Universal Seal for Gas Turbine Compressor Vane Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Leakage of compressed fluid around the tips or roots of rotating airfoils in gas turbine engines leads to loss of lift and viscous losses, reducing the pressure rise capability and efficiency of the compressor.
Innovation Solution
A seal with a non-square shape and chamfered surfaces is designed to fit both clockwise and counterclockwise inlet vanes, featuring a honeycomb sealing surface that can be inverted to attach to different vane orientations, minimizing air leakage through the gap between the vane base and the compressor casing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional square seal is used, then the manufacturing and installation process is simple, but it cannot accommodate both clockwise and counterclockwise inlet vanes
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed with a non-square, asymmetric geometry where opposite sides have different lengths. This asymmetric shape allows the seal to accommodate both clockwise and counterclockwise inlet vanes by rotating the seal 180 degrees, enabling a single seal design to fit both vane orientations without requiring separate seals for each configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The seal incorporates universal mating surfaces with specific angular orientations that can interface with both clockwise and counterclockwise inlet vanes. By designing the seal with opposing mating surfaces at appropriate angles, a single seal component performs the function of sealing for multiple vane configurations, eliminating the need for multiple specialized seals
2Reliability
If the seal mating surfaces are not chamfered, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the seal cannot properly engage with the inlet vane bases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal mating surfaces are pre-chamfered at specific angles (e.g., 45 degrees) during manufacturing to facilitate proper engagement with the inlet vane bases. This preliminary geometric preparation ensures that when the seal is installed, the chamfered surfaces guide the seal into correct alignment and provide a reliable sealing interface, preventing misalignment or improper seating that would occur with non-chamfered surfaces
3Loss of energy
If the angle to distance ratio of the seal parallelogram is not optimized, then the design is simpler, but the seal cannot effectively minimize air leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The seal geometry is optimized by specific parameter values: the parallelogram shape has an angle-to-distance ratio of approximately 54.3-52.9:1, and the chamfer angles are set at specific values (e.g., 45 degrees). These precise parameter specifications ensure that the seal minimizes air leakage by creating an optimal sealing interface geometry that effectively blocks fluid passage while maintaining manufacturability
Data Source
AI summary
A seal for a gas turbine engine includes a top, a bottom, a left side, a right side, a back and a front. The back is parallel to the front and the left side is parallel to the right side such that a non-square shape is formed by the intersection of the back, the left side, the front and the right side. The top includes a first vane mating surface and the bottom includes a second vane mating surface.