Turbomachine Vane Damper With Composite Weight and Leaf Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dynamic dampers for turbomachines face challenges in accessibility during installation and suffer from wear due to friction, particularly in difficult environments like high-pressure compressors, and require accurate positioning and strong adhesives for bonded solutions or risk immobilization in fitted systems.
Innovation Solution
A turbomachine vane damper design featuring a composite material weight connected to a bearing plate via a leaf spring, allowing for installation in tight spaces with reduced friction and wear, adjustable mass without rebalancing the rotor, and interchangeable components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If bonded dampers are used to eliminate fitting problems, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to the need for accurate positioning and strong adhesives
Solution Approach 1:
The damper is divided into separate components: a weight element and a bearing plate element that can be fitted independently. The bearing plate is fitted first to the rotor disk rim, establishing a precise reference surface, and then the weight is positioned on top of it. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured and positioned separately with appropriate precision, eliminating the need for bonding while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If fitted dampers are used to avoid bonding requirements, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to wear from friction and potential immobilization
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing plate is designed with a specific geometry that allows it to rotate slightly relative to the rotor disk rim during operation. This dynamic movement enables the bearing plate to self-adjust and distribute wear evenly across its surface, preventing immobilization and maintaining operational reliability. The slight rotation accommodates manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansions while maintaining continuous contact for effective damping.
3Productivity
If dampers are installed in high-pressure compressor environments, then productivity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficult accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the damper into a bearing plate and a weight component, the installation process is simplified for difficult-to-access locations. The bearing plate can be fitted to the rotor disk rim first, providing a stable base, and then the weight is placed on top. This two-step process is much easier to perform in tight spaces compared to bonding the entire damper assembly, improving installation ease while maintaining productivity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the damper mass is adjusted to be interchangeable, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to mass adjustment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The weight component is designed with localized mass adjustment features, such as removable weights or adjustable counterbalance elements, that allow precise mass tuning without affecting the overall manufacturing precision of the damper assembly. This localized approach enables interchangeability and adaptability while maintaining the required mass precision through controlled modifications in specific areas rather than requiring high precision throughout the entire component.
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
Enables effective dynamic damping with reduced wear and improved accessibility, allowing for precise mass adjustment and interchangeability of the damper, enhancing the durability and installation ease in turbomachines.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (12) connecting said weight (11) to said bearing plate (13)
Implementation Method 2
at least said weight (11) being made of a composite material
Implementation Method 3
The purpose of dynamic damping is to modify the dynamic behavior of the vanes of the turbomachine by adding a mass underneath the platforms of the vanes. The loads thus generated in operation reduce the dynamic stresses in the roots of the vanes by changing the natural vibration frequencies.
Implementation Method 4
a bearing plate (13) shaped to bear on said rim
Data Source
AI summary
A turbomachine vane damper constructed so as to be housed between the lower face of the platforms of two adjacent turbomachine vanes and the rim of the rotor disk on which the vanes are mounted is disclosed. The damper includes a weight, a bearing plate and a spring. The spring connects the weight to the bearing plate.