Compressor outlet guide vane and diffuser assembly

• US 20030035723A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Decker, John J., Breeze-Stringfellow, Andrew, Szucs, Peter N.
• Granted Patent: US 6,554,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/211.2
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/141 Shape, i.e. outer, aerodynamic form F01D5/148 - F01D5/20 take precedence; blade construction F01D5/147
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/544 Blade shapes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/914 Device to control boundary layer

Abstract

A gas turbine engine outlet guide vane assembly has annular inner and outer end walls, a flowpath between the inner and outer end walls, outlet guide vanes radially disposed between the inner and outer end walls, and boundary layer energizing means for energizing boundary layers using secondary flow to mix free stream flow into the boundary layers along the inner and outer end walls and suction and pressure sides of the vanes. The boundary layer energizing means includes having the vanes circumferentially leaned in a direction that the suction sides face. The boundary layer energizing means also includes swept leading and/or trailing edges of the vanes that extend radially between the inner and outer end walls. The swept leading and/or trailing edges may be curved inwardly into the vanes from the outer end walls to leading and/or trailing edge points respectively between the end walls. The boundary layer energizing means also includes vanes that are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction and more particularly vanes that are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction the pressure sides face.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine outlet guide vane assembly comprising:

annular inner and outer end walls,

a flowpath between said inner and outer end walls,

outlet guide vanes radially disposed between said inner and outer end walls, and

boundary layer energizing means for energizing boundary layers using secondary flow to mix free stream flow into the boundary layers along said inner and outer end walls and suction and pressure sides of said vanes.

2. A gas turbine engine outlet guide vane assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pressure and suction sides and are circumferentially leaned in a circumferential direction that said suction sides face.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vanes have leading and trailing edges that extend radially between said inner and outer end walls and at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least one of said leading and trailing edges are curved inwardly into said vanes from said inner and outer end walls to at least one of leading and trailing edge points respectively between said inner and outer end walls.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vanes have are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction that said pressure sides face.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept and curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to at least one of leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept and curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to at least one of leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flowpath diverges between leading and trailing edges of said vanes.

13. An assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said vanes have leading and trailing edges that extend radially between said inner and outer end walls and at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept.

15. An assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said at least one of said leading and trailing edges are curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to at least one of leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction said pressure sides face.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said vanes have leading and trailing edges that extend radially between said inner and outer end walls and at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said at least one of said leading and trailing are curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to one of leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 20 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction said pressure sides face.

22. A gas turbine engine outlet guide vane and diffuser assembly comprising:

integral outlet guide vane and diffuser sections,

annular inner and outer end walls radially bounding said sections,

a flowpath between said inner and outer end walls,

said outlet guide vane section located forward of said diffuser section, and

said outlet guide vane section comprising outlet guide vanes radially disposed between said inner and outer end walls and boundary layer energizing means for energizing boundary layers using secondary flow to mix free stream flow into the boundary layers along said inner and outer end walls and suction and pressure sides of said vanes.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein said flowpath diverges between leading and trailing edges of said vanes.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 22 wherein said integral outlet guide vane and diffuser sections are integrally cast.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 23 wherein;

said leading and trailing edges extend radially between said inner and outer end walls,

said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face, and

at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept.

26. An assembly as claimed in claim 25 wherein said at least one of said leading and trailing edges are curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

27. An assembly as claimed in claim 26 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction.

28. An assembly as claimed in claim 27 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction said pressure sides face.

29. An assembly as claimed in claim 24 wherein said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face and at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept.

30. An assembly as claimed in claim 29 wherein said at least one of said leading and trailing edges are curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to at least one of said leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

31. An assembly as claimed in claim 30 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction.

32. A gas turbine engine outlet guide vane assembly as claimed in claim 31 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction said pressure sides face.

33. An assembly as claimed in claim 23 further comprising annular flow separators in said diffuser section.

34. An assembly as claimed in claim 23 further comprising struts extending radially across said flowpath between said inner and outer end walls in said diffuser section.

35. An assembly as claimed in claim 34 further comprising annular flow separators in said diffuser section.

36. An assembly as claimed in claim 33 wherein;

said vanes include leading and trailing edges that extend radially between said inner and outer end walls,

said vanes are circumferentially leaned in a direction that said suction sides face, and

at least one of said leading and trailing edges are swept.

37. An assembly as claimed in claim 36 wherein said at least one of said leading and trailing edges are curved inwardly into said vanes from said outer end walls to at least one of leading and trailing edge points respectively between said end walls.

38. An assembly as claimed in claim 37 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction.

39. An assembly as claimed in claim 38 wherein said vanes are bowed circumferentially outwardly in a circumferential direction said pressure sides face.

40. An assembly as claimed in claim 39 further comprising annular flow separators in said diffuser section.

41. An assembly as claimed in claim 40 further comprising struts extending radially across said flowpath between said inner and outer end walls in said diffuser section.