Turbine Engine Outer Shroud Segmented Ferrule Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing axial turbomachine designs with adjustable stator blades are often bulky and complex, making assembly and activation mechanisms cumbersome and inefficient, particularly in compressors with fewer stages.

Innovation Solution

A compact design featuring a cylindrical ferrule with a 'T' profile tubular wall and bridles, allowing for direct or indirect contact with a ring, and utilizing screws and sleeves for assembly, along with titanium, aluminum, or magnesium alloy and composite materials for enhanced rigidity and weight optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a bulky external ferrule extending over several compression stages is used, then the mechanism can support multiple variable-pitch compression stages, but the device becomes unnecessarily cumbersome in compressors with fewer stages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport for multiple compression stagesVSAvoidcumbersomeness of mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The external ferrule is divided into two separate sections: a first section with a cylindrical surface for mounting the actuation device, and a second section extending over the compression stages. This segmentation allows the ferrule to be adapted to compressors with fewer stages by using only the necessary portion, reducing complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ferrule design extends in the axial dimension to cover multiple compression stages, allowing the same structure to accommodate variable-pitch blades at different axial positions. This dimensional approach enables a single ferrule design to support compressors with different numbers of stages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If a traditional actuation device mounting approach is used, then the mechanism can function, but the overall assembly becomes bulkier and less compact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctionality of actuation deviceVSAvoidcompactness of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The actuation device is merged with the external ferrule structure itself. The cylindrical surface of the first ferrule section serves directly as the mounting surface for the actuation device, eliminating the need for separate mounting structures and reducing overall assembly volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If conventional materials are used for the ferrule and actuation device, then manufacturing is simpler, but the assembly lacks sufficient rigidity and weight efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverigidity of actuation systemVSAvoidweight of ferrule and actuation device
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies using titanium, aluminum, or magnesium alloys and/or composite materials for the ferrule and actuation device components. These materials provide high strength-to-weight ratios, ensuring sufficient rigidity while minimizing weight compared to conventional materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3810903B1Turbine engine outer shroud
Publication Date: 2025.02.12 SAFRAN AERO BOOSTERS SA
  • EP3810903B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3810903B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3810903B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a turbine engine (2) compressor shroud, comprising: first and second sections (130, 230) and respective flanges (131, 231), the flanges (131, 231) making it possible to hold the two sections (130, 230) together, the first section (130) comprising a cylindrical surface (137) forming a seat for an actuating device (136, 140, 166, 168, 170) for orienting stator blades (126), characterised in that the first shroud (130) comprises a tubular wall (132) axially overlapping both flanges (131, 231) and said cylindrical surface (137) is an outer surface of the tubular wall (132). The invention also relates to an assembly with the shroud (130, 230), the blade (126) and means (140) for actuating the orientation of the blade (126), the shroud being produced using the kit described above. The invention finally relates to a method for assembling a compressor with such an assembly.