Open Fan Vane Assembly with Circumferential Flow Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Unducted open fan gas turbine engines face inefficiencies due to non-uniform airflow and flow angularity, leading to increased losses and drag during high flow angularity conditions, particularly at take-off and cruise phases.
Innovation Solution
The vane assembly in the open fan engine varies the leading edge angles of vanes circumferentially based on the vane's location, using a vane actuator system to adjust stagger and camber, optimizing performance across different flight conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional fixed-angle vanes are used in unducted open fan engines, then the engine structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the engine experiences increased losses and drag during high flow angularity conditions (take-off and cruise phases)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the vane assembly adjustable rather than fixed. The vane assembly includes a plurality of vanes that can be rotated to different angular positions around the rotor axis, allowing the engine to adapt to varying flow angularity conditions during different flight phases (take-off, cruise, etc.), thereby reducing energy losses and drag
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the angular position parameter of the vanes based on operating conditions. The control system adjusts the angular position of the vane assembly as a function of flight conditions (such as flow angularity, speed, altitude), optimizing the engine's performance across different operational regimes while minimizing losses and drag
2Productivity
If the vane assembly is made adjustable with varying leading edge angles to optimize performance across different flight conditions, then thrust maintenance and efficiency improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vane assembly is designed with rotational capability allowing dynamic adjustment of vane angles during operation. This dynamic configuration enables optimization of thrust and efficiency across different flight conditions (take-off, cruise, high flow angularity) while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process for individual vanes that are then assembled in a configurable arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The vane assembly is segmented into multiple individual vanes that can be independently positioned and adjusted. Each vane is a discrete component with standardized features (leading edge, trailing edge, root, tip) that can be manufactured separately and then assembled into the complete adjustable vane assembly, simplifying manufacturing while enabling performance optimization
3Object-generated harmful factors
If fixed vanes are used, then the structure is simpler and reliability is higher, but noise generation increases due to misalignment with upstream flow during high flow angularity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable vane assembly allows dynamic alignment with upstream flow directions, reducing noise generation during high flow angularity conditions. The vanes can be rotated to positions that minimize turbulent mixing and aerodynamic noise while maintaining engine performance, compared to fixed vanes that remain misaligned under varying operating conditions
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is generally related to a vane assembly for an open fan engine having a rotor and a stator. The vane assembly is a plurality of vanes each arranged about the stator. Each of the vanes of the vane assembly has a leading edge (LE) with a leading edge angle (LEA). A combination of aircraft angle of attack, sideslip, and upwash due to lifting bodies can create a flow angularity into the engine. The leading edge angle (LEA) of each of the vanes varies depending upon the circumferential location about the stator so that the impact on the flow angularity into the engine is reduced or increased in different circumferential regions.