Segmented Gas Turbine Guide Vane with Internal Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine guide vanes face challenges in maintaining structural performance and impact resistance while minimizing weight, as simply increasing size or material density can counteract efficiency improvements.
Innovation Solution
A structural guide vane design featuring radially extending struts with longitudinally oriented channels and varying wall thickness, along with a cover to maintain aerodynamic performance, distributes loads and reduces stress concentrations without adding weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the guide vane is made larger or from heavy material to withstand impacts, then impact resistance is improved, but weight increases which counteracts engine efficiency improvements
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane is divided into multiple discrete elements that are joined together to form the complete structure. This segmentation allows for optimized weight distribution and structural efficiency, enabling the guide vane to achieve required impact resistance with reduced overall weight compared to a solid monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide vane employs composite construction using titanium alloy elements combined with nickel-based superalloy elements. This composite material approach provides superior strength-to-weight ratio, enabling the structure to withstand impact loads while maintaining reduced weight for engine efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If the guide vane structure is simplified to reduce manufacturing complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but structural performance and impact resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the guide vane into discrete elements that can be manufactured separately and then joined, the invention enables each element to be optimized for its specific manufacturing process while maintaining overall structural integrity. This approach balances manufacturing ease with structural performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different elements of the guide vane are made from different materials (titanium alloy vs. nickel-based superalloy) and have different structural characteristics tailored to their specific functional requirements. This local quality approach ensures each region of the structure has the optimal properties for its location, achieving high structural performance without unnecessary complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
A disclosed structural guide vane for a gas turbine engine includes a strut defining a plurality of channels and a cover attached over the plurality of channels. The strut includes a first side defining a first surface of an airfoil and a second side including a plurality of channels. At least one of the plurality of channels defines a wall thickness of a portion of the first side that varies in a chord wise direction.