Rotatable Guide Vane for Gas Turbine Compressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide vanes in gas turbines face challenges in efficiently adjusting to variations in approach or incidence angles, leading to pressure losses and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A guide vane design featuring a reversibly rotatable first airfoil section relative to a second airfoil section, with an axis of rotation forming an angle of at most 15° with the radial direction, allowing for compact, reliable, and aerodynamically favorable adjustment kinematics, where the first airfoil section can be arranged upstream or downstream of the second section to compensate for angle variations and reduce leakage flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid guide vane design is used, then the structure is simple and reliable, but it cannot efficiently adjust to variations in approach or incidence angles, leading to pressure losses and reduced efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane is divided into two separate airfoil sections (first and second airfoil sections) that can move independently. The first airfoil section is mounted on a platform that can rotate about an axis, allowing it to adjust its position relative to the second airfoil section. This segmentation enables the guide vane to adapt to varying incidence angles while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vane transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic adjustable structure. The first airfoil section can be positioned in different locations (first position downstream of the second section, or second position upstream of the second section) by rotating the platform about the rotation axis. This dynamic positioning capability allows the guide vane to optimize its configuration for different operating conditions.
2Volume of moving object
If the first airfoil section is positioned downstream of the second section, then the structure is compact, but leakage flow may occur between the sections
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic repositioning of the first airfoil section between a first position (downstream of the second section for compactness) and a second position (upstream of the second section to prevent leakage). By adjusting the position of the first airfoil section based on operating conditions, the system can maintain compactness when possible while preventing leakage losses when necessary.
3Loss of energy
If the first airfoil section is positioned upstream of the second section, then leakage flow is minimized, but the guide vane occupies more axial space
Solution Approach 1:
The first airfoil section can be dynamically positioned in the second position (upstream of the second section) when pressure loss reduction is the priority, accepting the increased axial length. Alternatively, it can be positioned in the first position (downstream of the second section) when compactness is more important. This dynamic adaptability allows optimization based on specific operational requirements.
4Device complexity
If a rotation axis parallel to the axial direction is used, then the adjustment mechanism is simple, but the kinematics may not be aerodynamically favorable
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a symmetric arrangement with the rotation axis parallel to the axial direction, the invention employs an asymmetric configuration where the rotation axis is inclined at an angle between 10° and 15° relative to the axial direction. This asymmetric orientation of the rotation axis creates more favorable adjustment kinematics that are aerodynamically optimized, while the overall mechanism remains relatively simple.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a guide vane, in particular an outlet guide vane and/or for a compressor stage of a gas turbine, wherein the vane has a blade with a first blade section (10) and a second blade section (20) and the first blade section is reversibly rotatable relative to the second blade section about an axis of rotation (D) from a first position to a second position, wherein in at least one profile section of the blade the axis of rotation is arranged outside a profile (11) of the first blade section and/or a profile of the first blade section has a suction side (12) with a first (12A) and a second contour section (12B) adjoining it, and a profile (21) of the second blade section has a pressure-side contour section (21A).in the first position the first contour section and in the second position the second contour section instead overlaps in the circumferential direction, and/or a profile of the second blade section has a suction-side tangent (T2) at at least one point (P2) in an upstream tenth of its suction side and a profile of the first blade section has a tangent (T1) at a point nearest to this point in the first or second position, which together form an angle (α) of at least 20°, and/or wherein the first blade section is separated from the second blade section by a gap (S) and is arranged on at least one platform (40) rotatable about the axis of rotation.