Vane Ring Attachment Faces for Gas Turbine Stress Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine designs face challenges in managing thermal expansion and stress distribution in the assembly of stationary vane arrays between outer and inner shrouds, which can lead to various stresses and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a vane ring with specific attachment faces, including radial, tangential, and axial faces, which are strategically oriented to transmit axial and tangential aerodynamic loads effectively, reducing tensile stresses and enhancing structural support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If vanes are assembled loosely in inner and outer shrouds to accommodate thermal expansion, then thermal expansion is accommodated, but various stresses are generated in the assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the attachment faces (radial, axial, and tangential orientations) to optimize load distribution. By specifically orienting the attachment faces at certain angles relative to each other, the design modifies the mechanical parameters of the assembly to reduce stress concentrations while maintaining thermal expansion capability.
2Productivity
If attachment faces are oriented to transmit aerodynamic loads, then load transmission efficiency is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment interface is segmented into three distinct faces: a radial attachment face, an axial attachment face, and a tangential attachment face. Each face is responsible for transmitting specific components of the aerodynamic loads, allowing for optimized load paths while maintaining a manageable structural configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a simple radial attachment to a three-dimensional attachment system involving radial, axial, and tangential components. This multi-dimensional attachment configuration enables more efficient load transmission by distributing forces across multiple orientations, effectively utilizing spatial dimensions to improve mechanical performance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An airfoil fairing shell (106) for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil section (72) between an outer vane endwall (80) and an inner vane endwall (76), at least one of the outer vane endwall (80) and the inner vane endwall (76) including a radial attachment face (150), a suction side tangential attachment face (152), a pressure side tangential attachment face (154), and an axial attachment face (156). Lugs (160) of a structural support (110) interface with at least one of the attachment faces. An airfoil faring shell (106) with a plurality of attachment faces (150, 152, 154, 156) made by a thicker region on the endwalls forming mating surfaces with the other fairings.