Part-span shrouds with slotted curved interfaces for pitch-controlled turbine blades
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing part-span shrouds in gas turbine engines prevent pitch-wise rotation of blades, reducing engine efficiency due to inability to mitigate 1P loading effects while allowing blade deflection, making maintenance complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
Design of part-span shrouds that include a first portion with a convex surface and a second portion with a concave surface, forming a curved interface that reacts circumferential loads between adjacent blades, enabling pitch-wise rotation and reducing deflection, or a tie rod system within slotted interfaces to facilitate pitch control and load reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If existing part-span shrouds are used to reduce blade deflection, then blade stability is improved, but pitch-wise rotation is prevented, reducing engine efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud interface is designed to transition from a static load-bearing connection to a dynamic joint that permits pitch-wise rotation. The curved interface geometry allows the shroud to follow the blade's rotational movement while maintaining circumferential load transfer, enabling the system to adapt between stability and mobility requirements.
2Stability of the object's composition
If existing part-span shrouds are used to reduce blade deflection, then blade stability is improved, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud system is segmented into modular components with standardized curved interfaces. This segmentation allows individual shrouds to be independently installed, adjusted, or replaced without affecting the entire blade assembly, significantly simplifying maintenance and repair operations while maintaining blade stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If part-span shrouds with curved interfaces are designed to enable pitch rotation, then pitch control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud interface employs a curved geometry that naturally guides pitch-wise rotation through its arc-shaped contact surfaces. This curvature allows the shroud to accommodate blade rotation passively through geometric design rather than active mechanical components, achieving pitch control capability while minimizing structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Part-span shrouds for pitch controlled aircrafts are disclosed herein. An example A gas turbine engine disclosed herein includes a disk, a first pitch controlled airfoil coupled to the disk, a second pitch controlled airfoil coupled to the disk, the second pitch controlled airfoil circumferentially adjacent to the first pitch controlled airfoil, and a part-span shroud including a first portion extending from the first pitch controlled airfoil, the first portion including a slot, a second portion extending from the second pitch controlled airfoil towards the first pitch controlled airfoil, and a tie rod including a first end rotatably coupled to the first portion, and a second end rotatably coupled to the second portion, and a pin disposed in the slot, the pin coupling the first portion to the tie rod, the pin circumferentially translatable within the slot.