Low Solidity Fan Exit Guide Vane Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine propulsors face challenges in optimizing the design of guide vanes and propulsor blades to achieve efficient thrust and reduce noise, with existing solutions not fully addressing the need for improved aerodynamic performance and weight reduction.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a low solidity arrangement of guide vanes and propulsor blades with specific dimensional relationships, including a ratio of guide vane quantity to propulsor blade quantity between 2.1 and 2.5, and blade solidity between 0.6 and 1.0, to enhance aerodynamic performance and reduce weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional guide vane and propulsor blade arrangements are used, then structural strength and reliability are maintained, but aerodynamic performance is suboptimal and weight is higher
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the guide vane aspect ratio (spanning 1.2 to 1.8 times the propulsor blade span) and blade solidity (0.4 to 0.7) to improve aerodynamic performance while reducing weight. These specific parameter ranges were determined to achieve the best balance between performance and weight reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vanes are segmented into multiple blades with specific dimensional relationships, where the guide vane blade span and chord dimensions are carefully proportioned relative to the propulsor blades. This segmentation allows optimized airflow control across different sections of the bypass flow path
2Productivity
If guide vane quantity is increased to improve flow control, then aerodynamic performance improves, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the guide vane quantity to propulsor blade quantity ratio between 2.0 and 2.8, with guide vane aspect ratios between 1.2 and 1.8. These parameter optimizations achieve improved aerodynamic performance without excessive complexity by finding the optimal balance point
3Power
If propulsor blade solidity is increased to improve thrust generation, then thrust efficiency improves, but weight and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes propulsor blade solidity to be between 0.4 and 0.7, which provides optimal thrust generation while minimizing weight. This parameter optimization allows efficient thrust production without the penalty of excessive blade mass
4Productivity
If guide vane span is increased to improve bypass flow control, then aerodynamic performance improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies guide vane span should be 1.2 to 1.8 times the propulsor blade span, creating an optimized dimensional relationship that improves bypass flow control while maintaining manufacturability. This proportional relationship simplifies manufacturing compared to absolute dimension specifications
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~4
AI summary
A propulsor (22; 542) for a gas turbine engine (20) may comprise a case (21; 588) including a duct (18) disposed along an axis (A) to define a flow path, a rotor (60) including a row of propulsor blades (64; 592) extending in a generally radial direction outwardly from a hub (66), the hub (66) rotatable about the axis (A) such that the propulsor blades (64; 592) deliver airflow into the flow path, and a row of guide vanes (82; 882) situated in the flow path. A first guide vane may comprise a radially inner length (LI), a radially outer length (LO), and a midspan length (LM). The first guide vane may have a first dimensional relationship defined as LO/LM. The first guide vane may have a second dimensional relationship defined as LI/LM. The first dimensional relationship and/or the second dimensional relationship may be greater than 1.05.