Variable Vane Stabilizer for Gas Turbine Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Producing different vane parts for gas turbine engines with varying vane angles is costly and hampers repair and retrofit operations, as existing solutions fail to efficiently fix the angle of attack for variable vanes.
Innovation Solution
A variable vane stabilizer system that includes nearest neighbor attachments, a circumferential extension member, and a vane stem interface to connect and fix the angle of attack of multiple vanes, allowing for flexible installation and preloading to accommodate thermal growth and vibration damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different vane parts are produced for gas turbine engines with varying vane angles, then the angle of attack can be optimized for different operating conditions, but manufacturing costs increase and repair/retrofit operations are hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer is divided into multiple individual stabilizer members (first stabilizer member, second stabilizer member, etc.), each capable of independently fixing the angle of attack for adjacent vanes. This segmentation allows selective application and simplifies repair operations, as individual members can be replaced or adjusted without affecting the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer members are designed with universal applicability to work with vanes having different angles of attack. Each stabilizer member can be applied to fix various vane configurations, eliminating the need for different parts for different vane angles. The nearest neighbor attachments provide universal connection capability across multiple stabilizer members.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple stabilizer members are connected to fix vanes with different angles of attack, then versatility is improved, but alignment precision and connection reliability become more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The nearest neighbor attachments incorporate localized features such as tapered portions and complementary geometric shapes (e.g., triangular profiles) that enable self-alignment during assembly. These local geometric qualities ensure precise alignment between adjacent stabilizer members without requiring high-precision manufacturing across the entire component, accommodating variations in vane angles while maintaining connection reliability.
3Reliability
If nearest neighbor attachments are used to connect stabilizer members, then the system can accommodate thermal growth and vibration, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nearest neighbor attachments incorporate dynamic characteristics through tapered portions that allow controlled movement and flexibility. This enables the stabilizer members to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction while damping vibrations. The dynamic design maintains reliability under varying operating conditions without requiring overly complex rigid connection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanisms integrate multiple functions into unified structures. The nearest neighbor attachments combine connection, alignment, and flexibility accommodation into single integrated components, reducing the overall number of separate parts needed while maintaining the ability to handle thermal growth and vibration.
Data Source
AI summary
A variable vane stabilizer is disclosed. One or more variable vane stabilizer may be interconnected between/among two or more vanes of a gas turbine engine in order to fix the angle of attack of the vanes.