Gas Turbine Vane Rib Aligned with Aerodynamic Load Vector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine vanes face challenges in balancing aerodynamic load transmission, cooling, and manufacturing geometry, particularly in accommodating spars and baffles, while maintaining vane stiffness and minimizing bulge deflection.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a single rib aligned with the aerodynamic load vector, connecting the pressure and suction sides at specific axial spans and bulge deflection locations, enhancing vane stiffness and allowing for larger sub-cavities, which can be formed using ceramic materials with a double-walled rib for improved thermal characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple ribs are used to connect pressure and suction sides, then vane stiffness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vane is segmented into multiple sub-cavities by dividing the internal cavity into regions separated by ribs. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve sufficient stiffness through strategic placement of fewer ribs rather than using multiple ribs throughout, reducing complexity while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Ribs are positioned at specific locations where they are most needed for structural support, rather than uniformly distributed. The ribs connect the pressure side and suction side at optimized positions to provide local reinforcement where aerodynamic loads are highest, achieving overall stiffness with minimal rib count.
2Ease of manufacture
If ribs are positioned to accommodate spars and baffles, then manufacturing ease is improved, but aerodynamic performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The rib positions are predetermined during the design phase to align with the aerodynamic load vector and to pre-accommodate the locations of spars and baffles. This preliminary positioning ensures that manufacturing components like spars and baffles can be easily integrated without requiring additional structural modifications, while maintaining optimal aerodynamic load transmission paths.
3Temperature
If larger sub-cavities are created, then cooling efficiency is improved, but vane stiffness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rib structure is configured to extend in specific dimensional orientations that allow larger sub-cavities to form while maintaining stiffness. By strategically positioning ribs to connect pressure and suction sides at optimized locations, the structure creates three-dimensional cooling passages that provide efficient thermal management without compromising structural rigidity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vane for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil section that has an airfoil wall defining a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, and a suction side that bound an internal cavity. The airfoil section has associated characteristics including a center of pressure and an aerodynamic load vector through the center of pressure. The airfoil wall has a single rib connecting the pressure side and the suction side. The single rib is aligned with the aerodynamic load vector.