Guide Vane Assembly Sealing for Turbomachine Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vane rings in turbomachines experience leakage due to manufacturing tolerances and vibrations, leading to reduced efficiency, despite the advantages of simple assembly in adjustable designs.
Innovation Solution
A vane ring design featuring a receiving groove on the inner ring's outer surface for bearing bodies, with sheet metal sealing elements inserted into grooves on the lateral walls and bearing bodies to seal gaps, providing a stable and effective seal against air recirculation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If bearing bodies are used to support guide vanes in adjustable guide vane rings, then assembly simplicity is improved, but leakage occurs due to manufacturing tolerances and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing element made of sheet metal is introduced as an intermediary component between the inner ring and the bearing bodies. This sealing element fills the gaps caused by manufacturing tolerances and vibrations, preventing air leakage while maintaining the simple assembly structure of bearing bodies threaded into the inner ring.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is constructed from sheet metal, a thin and flexible material, which is inserted into grooves on the lateral walls of the inner ring and bearing bodies. This thin film structure effectively seals the gaps between components without adding significant complexity to the assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If gaps between inner ring and bearing bodies are not sealed, then assembly remains simple, but air recirculation reduces turbomachine efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet metal sealing element acts as a mediator that seals the gaps between the inner ring and bearing bodies, preventing air recirculation through these gaps. This maintains assembly simplicity while eliminating the energy loss associated with air leakage.
3Reliability
If sealing elements are added to seal gaps, then leakage is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element utilizes a simple sheet metal construction that is inserted into existing grooves on the components. This thin film approach provides effective sealing without requiring complex sealing mechanisms or additional structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element serves multiple functions: it seals gaps between the inner ring and bearing bodies, prevents air leakage, and stabilizes the bearing bodies against vibrations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
4Ease of manufacture
If bearing bodies are threaded onto inner ring before inserting guide vanes, then assembly is simplified, but positioning precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing bodies are threaded onto the inner ring in advance, establishing the structural framework before guide vanes are inserted. This preliminary action simplifies the assembly sequence while the bearing bodies themselves provide the positioning reference for the guide vanes.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element, inserted into grooves on the bearing bodies, serves as an intermediary that stabilizes the bearing bodies in their positioned state. This stabilization ensures that the guide vanes maintain precise positioning once inserted into the bearing bodies.
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
Significantly reduces leakage and increases turbomachine efficiency by preventing air recirculation and stabilizing the inner ring and bearing bodies through additional friction, while maintaining simple assembly advantages.
Implementation Method 1
the additional friction on the sealing element, this also has a stabilizing effect on the arrangement of the inner ring and bearing bodies
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A guide vane assembly 1 according to the invention comprises an inner ring (10) on the radially outer surface of which a receiving groove (11) extends circumferentially (U), a plurality of bearing bodies (20) arranged in the receiving groove of the inner ring, a plurality of guide vanes (30) each inserted with their radially inner end (32) into one of the bearing bodies, and at least one sealing element (40a, 40b) for sealing at least one gap between the inner ring (10) and at least one of the bearing bodies and/or between two bearing bodies. A turbomachine according to the invention comprises a guide vane assembly (1) according to the invention. A method according to the invention serves for assembling a guide vane assembly (1).