes in aircraft gas turbines face challenges such as ice formation and bird strikes, requiring enhanced durability and de-icing solutions, while existing systems are inefficient or ineffective in maintaining aerodynamic behavior under these conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method for producing a guide vane with a cavity for de-icing using a forged metal or metal alloy workpiece, featuring a recess and channels for guiding heated air to prevent ice formation, which is structurally superior to cast vanes, offering increased toughness and resistance to bird strikes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a guide vane is made from a cast blank, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the structural-mechanical properties such as toughness and strength are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane is divided into two main parts: a forged base body providing structural strength and a separately manufactured cover for the cavity. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the base body for mechanical properties and the cover for functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The forged base body and the cover are joined together to form the complete guide vane with the cavity. This merging combines the advantages of forging (strength) with the advantages of separate cavity formation (functional design), achieving both high structural-mechanical properties and manufacturing efficiency.
2Reliability
If electric de-icing systems are used, then ice removal capability is provided, but the system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane uses its own structure (the cavity) to guide hot compressor air for de-icing purposes. The system utilizes already-present hot air from the compressor, eliminating the need for separate heating systems or external energy sources, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining effective de-icing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity serves multiple functions: it provides structural design flexibility, enables de-icing by guiding hot air, and can potentially accommodate other functional elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated de-icing systems, simplifying the overall design.
3Ease of operation
If the guide vane surface is exposed to intake air flow, then aerodynamic function is achieved, but ice formation and bird strike damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
Hot compressor air is guided through the cavity to preheat the guide vane surface before ice formation can occur. This preliminary heating action prevents ice adhesion and formation on the aerodynamic surfaces, allowing the guide vane to maintain its aerodynamic performance without interruption from ice accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity is strategically positioned and shaped to direct hot air flow to specific critical areas of the guide vane surface where ice formation is most likely to occur. This localized application of thermal protection optimizes the de-icing effectiveness while maintaining overall aerodynamic performance.
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 forged guide vane effectively maintains aerodynamic behavior by preventing ice formation and withstanding increased loads, including bird strikes, through convective heating and improved structural mechanical properties compared to cast vanes.
Implementation Method 1
air, especially heated air from the axial compressor, can be guided through the cavity of the guide vane, allowing the guide vane to be heated from the inside by forced convection
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a guide vane (1), in particular a guide wheel of an aircraft gas turbine, with a cavity (2) for guiding a gaseous or liquid medium for de-icing the guide vane (1), and an associated guide vane.The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a metallic workpiece; (b) forging the workpiece into a blank (4); (c) removing material so that the blank (4) becomes a base body (5) with a recess (6) in a bottom surface (3); (d) introducing at least one channel (8, 10) into an end face (9, 11) of the base body (5) such that the channel (8, 10) is fluidically connected to the recess (6); (e) producing the guide vane (1) by joining the base body (5) with a cover (12), wherein the recess (6) is covered, forming the cavity (2), and the gaseous or liquid medium can be guided from the first channel (8) through the cavity (2) into the second channel (10). The invention further relates to a guide vane.