Compressor Guide Vane Gasket Resin Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method of securing guide-vanes in a turbine engine compressor using polymerizable resin is labor-intensive, expensive, and prone to resin wastage due to the need for manual injection into clearance spaces, which is difficult and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
The use of gaskets with slits mounted on the radially inner ends of the vanes prevents resin from passing through clearance spaces by sealing against the inner shroud surface, eliminating the need for resin injection and simplifying the application process, with gaskets and resin made from the same silicone material for compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resin is manually injected into clearance spaces using a syringe, then resin passage is prevented, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming (8 hours per guide-vane stage)
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is divided into multiple identical units, each mounted on a separate vane. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple vanes simultaneously, transforming a sequential 8-hour syringe injection process into a much faster operation where all gaskets can be mounted in parallel across all vanes in the guide-vane stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket mounted on each vane automatically provides its own sealing function without requiring external injection equipment. The gasket's own structure (with the slit through which the vane passes) creates the seal against the shroud surface, eliminating the need for manual syringe injection and making the process self-sufficient.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If resin is stored in a refrigerator to increase viscosity, then resin running is limited, but complex batch management is required
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the resin application process itself and transferred to the gasket component. Instead of relying on resin viscosity control (which requires refrigeration and batch management), the gasket physically blocks resin passage through the clearance, eliminating the need for viscous control measures and their associated complexity.
3Reliability
If manual syringe injection is performed, then resin passage through clearance is prevented, but the process becomes difficult and dirtying occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket acts as a disposable or single-use sealing element mounted on each vane. Instead of requiring skilled manual injection operations with syringes, the pre-fabricated gasket is simply mounted on the vane, providing reliable sealing through its structure rather than through complex injection techniques.
4Productivity
If gaskets are mounted on vanes, then resin passage is limited and application time is reduced to 30 minutes, but an additional component is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is a thin, flexible sealing element that can be easily mounted on each vane. This thin-film approach provides effective sealing without adding significant bulk or complexity to the overall assembly, and the flexibility allows for easy installation and adaptation to the vane geometry.
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
This solution significantly reduces the time and complexity of the resin application process from 8 hours to 30 minutes, prevents resin wastage, and ensures a reliable seal, maintaining the engine's specifications and certification without altering materials.
Implementation Method 1
a gasket is mounted on the radially inner end of each vane, the gasket having a slit through which the vane passes and being mounted to bear against or to be in contact with the radially inside surface of the shroud in order to limit the passage of resin through the above-mentioned clearance during its application
Implementation Method 2
secured to the inner shroud by a polymerizable sealing resin applied to the inside surface of the shroud and defining an abradable track after hardening
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor guide-vane stage for a turbine engine, the stage comprising two coaxial shrouds, respectively an inner shroud (120) and an outer shroud, with vanes (124) extending between them, the radially inner ends of the vanes being engaged with clearance (125) in orifices in the inner shroud and being secured to the inner shroud by means of a polymerizable sealing resin (126), the guide-vane stage being characterized in that a gasket (140) is mounted on the radially inner end of each vane, the gasket including a slit through which the vane passes and bearing against the radially inside surface of the shroud or in the proximity of said surface, in order to limit the passage of resin through the above-mentioned clearance while the resin is being applied to the inside surface of the shroud.