Variable vane and seal arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803559-B2
Application number	US-201514615665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2015
Priority date	Feb 6, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment of this disclosure relates to a system including an airfoil having a static portion, a moveable portion, and a seal between the static portion and the moveable portion. The seal is moveable separate from the static portion and the moveable portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an airfoil having a static portion, a moveable portion, and a seal between the static portion and the moveable portion, the seal moveable separate from the static portion and the moveable portion, wherein the static portion includes a passageway configured to direct fluid to a seat, the seal at least partially received in the seat, wherein pressure from the fluid flowing through the passageway urges the seal against a leading surface of the moveable portion.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the seal is retained against the moveable portion.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the seal is resiliently retained against the moveable portion at least partially by a spring.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the seal includes a fore surface and an aft surface, the aft surface being convex.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the aft surface abuts a leading surface of the moveable portion, the leading surface being convex.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the seal includes a fore lobe and an aft lobe, the fore lobe received in the seat, and the aft lobe received in a socket formed in the moveable portion.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the seal is maintained in position by a pressure differential between a pressure side and a suction side of the airfoil.

8. A system, comprising:
an airfoil having a static portion, a moveable portion, and a seal between the static portion and the moveable portion, the seal moveable separate from the static portion and the moveable portion, wherein the static portion includes a seat, the seal at least partially received in the seat; and
a spring is received in the seat, the seal resiliently retained in the direction of the moveable portion by the spring.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the spring is one of a wave spring, a W-spring, and an X-spring.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 , including a spindle, the spindle engaged with a socket in the moveable portion, wherein rotation of the spindle moves the moveable portion relative to the static portion.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein an end of the spindle is shaped to correspond to a shape of the socket.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the spindle includes a bore for routing a flow of fluid into an interior of the moveable portion.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the airfoil is a vane, the vane including an inner platform, an outer platform, and an airfoil section between the inner platform and the outer platform.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the moveable portion includes a tab projecting into a slot formed in one of the inner platform and the outer platform to restrict movement of the moveable portion.

15. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section;
a vane provided in one of the compressor section and the turbine section, the vane including a static portion, a moveable portion, and a seal between the static portion and the moveable portion, the seal moveable separate from the static portion and the moveable portion wherein the static portion includes a passageway configured to direct a fluid to a seat, the seal at least partially received in the seat, and wherein the seal is resiliently retained in the direction of the moveable portion at least partially by a spring.

16. The engine as recited in claim 15 , wherein the seal is retained against the moveable portion.

17. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the static portion includes a radial flow path configured to direct fluid in a radial direction within the static portion, and wherein the passageway is axially-extending and is arranged such that fluid from the radial flow path enters the passageway and flow toward the seal.

18. The engine as recited in claim 15 , wherein the static portion includes a radial flow path configured to direct fluid in a radial direction within the static portion, and wherein the passageway is axially-extending and is arranged such that fluid from the radial flow path enters the passageway and flow toward the seal.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Burdick Andrew D
• Praisner Thomas J
• Aggarwala Andrew S
• Hudson Eric A
• Mccaffrey Michael G

Classifications

• F01D5/148 Primary

  Blades with variable camber, e.g. by ejection of fluid · CPC title

• F05D2240/122

  related to the trailing edge of a stator vane · CPC title

• F02C9/20 Primary

  by throttling; by adjusting vanes · CPC title

• F02C3/04

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title

• F01D9/02

  Nozzles; Nozzle boxes; Stator blades; Guide conduits {, e.g. individual nozzles (nozzle boxes F01D9/047)} · CPC title