Gas Turbine Stator Vane Base Curved Mating Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine stator vanes face challenges due to high pressures, temperatures, and vibrations, which can lead to displacement and stress on the supporting case, particularly due to misalignment and gaps between the vanes and the conical stator shroud.
Innovation Solution
A stator assembly with conical stator shroud and integrally attached stator vanes, where the radially outward surface of the vane base mates flush with the radially inward surface of the shroud, ensuring line-to-line contact and secure attachment using fastening mechanisms like rivets, preventing gaps and unintended stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional stator vane attachment methods are used, then assembly is simpler, but gaps and misalignment occur between vanes and shroud causing stress and displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by shaping the radially outward surface of the stator vane base and the radially inward surface of the shroud as complementary curved surfaces. These curved surfaces mate together to provide precise alignment and eliminate gaps, resolving the technical contradiction by achieving high manufacturing precision through geometric curvature rather than complex attachment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from point or line contact to surface contact between the stator vane base and the shroud. By creating a radially outward surface on the vane base that mates with a radially inward surface on the shroud, the alignment constraint is distributed across a two-dimensional surface area, achieving precise alignment without increasing device complexity.
2Strength
If conventional fastening methods are used, then attachment is easier, but stress distribution is uneven causing structural integrity issues
Solution Approach 1:
The complementary curved surfaces distribute mechanical stress evenly across the entire contact area between the stator vane base and the shroud. This curvature-based design eliminates stress concentration points that would occur with flat or point-contact attachments, achieving high structural integrity while maintaining ease of manufacture through simple surface mating.
Solution Approach 2:
The radially outward surface of the vane base and radially inward surface of the shroud are pre-shaped during manufacturing to be complementary curves. This preliminary action ensures that when the components are assembled, they automatically align and distribute stress evenly without requiring complex adjustment or assembly procedures, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of manufacture.
3Reliability
If non-flush attachment is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but gaps cause vibration and stress transmission to the case
Solution Approach 1:
The curved surfaces are designed to mate flush together, eliminating gaps that would cause vibration and stress transmission. The curvature provides a natural tolerance compensation mechanism that maintains flush contact even with minor manufacturing variations, achieving vibration resistance without requiring extreme manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The complementary curved surfaces are pre-formed during manufacturing to ensure flush mating. This preliminary action guarantees that when components are assembled, they naturally align to eliminate gaps, providing vibration resistance without requiring post-assembly adjustments or extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
Data Source
AI summary
A stator assembly for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The stator assembly including: a conical stator shroud including a radially inward surface and a radially outward surface opposite the radially inward surface; and a plurality of stator vanes integrally attached to the conical stator shroud, each of the plurality of stator vanes being integrally attached to the conical stator shroud at a base of the stator vane, wherein radially outward surface of the base of the stator vane mates flush with the radially inward surface of the conical stator shroud.