Resilient Hanger for Gas Turbine Liner Spacing

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for attaching liners to complex-shaped exhaust ducts in gas turbine engines are costly and time-consuming due to varying tolerances, requiring numerous shims for proper spacing and thermal management, which is exacerbated by differing expansion and contraction rates caused by temperature and pressure gradients.

Innovation Solution

The use of resiliently biased hangers with rotatable members and rods that generate a biasing force to suspend the liner within the exhaust duct, allowing for relative movement and automatic adjustment of spacing, eliminating the need for shimming and accommodating complex shapes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional attachment methods with shims are used, then proper spacing between exhaust duct and liner is achieved, but installation becomes costly and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacing precisionVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The hanger assembly incorporates a resilient member that provides dynamic adjustment capability, allowing the liner to move relative to the exhaust duct within defined limits. This dynamic system automatically compensates for tolerance variations without requiring manual shim selection and installation at each attachment location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient member changes the physical state from rigid fixed-spacing to flexible variable-spacing, enabling the system to adapt to different operating conditions and tolerance accumulations while maintaining proper thermal management spacing through elastic deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional attachment methods are used, then spacing control is achieved through shims, but the process becomes complex and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacing controlVSAvoidattachment process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hanger assembly performs self-adjustment through the resilient member's elastic properties, automatically compensating for tolerance variations and maintaining proper spacing without requiring manual intervention, measurement, and shim installation at each attachment location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The single hanger assembly with resilient member serves multiple functions: suspension, spacing control, thermal management, and tolerance compensation, replacing the need for multiple separate components including shims, measurement tools, and manual adjustment procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Temperature

If rigid attachment is used to maintain spacing, then thermal management is optimized, but stress accumulates due to differential thermal expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal managementVSAvoidhanger stress

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The resilient member enables the hanger assembly to dynamically respond to thermal expansion and contraction forces by deforming elastically, allowing the liner to move relative to the exhaust duct while maintaining proper thermal management spacing and reducing stress accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient member changes the mechanical state from rigid to flexible, enabling the system to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction within defined limits while maintaining proper spacing for thermal management through elastic deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enables efficient and quick installation of liners, maintains proper spacing despite thermal deformations, and reduces stress on hangers by allowing multi-axis shifting, thus improving the thermal management and mechanical integrity of the exhaust system.

Implementation Method 1

At least one resilient member generates a resilient biasing force between the exhaust duct attachment structure and the liner attachment structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The rotatable member has a spherical bearing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpherical bearing rotation: Ball Bearing

Data Source

PatentUS9133768B2Liner bracket for gas turbine engine

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 RTX CORP

AI summary

A hanger for a gas turbine exhaust system includes an exhaust duct attachment structure associated with an exhaust duct and a liner attachment structure associated with a liner spaced radially inwardly of the exhaust duct. The exhaust duct attachment structure and the liner attachment structure cooperate to suspend the liner within the exhaust duct such that the exhaust duct and liner are movable relative to each other. At least one resilient member generates a resilient biasing force between the exhaust duct attachment structure and the liner attachment structure.