Gas Turbine Vane Repair Member for Guided Translation Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing damaged vanes in gas turbines, particularly those with multiple cooling holes at the trailing edges, require precise vertical and horizontal alignment, making the process complex and challenging, especially in heavy-duty applications like the Oil & Gas industry.
Innovation Solution
A repair member comprising an inner platform, an outer platform, and an airfoil portion that allows for insertion through a pure translation movement parallel to the axes of the rings, simplifying the repair process by creating guides for sliding the repair member into place, thereby reducing alignment precision requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the repair member is inserted using conventional methods requiring precise horizontal and vertical alignment, then the repair accuracy is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guide structures (guide holes, guide surfaces, or guide rails) as intermediary elements between the repair member and the vane assembly. These guides mediate the insertion process by providing predetermined paths that automatically ensure proper alignment, eliminating the need for precise manual positioning while maintaining high repair accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the insertion process from requiring precise positioning in multiple dimensions (horizontal and vertical alignment) to a simplified one-dimensional sliding motion along a predetermined guide path. This dimensional reduction makes the operation much easier while maintaining accuracy through the constraint of the guide structure
2Ease of operation
If the repair member is inserted by sliding along guides, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The repair member is divided into distinct functional segments (replacement airfoil portion, inner platform portion, outer platform portion) that can be manufactured separately and assembled. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall structure by removing unnecessary complex alignment features
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structures serve multiple functions: they guide the insertion motion, ensure proper alignment, and provide structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate alignment mechanisms, thereby simplifying the overall device despite the added guide components
Data Source
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AI summary
The repair member (200) comprises an inner platform portion (201) designed to replace part of the inner platform of a damaged vane, an outer platform portion (202) designed to replace part of the outer platform of a damaged vane, and an airfoil portion (204) connecting the inner and outer platform portions (201, 202) and designed to replace a leading edge portion or a trailing edge portion of a damaged vane; the inner platform portion (201) is configured so to reach an edge of a first ring or sector of ring of a vane assembly of the damaged vane, and the outer platform portion (202) is configured so to reach an edge of a second ring or sector of ring of the a vane assembly of the damaged vane; the inner platform portion (201), the outer platform portion (202), and the airfoil portion (204) are configured so to allow insertion of the repair member (200) into the vane assembly (100) by a pure translation movement being along an insertion direction and having a movement component parallel to an axes (153) of the first and second rings or sectors of ring (150, 160).