Gas Turbine Inlet Guide Vane Anti-Ice System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inlet guide vanes in gas turbine engines experience ice buildup during certain atmospheric conditions, leading to compressor performance loss and potential damage, and existing anti-ice systems that use hot air to prevent ice formation can cause temperature distortion and reduce turbine life.
Innovation Solution
The anti-ice system incorporates an inlet guide vane with a stem and manifold arrangement that directs anti-ice air from a downstream location within the compressor's flowpath through an anti-ice cavity and then dumps it overboard via an outlet channel, avoiding re-introduction into the engine flowpath to prevent temperature distortion and extend engine life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If hot air is used to prevent ice formation on inlet guide vanes, then ice buildup is prevented, but temperature distortion occurs and turbine life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the anti-ice air from the engine flowpath by directing it through the inlet guide vane and dumping it overboard via an outlet channel, preventing the hot air from being re-introduced into the engine flowpath and causing temperature distortion
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet guide vane acts as an intermediary component that receives anti-ice air from the compressor discharge, directs it through the vane body via internal passages, and expels it overboard, thereby mediating between the need for ice prevention and the need to avoid temperature distortion
2Object-affected harmful factors
If hot air is introduced into the compressor flowpath to prevent ice, then ice buildup is prevented, but compressor performance and stability margin are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the anti-ice air from the main compressor flowpath by routing it through the inlet guide vane and dumping it overboard, preventing the hot air from mixing with the compressed air and affecting compressor performance and stability margin
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 effectively prevents ice buildup on inlet guide vanes without affecting compressor performance, reducing temperature distortion and increasing turbine life by ensuring anti-ice air is directed through the vane and then expelled overboard.
Implementation Method 1
anti-ice air, flowing from a downstream location within a core flow of the gas turbine, flows from the inlet channel, through the inlet guide vane, and to the outlet channel
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine includes: an inlet guide vane; an inlet channel extending from a location downstream of the inlet guide vane to a stem manifold; and an outlet channel extending to an outlet port, the outlet port configured to dump anti-ice air overboard, wherein the inlet guide vane includes an anti-ice cavity in fluid communication with the inlet channel and the outlet channel such that anti-ice air, flowing from a downstream location within a core flow of the gas turbine, flows from the inlet channel, through the inlet guide vane, and to the outlet channel.