Stator Damper Radial Force Damping Gas Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cantilevered stators in gas turbine engines experience gas leakage and mechanical movement issues, leading to reduced engine performance and wear, necessitating a solution for damping motion and providing additional load-bearing surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A stator damper is positioned between the stator assembly and compressor casing, comprising a body section and damper fingers that exert radial reaction forces to dampen motion and a sealing member to enhance fluidic sealing, with the damper fingers being compressibly deformable and made from materials like nickel, stainless steel, or titanium to provide structural support.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If cantilevered stators are used to provide additional spacing, then ease of operation is improved, but gas leakage increases and engine performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacing adjustmentVSAvoidgas leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

A stator damper is introduced as an intermediary component between the cantilevered stator and the compressor casing. The damper includes a damper body with damper fingers that contact the stator and a sealing member that contacts the compressor casing, thereby mediating the interaction to prevent gas leakage while maintaining the spacing benefits of cantilevered stators.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The stator damper employs a sealing member comprising a flexible sealing lip that can deform to maintain contact with the compressor casing. This flexible sealing lip prevents gas leakage paths while accommodating the spacing requirements of the cantilevered stator configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If cantilevered stators are used to provide additional spacing, then ease of operation is improved, but mechanical movement increases leading to wear and reduced reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespacing adjustmentVSAvoidwear resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stator damper acts as a mediator between the cantilevered stator and the compressor casing, providing controlled contact through damper fingers. This intermediary structure dampens unwanted mechanical movements and reduces wear on both the stator and casing while preserving the spacing advantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The stator damper provides beforehand cushioning by positioning the sealing member and damper fingers to preemptively absorb and dampen mechanical movements before they can cause wear or damage to the stator and compressor casing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Loss of energy

If stators are formed with close tolerance to compressor casing, then gas leakage is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas leakage preventionVSAvoidtolerance control

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The stator damper with its sealing member serves as an intermediary sealing solution between the stator and compressor casing. This approach achieves effective gas sealing without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances on the stator outer diameter, as the sealing member compensates for tolerance variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member is designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters (such as lip thickness, curvature, and compliance) that enable it to adapt to tolerance variations. By changing the sealing mechanism from rigid close-tolerance contact to a compliant sealing lip, the manufacturing precision requirements are relaxed while maintaining sealing effectiveness.

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

The stator damper effectively reduces gas leakage, damps radial, axial, and tangential movements, and enhances load-bearing capabilities, thereby improving engine performance and extending its lifespan by mitigating wear and enhancing fluidic sealing.

Implementation Method 1

the damper fingers being compressibly deformable

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 2

damp radial, axial, and/or tangential movement of the stator assembly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Implementation Method 3

relative motion (such as radial, axial, and/or tangential excursions) of the stator assembly is substantially damped

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3088684B1Gas turbine engine comprising a stator damper and corresponding method of making

Publication Date: 2020.01.08 UNITED TECH CORP

Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A

AI summary

A stator damper (2) is disclosed. The stator damper has a body section (22) and a damper finger (24). The body section rests against a stator assembly (8) and a portion of each damper finger rests against a compressor casing. The stator damper is radially compressed between the stator assembly and the compressor casing. Thus, the stator damper exerts a radial force against the stator assembly. In this manner, relative motion of the stator assembly is damped.