Inner Shroud Vane Sealing via Integrated Grommet-Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas turbine engine designs face challenges in minimizing air leakage between insertable vanes and the inner shroud, which affects the efficiency of the gas path and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
The use of elastomeric grommets with a U-shaped section and inserts with bonded flanges provides a sealing interface between the vanes and the inner shroud, ensuring a smooth gas path transition and reducing fluid leakage by utilizing materials with varying elasticity and rigidity to maintain structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a grommet is disposed between the inner shroud and the vane to minimize air leakage, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the grommet and insert into a single integrated component with the grommet molded directly onto the insert. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly steps while maintaining the sealing function, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated grommet-insert component uses composite construction where the grommet material (elastomeric) is bonded to the insert material (rigid). This composite approach allows the single component to provide both sealing flexibility and structural rigidity, resolving the contradiction between sealing performance and device complexity
2Reliability
If elastomeric grommets are used to provide sealing, then air leakage is minimized, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to bonding and integration processes
Solution Approach 1:
The grommet is pre-molded onto the insert in a single manufacturing process, establishing the sealing interface before final assembly. This preliminary action ensures proper positioning and bonding without requiring high-precision alignment during final assembly, thus maintaining sealing performance while reducing manufacturing precision requirements
3Reliability
If the grommet has greater elasticity than the insert to ensure sealing, then sealing flexibility is improved, but structural integrity may be compromised at the interface
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated component features local quality differentiation where the grommet portion provides elastic sealing at the interface while the insert portion provides rigid structural support. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows the assembly to simultaneously achieve sealing flexibility and structural integrity at different locations of the same component
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 configuration effectively minimizes air leakage and maintains a continuous, smooth gas path surface, enhancing the operational efficiency and structural integrity of the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
the grommet has a greater elasticity than the insert
Implementation Method 2
the flanges are bonded to a surface of the annular channel of the U-shaped section of the insert
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A gas turbine engine (10) assembly comprises a casing defining a gas path, the casing including a shroud having an annular body having a surface (20A) defining a portion of gas path, the shroud having slots (21) configured for receiving inserted vanes (30). The slots (21) are delimited substantially about their perimeter by respective flanges (21A), the flanges (21A) radially offset from the shroud gas path surface (20A) so as to be disposed outside of said gas path, the flanges (21A) defined by opposed flange surfaces. Vanes (30) received in the slots (21). Grommets (40) engage the vanes (30) at the slots (21). Inserts (50) extend between the shroud and the grommets (40), the inserts (50) having slots configured for engaging both of the opposed flanges (21A), the inserts (50) extending in a radial direction from at least the respective flange (21A) to an adjacent said shroud gas path surface (20A) to substantially matchingly mate with an inner surface the adjacent shroud gas path surface (20A).