Stator Vane Pad Interface Sealing for Gas Turbine Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
The swage joint in gas turbine engine vane ring assemblies experiences play due to tolerances and gapping, leading to local deflection during engine operation, which affects the structural integrity and efficiency of the assembly.
Innovation Solution
The vane ring assembly incorporates inner platform structures with male and female circumferential sides forming a box structure, featuring elastomeric pads on the male walls that expand with temperature, sealing gaps and stiffening the interface to prevent relative motion and enhance structural stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If swage joint assembly is used to connect stator vanes, then assembly is permitted with tolerances and gapping, but play is created causing local deflection during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric pad acts as an intermediary element between the male and female walls of the swage joint. It fills the gap created by tolerances and prevents relative motion through friction and adhesion, thereby eliminating play while maintaining assembly ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric pad changes its physical parameters (friction coefficient, adhesion strength) in response to temperature and compression changes during engine operation, transforming from a gap-filling state to a rigid locking state that prevents deflection.
2Ease of manufacture
If swage joint with gaps is used, then assembly is easier, but relative motion occurs affecting efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric pad serves as a mediator that eliminates relative motion between stator vanes by creating friction and adhesion forces, thereby preventing efficiency losses without complicating the assembly process.
3Reliability
If rigid connection is used to prevent deflection, then structural integrity is improved, but assembly becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric pad, as a flexible element, provides rigid-like performance during operation through friction and adhesion while maintaining assembly ease by allowing tolerance accommodation during the assembly process.
4Productivity
If gap sealing is implemented to prevent leakage, then efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric pad provides gap sealing as a byproduct of its primary function of preventing relative motion, thereby improving efficiency without requiring additional sealing components or increasing device complexity.
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 elastomeric pads ensure structural integrity by sealing gaps at operating temperatures, improving engine performance and efficiency by preventing leakages and dampening vibrations, while shrinking to facilitate disassembly and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the pad expands in response to a change in temperature
Implementation Method 2
dampening vibrations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An inner platform structure (70) of a stator vane (66) for a gas turbine engine (20) includes a male circumferential side (82) opposite a female circumferential side (80), the male circumferential side (82) including a male wall (92,94,96,98) received at least partially within a female wall (84,86,88,90) of a neighboring stator vane (66) at an interface (110) with a pad (100,102,104,106) at the interface (110).