Vane airfoil shapes for embedded members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230927-B2
Application number	US-201916430191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A vane assembly may comprise a plurality of airfoils each extending between an inner platform and an outer platform, the plurality of airfoils comprising a nominal airfoil, a thickened airfoil, and a first thinned airfoil circumferentially adjacent to the thickened airfoil, wherein, the nominal airfoil has a first chord thickness, the thickened airfoil has a second chord thickness, and the thinned airfoil has a third chord thickness, wherein the second chord thickness is greater than the first chord thickness and the third chord thickness is less than the first chord thickness, and a member disposed within the thickened airfoil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vane assembly, comprising:
a plurality of airfoils each extending between an inner platform and an outer platform, the plurality of airfoils comprising a nominal airfoil, a thickened airfoil, and a first thinned airfoil circumferentially adjacent to the thickened airfoil,
wherein, the nominal airfoil has a first chord thickness and a first chord length, the thickened airfoil has a second chord thickness and a second chord length, and the thinned airfoil has a third chord thickness and a third chord length, wherein the second chord thickness is greater than the first chord thickness and the third chord thickness is less than the first chord thickness, and wherein at least one of the second chord length and the third chord length is substantially equal to the first chord length; and
a probe disposed within the thickened airfoil,
wherein a throat area between the thickened airfoil and the thinned airfoil is within ±5% of a throat area between the nominal airfoil and a circumferentially adjacent nominal airfoil of the plurality of airfoils.

2. The vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the probe is an optical probe including an optical fiber and at least one of a mirror assembly or lens assembly, wherein the thickened airfoil further comprises a window.

3. The vane assembly of claim 2 , wherein the thickened airfoil comprises a pressure side thickened region relative to the nominal airfoil at a pressure side, and wherein the first thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the pressure side thickened region.

4. The vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thickened airfoil comprises a suction side thickened region relative to the nominal airfoil at a suction side.

5. The vane assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the suction side thickened region.

6. The vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thickened airfoil comprises a pressure side thickened region and a suction side thickened region relative to the nominal airfoil at a respective pressure side and a suction side.

7. The vane assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the pressure side thickened region and a second thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the suction side thickened region.

8. The vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thickened airfoil and the first thinned airfoil each extend from a common platform.

9. The vane assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thickened airfoil and the adjacent first thinned airfoil are configured to turn a gas path flow therebetween to within ±20% of a trailing edge exit angle as the nominal airfoil.

10. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section configured to compress a gas;
a combustor section aft of the compressor section and configured to combust the gas;
a turbine section aft of the combustor section and configured to extract work from the gas;
a case enclosing at least one of the compressor section, the combustor section, or the turbine section;
and a vane instrumentation assembly, comprising:
a plurality of airfoils within the case each extending between an inner platform and an outer platform, the plurality of airfoils comprising a nominal airfoil, a thickened airfoil, and a first thinned airfoil circumferentially adjacent to the thickened airfoil,
wherein, the nominal airfoil has a first chord thickness and a first chord length, the thickened airfoil has a second chord thickness and a second chord length, and the thinned airfoil has a third chord thickness and a third chord length, wherein the second chord thickness is greater than the first chord thickness and the third chord thickness is less than the first chord thickness, and wherein at least one of the second chord length and the third chord length is substantially equal to the first chord length;
a probe disposed through a penetration in the case and within the thickened airfoil; and a sensor coupled to the probe,
wherein a throat area between the thickened airfoil and the thinned airfoil is within ±5% of a throat area between the nominal airfoil and a circumferentially adjacent nominal airfoil of the plurality of airfoils.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the thickened airfoil comprises a pressure side thickened region relative to the nominal airfoil at a pressure side.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the first thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the pressure side thickened region.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the thickened airfoil comprises a suction side thickened region relative to the nominal airfoil at a suction side.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the first thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the suction side thickened region.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the thickened airfoil comprises a pressure side thickened region and a suction side thickened region relative to the nominal airfoil at a respective pressure side and a suction side.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the first thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the pressure side thickened region and a second thinned airfoil is disposed circumferentially adjacent to the suction side thickened region.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the thickened airfoil and the adjacent first thinned airfoil are configured to turn a gas path flow therebetween to within ±20% of a trailing edge exit angle as the nominal airfoil.

18. A method of instrumenting a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
coupling a thickened airfoil circumferentially proximate a thinned airfoil on a common platform to form a vane doublet,
wherein, the thickened airfoil comprises a first chord thickness and a first chord length and the thinned airfoil comprises a second chord thickness and a second chord length, wherein the first chord thickness is greater than the second chord thickness, and wherein the first chord length is substantially equal to the second chord length,
wherein a throat area between the thickened airfoil and the thinned airfoil is within ±5% of a throat area between a nominal airfoil and a circumferentially adjacent nominal airfoil of the plurality of airfoils;
coupling the vane doublet within a case of the gas turbine engine;
inserting a probe through the case and into the thickened airfoil; and
aligning a probe head of the probe with a window of the thickened airfoil of the vane doublet.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Anderson Corey D
• Monastero Marianne C
• Skidelsky Vladimir

Classifications

• F02K1/80

  Couplings or connections · CPC title

• F01D25/28

  Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing · CPC title

• F05D2260/83

  Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor · CPC title

• F01D17/02

  Arrangement of sensing elements · CPC title

• F01D5/141 Primary

  Shape, i.e. outer, aerodynamic form (F01D5/148 - F01D5/20 take precedence; blade construction F01D5/147) · CPC title