U.S. patent application number 14/427323 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-10 for static guide vane with internal hollow channels.
The applicant listed for this patent is UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Steven L. Conner, John C. Ditomasso, Carl Brian Klinetob, Jason Leroux, John P. Lucashu, Andrew Pope, Gregory E. Reinhardt, David J. Yudichak.
Application Number | 20150252679 14/427323 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50435303 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150252679 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pope; Andrew ; et
al. |
September 10, 2015 |
STATIC GUIDE VANE WITH INTERNAL HOLLOW CHANNELS
Abstract
A static guide vane for use in a fan section of a gas turbine
engine includes an outer platform and an inner platform. The inner
and outer platforms are connected by an airfoil. The airfoil have
channels extending into a main body of the airfoil to reduce the
weight of the vane. A cover closes off the channels with the cover
providing a portion of the airfoil.
Inventors: |
Pope; Andrew; (Glendale,
NY) ; Yudichak; David J.; (Tolland, CT) ;
Lucashu; John P.; (Durham, CT) ; Reinhardt; Gregory
E.; (South Glastonbury, CT) ; Ditomasso; John C.;
(Glastonbury, CT) ; Conner; Steven L.; (Avon,
CT) ; Klinetob; Carl Brian; (East Haddam, CT)
; Leroux; Jason; (Kensington, CT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION |
Hartford |
CT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50435303 |
Appl. No.: |
14/427323 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
March 4, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2013/028787 |
371 Date: |
March 11, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61708109 |
Oct 1, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/183 ;
415/208.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01D 9/041 20130101;
F05D 2240/12 20130101; F01D 9/02 20130101; F05D 2230/23 20130101;
F01D 5/147 20130101; F01D 1/02 20130101; Y02T 50/671 20130101; Y02T
50/60 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F01D 9/02 20060101
F01D009/02; F01D 1/02 20060101 F01D001/02 |
Claims
1. A static guide vane for a gas turbine engine comprising: an
outer platform and an inner platform, said inner and outer
platforms connected by an airfoil; and said airfoil having channels
extending into a main body of said airfoil and a cover closing off
said channels with said cover providing a portion of said
airfoil.
2. The static guide vane as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are
a plurality of said channels extending in a generally radial
direction from said inner platform toward said outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of said airfoil towards a trailing edge
of said airfoil.
3. The static guide vane as set forth in claim 2, wherein said
channels extend for a greater width, with the width defined between
the leading and trailing edges, as the channels approach the
trailing edge.
4. The static guide vane as set forth in claim 2, wherein there are
ribs intermediate said plurality of channels.
5. The static guide vane as set forth in claim 4, wherein said
ribs, and portions of a recess between said channels and said
trailing and leading edges together form a planar surface for
supporting said cover.
6. The static guide vane as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are
a plurality of said channels extending in a generally radial
direction from said inner platform toward said outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of said airfoil towards a trailing edge
of said airfoil, said channels extend for a greater width, with the
width defined between the leading and trailing edges, as the
channels approach the trailing edge, there are ribs intermediate
said plurality of channels, and portions of a recess between said
channels and said trailing and leading edges together form a planar
surface for supporting said cover.
7. The static guide vane as set forth in claim 1, wherein a feature
ensures that said cover is an appropriate cover for the particular
static guide vane.
8. A fan section for use in a gas turbine engine comprising: a fan
rotor; and a static guide vane, the static guide vane having an
outer platform and an inner platform, said inner and outer
platforms connected by an airfoil, said airfoil having channels
extending into a main body of said airfoil, and a cover closing off
said channels with said cover providing a portion of said
airfoil.
9. The fan section as set forth in claim 8, wherein there are a
plurality of said channels extending in a generally radial
direction from said inner platform toward said outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of said airfoil towards a trailing edge
of said airfoil.
10. The fan section as set forth in claim 9, wherein said channels
extend for a greater width, with the width defined between the
leading and trailing edges as the channels approach the trailing
edge.
11. The fan section as set forth in claim 9, wherein there are ribs
intermediate said plurality of channels.
12. The fan section as set forth in claim 11, wherein said ribs,
and portions of a recess between said channels and said trailing
and leading edges together form a planar surface for supporting
said cover.
13. The fan section as set forth in claim 8, wherein there are a
plurality of said channels extending in a generally radial
direction from said inner platform toward said outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of said airfoil towards a trailing edge
of said airfoil, said channels extend for a greater width, with the
width defined between the leading and trailing edges, as the
channels approach the trailing edge, there are ribs intermediate
said plurality of channels, and portions of a recess between said
channels and said trailing and leading edges together form a planar
surface for supporting said cover.
14. The fan section as set forth in claim 8, wherein a feature
ensures that said cover is an appropriate cover for the particular
static guide vane.
15. A gas turbine engine comprising: a fan section and a compressor
section, with said fan section including a fan rotor; and a row of
static guide vanes, the static guide vanes having an outer platform
and an inner platform, said inner and outer platforms connected by
an airfoil, said airfoil having channels extending into a main body
of said airfoil to reduce the weight of said vane, and a cover
closing off said channels with said cover providing a portion of
said airfoil.
16. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, wherein there
are a plurality of said channels extending in a generally radial
direction from said inner platform toward said outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of said airfoil towards a trailing edge
of said airfoil.
17. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 16, wherein said
channels extend for a greater width, with the width defined between
the leading and trailing edges as the channels approach the
trailing edge.
18. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 16, wherein there
are ribs intermediate said plurality of channels.
19. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 18, wherein said
ribs, and portions of a recess between said channels and said
trailing and leading edges together form a planar surface for
supporting said cover.
20. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, wherein there
are a plurality of said channels extending in a generally radial
direction from said inner platform toward said outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of said airfoil towards a trailing edge
of said airfoil, said channels extend for a greater width, with the
width defined between the leading and trailing edges, as the
channels approach the trailing edge, there are ribs intermediate
said plurality of channels, and portions of a recess between said
channels and said trailing and leading edges together form a planar
surface for supporting said cover.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application relates to a static guide vane which is
provided with hollow channels to reduce weight.
[0002] Gas turbine engines typically include a fan delivering air
into a compressor. The air is compressed and passed into a
combustor section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. Products
of the combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors, driving them
to rotate. The turbine rotors, in turn, drive compressor and fan
rotors.
[0003] Traditionally, a low pressure turbine would drive a low
pressure compressor and the fan as one spool. Thus, all three
components rotated at a common speed. More recently, it has been
proposed to include a gear reduction between the fan and the low
pressure turbine. With the use of the gear reduction, the fan can
rotate at a slower speed than the low pressure turbine or the low
pressure compressor.
[0004] As fan speed has decreased, the diameter of the fan could be
increased. The fan typically also delivers air into a bypass duct
where it becomes propulsion for an aircraft receiving the gas
turbine engine. As the fan diameter has increased, so has the
amount of bypass air.
[0005] With the movement to larger fans, guide vanes which are
positioned downstream of the fan rotor have become structural
components. As the guide vanes have become structural components
and have become larger, their weight has become undesirably
large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a featured embodiment, a static guide vane for a gas
turbine engine has an outer platform and an inner platform
connected by an airfoil. The airfoil has channels extending into a
main body of the airfoil and a cover closing off the channels with
the cover providing a portion of the airfoil.
[0007] In another embodiment according to the previous embodiment,
there are a plurality of channels extending in a generally radial
direction from the inner platform toward the outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of the airfoil towards a trailing edge
of the airfoil.
[0008] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, the channels extend for a greater width, with the
width defined between the leading and trailing edges, as the
channels approach the trailing edge.
[0009] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are ribs intermediate the plurality of
channels.
[0010] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, the ribs and portions of a recess between the channels
and the trailing and leading edges together form a planar surface
for supporting the cover.
[0011] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are a plurality of channels extending in a
generally radial direction from the inner platform toward the outer
platform, and spaced from a leading edge of the airfoil towards a
trailing edge of the airfoil. The channels extend for a greater
width, with the width defined between the leading and trailing
edges, as the channels approach the trailing edge. There are ribs
intermediate the plurality of channels. Portions of a recess
between the channels and the trailing and leading edges together
form a planar surface for supporting the cover.
[0012] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, a feature ensures that the cover is an appropriate
cover for the particular static guide vane.
[0013] In another featured embodiment, a fan section for use in a
gas turbine engine has a fan rotor. A static guide vane has an
outer platform and an inner platform connected by an airfoil. The
has channels extending into a main body of the airfoil, and a cover
closing off the channels with the cover providing a portion of the
airfoil.
[0014] In another embodiment according to the previous embodiment,
there are a plurality of channels extending in a generally radial
direction from the inner platform toward the outer platform, and
spaced from a leading edge of the airfoil towards a trailing edge
of the airfoil.
[0015] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, the channels extend for a greater width, with the
width defined between the leading and trailing edges as the
channels approach the trailing edge.
[0016] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are ribs intermediate the plurality of
channels.
[0017] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, the ribs, and portions of a recess between the
channels and the trailing and leading edges together form a planar
surface for supporting the cover.
[0018] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are a plurality of channels extending in a
generally radial direction from the inner platform toward the outer
platform, and are spaced from a leading edge of the airfoil towards
a trailing edge of the airfoil. The channels extend for a greater
width, with the width defined between the leading and trailing
edges, as the channels approach the trailing edge. There are ribs
intermediate the plurality of channels. Portions of a recess
between the channels and the trailing and leading edges together
form a planar surface for supporting the cover.
[0019] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, a feature ensures that the cover is an appropriate
cover for the particular static guide vane.
[0020] In another featured embodiment, a gas turbine engine has a
fan section and a compressor section, with the fan section
including a fan rotor. A row of static guide vanes has an outer
platform and an inner platform connected by an airfoil. The airfoil
has channels extending into a main body of the airfoil to reduce
the weight of the vane. A cover closes off the channels with the
cover providing a portion of the airfoil.
[0021] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are a plurality of channels extending in a
generally radial direction from the inner platform toward the outer
platform, and spaced from a leading edge of the airfoil towards a
trailing edge of the airfoil.
[0022] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, the channels extend for a greater width, with the
width defined between the leading and trailing edges as the
channels approach the trailing edge.
[0023] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are ribs intermediate the plurality of
channels.
[0024] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, the ribs, and portions of a recess between the
channels and the trailing and leading edges together form a planar
surface for supporting the cover.
[0025] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, there are a plurality of channels extending in a
generally radial direction from the inner platform toward the outer
platform, and spaced from a leading edge of the airfoil towards a
trailing edge of the airfoil. The channels extend for a greater
width, with the width defined between the leading and trailing
edges, as the channels approach the trailing edge. There are ribs
intermediate the plurality of channels. Portions of a recess
between the channels and the trailing and leading edges together
form a planar surface for supporting the cover.
[0026] In another embodiment according to any of the previous
embodiments, a feature ensures that the cover is an appropriate
cover for the particular static guide vane.
[0027] These and other features may be best understood from the
following drawings and specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 schematically shows a gas turbine engine.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows details of a fan guide vane.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the FIG. 2 guide
vane.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a gas turbine engine 20.
The gas turbine engine 20 is disclosed herein as a two-spool
turbofan that generally incorporates a fan section 22, a compressor
section 24, a combustor section 26 and a turbine section 28.
Alternative engines might include an augmentor section (not shown)
among other systems or features. The fan section 22 drives air
along a bypass flow path B in a bypass duct defined within a
nacelle 15, while the compressor section 24 drives air along a core
flow path C for compression and communication into the combustor
section 26 then expansion through the turbine section 28. Although
depicted as a turbofan gas turbine engine in the disclosed
non-limiting embodiment, it should be understood that the concepts
described herein are not limited to use with turbofans as the
teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines
including three-spool architectures.
[0032] The engine 20 generally includes a low speed spool 30 and a
high speed spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central
longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure 36 via
several bearing systems 38. It should be understood that various
bearing systems 38 at various locations may alternatively or
additionally be provided.
[0033] The low speed spool 30 generally includes an inner shaft 40
that interconnects a fan 42, a low pressure compressor 44 and a low
pressure turbine 46. The inner shaft 40 is connected to the fan 42
through a geared architecture 48 to drive the fan 42 at a lower
speed than the low speed spool 30. The high speed spool 32 includes
an outer shaft 50 that interconnects a high pressure compressor 52
and high pressure turbine 54. A combustor 56 is arranged between
the high pressure compressor 52 and the high pressure turbine 54. A
mid-turbine frame 57 of the engine static structure 36 is arranged
generally between the high pressure turbine 54 and the low pressure
turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 further supports bearing
systems 38 in the turbine section 28. The inner shaft 40 and the
outer shaft 50 are concentric and rotate via bearing systems 38
about the engine central longitudinal axis A which is collinear
with their longitudinal axes.
[0034] The core airflow is compressed by the low pressure
compressor 44 then the high pressure compressor 52, mixed and
burned with fuel in the combustor 56, then expanded over the high
pressure turbine 54 and low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine
frame 57 includes airfoils 59 which are in the core airflow path.
The turbines 46, 54 rotationally drive the respective low speed
spool 30 and high speed spool 32 in response to the expansion.
[0035] The engine 20 in one example is a high-bypass geared
aircraft engine. In a further example, the engine 20 bypass ratio
is greater than about six (6), with an example embodiment being
greater than ten (10), the geared architecture 48 is an epicyclic
gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system,
with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.3 and the low
pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about
five (5). In one disclosed embodiment, the engine 20 bypass ratio
is greater than about ten (10:1), the fan diameter is significantly
larger than that of the low pressure compressor 44, and the low
pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about
five (5:1). Low pressure turbine 46 pressure ratio is pressure
measured prior to inlet of low pressure turbine 46 as related to
the pressure at the outlet of the low pressure turbine 46 prior to
an exhaust nozzle. The geared architecture 48 may be an epicycle
gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system,
with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.5:1. It should
be understood, however, that the above parameters are only
exemplary of one embodiment of a geared architecture engine and
that the present invention is applicable to other gas turbine
engines including direct drive turbofans.
[0036] A significant amount of thrust is provided by the bypass
flow B due to the high bypass ratio. The fan section 22 of the
engine 20 is designed for a particular flight condition--typically
cruise at about 0.8 Mach and about 35,000 feet. The flight
condition of 0.8 Mach and 35,000 ft, with the engine at its best
fuel consumption--also known as "bucket cruise Thrust Specific Fuel
Consumption (`TSFC`)"--is the industry standard parameter of lbm of
fuel being burned divided by lbf of thrust the engine produces at
that minimum point. "Low fan pressure ratio" is the pressure ratio
across the fan blade alone, without a Fan Exit Guide Vane ("FEGV")
system. The low fan pressure ratio as disclosed herein according to
one non-limiting embodiment is less than about 1.45. "Low corrected
fan tip speed" is the actual fan tip speed in ft/sec divided by an
industry standard temperature correction of [(Tram .degree.
R)/(518.7 .degree. R)].sup.0.5. The "Low corrected fan tip speed"
as disclosed herein according to one non-limiting embodiment is
less than about 1150 ft/second.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows a static guide vane 100, which is positioned
downstream of a fan rotor, such as fan rotor 42 as shown in FIG. 1.
An outer platform mount 105 is connected by an airfoil 110 to an
inner platform mount 115. The static guide vane 100 has a leading
edge 160 and a trailing edge 150. There is a recess 165/155 cut
into an outer surface of the blade and which provides a surface to
receive a cover 200, as shown in FIG. 3. The cover 200 may be
secured such as by adhesive to a main body 201 of the vane 100.
[0038] As can be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3, there are three
channels 128, 130 and 135 spaced in a direction from the leading
edge 160 toward the trailing edge 150. There are also intermediate
ribs 140 and 145 intermediate the channels. An outer surface of
ribs 140 and 145 define a parallel plane with surfaces 165 and 155
of the recess to support the cover 200.
[0039] As can be appreciated from FIG. 3, the width of the channels
128, 130, 135 defined in a direction from the leading edge 160
toward the trailing edge 150 increases as the channels approach the
trailing edge 150.
[0040] The ribs will provide structural support to the vane 100
while the channels 128, 130 and 135 reduce the overall weight.
[0041] As shown, a "fool-proofing" notch 300 will ensure that the
cover 200 which is mounted on a static guide vane 100 will be an
appropriate cover. There are a number of distinct static guide vane
classes, and each have an appropriate, and different, cover. By
positioning the feature 300 at distinct locations, one can be
assured that the proper cover 200 is mounted on each static guide
vane 100.
[0042] Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed,
a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain
modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For
that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine
the true scope and content of this invention.
* * * * *