Gas Turbine Vane Arrangement Hollow Region Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan outlet guide vanes in gas turbine engines face challenges in efficiently transmitting torsional, axial, and radial loads without additional structural support, leading to weight and cost penalties due to the need for A-frame structures.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a vane arrangement involving an aerofoil with a hollow cavity and a support member, where the aerofoil is welded to a stub, and material is removed to create a hollow region extending through both, allowing for increased wall thickness and reduced weight by forming a smooth transition without steps, and using a protrusion for precise alignment and reduced weld splatter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional OGVs are designed to transmit all loads (axial, radial, and torsional) without additional structure, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and weld quality deteriorate due to high stress concentrations and difficulty in achieving smooth transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is segmented into a body portion and a stub portion, allowing the stub to be specifically optimized for welding to the aerofoil while the body portion provides structural support. This segmentation enables focused attention on achieving high weld quality at the critical stub-aerofoil interface without compromising overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow region is pre-formed in the support member before welding to the aerofoil. This preliminary action ensures that the geometry is already optimized for load distribution and weld quality before the welding process occurs, preventing stress concentrations that would otherwise compromise weld integrity.
2Strength
If wall thickness is increased to improve load transmission capability, then strength increases, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow region in the support member creates a localized quality difference where the walls are effectively thicker at critical load-bearing sections while maintaining overall lightweight construction. The hollow cavity is strategically positioned and dimensioned to provide enhanced strength where loads are transmitted without uniformly increasing weight throughout the entire component.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member with its hollow region creates a composite-like structure that combines the benefits of thick-walled strength at critical interfaces with thin-walled lightweight construction in non-critical areas. This composite approach allows the structure to achieve high strength-to-weight ratio by having different effective wall thicknesses in different regions.
3Manufacturing precision
If smooth transition is provided between cavity of aerofoil and stub to eliminate steps, then manufacturing precision improves, but additional material removal is required increasing manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow region is pre-formed in the support member during its manufacturing process, before the welding operation. This preliminary formation of the hollow region ensures that when the aerofoil is subsequently welded to the stub, the transition is already smooth and free of steps, eliminating the need for additional post-weld machining or finishing operations.
4Manufacturing precision
If protrusion is provided in the stub for locating the aerofoil, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion feature is merged into the stub portion of the support member, which itself is an integral part of the support body. This merging approach provides precise location and alignment features without requiring separate, additional components. The protrusion is formed as part of the stub's geometry, eliminating the need for separate locating devices or fixtures during assembly.
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
This method enables the vane arrangement to effectively transfer loads while minimizing weight and cost, improving weld quality and reducing the need for additional structural support, thus enhancing the structural integrity and efficiency of the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
welding the aerofoil to the stub
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a vane arrangement for a gas turbine engine comprises providing an aerofoil having a hollow cavity with an open end and providing a support member having a stub. The method further comprises welding the aerofoil to the stub. The method yet further comprises removing material from the stub so as to define a hollow region that extends through the support member and stub to the cavity of the aerofoil.