STATOR ASSEMBLY FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

• US 20100166545A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schuler, Arthur, Szrajer, Marek, Broniszewski, Jakub, Rzeszutek, Leszek
• Granted Patent: US 8,206,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/189
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/06 for preventing blade vibration means on blade-carrying members or blades F01D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/041 using blades F01D5/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/184 sinusoidal

Abstract

A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: (a) an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots; (b) an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots; (c) a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes extending between the inner and outer shrouds, each vane having inner and outer ends which are received in the inner and outer slots; and (d) an annular, resilient retention ring spring which engages the inner ends of the vanes and urges them in a radially inward direction.

Claims

1. A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

(a) an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots;

(b) an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots;

(c) a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes extending between the inner and outer shrouds, each vane having inner and outer ends which are received in the inner and outer slots, respectively; and

(d) an annular, resilient retention ring spring which engages the inner ends of the vanes and urges them in a radially inward direction.

2. The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the vanes has an overhanging platform disposed at its outer end, which is substantially larger in cross-sectional area than the corresponding outer slot.

3. The stator assembly of claim 1 further including a resilient, non-metallic grommet disposed between the outer end of each of the vanes and the respective outer slot.

4. The stator assembly of claim 3 wherein the grommet comprises fluorocarbon or fluorosilicone elastomer.

5. The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein each vane includes a hook disposed at its inner end which engages the retention ring.

6. The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein the retention ring has a corrugated shape.

7. The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein the retention ring has a generally flatted sinusoidal shape in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the stator assembly.

8. The stator assembly of claim 1 further including an annular, resilient, non-metallic filler block disposed in a inner cavity of the inner shroud, such that it encapsulates the hooks and the retention ring.

9. The stator assembly of claim 8 wherein the filler block comprises fluorocarbon or fluorosilicone elastomer.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising installing an annular, resilient, non-metallic filler block in a inner cavity of the inner shroud, such that it encapsulates the hooks and the retention ring.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the filler block is installed by:

(a) applying an uncured material in flowable form to the inner cavity; and

(b) curing the material so as to solidify it.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the filler block comprises fluorocarbon or fluorosilicone elastomer.

10. A method of assembling a stator assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

(a) providing an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots;

(b) providing an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots;

(c) inserting a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes through the inner and outer slots; and

(d) engaging the inner ends of the vanes with a resilient retention ring which urges them in a radially inward direction.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein each of the vanes has an overhanging platform disposed at its outer end, which is substantially larger in cross-sectional area than the corresponding outer slot.

12. The method of claim 10 further including inserting a resilient, non-metallic grommet between the outer end of each of the vanes and the respective outer slot.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the grommet comprises silicone rubber.

14. The method of claim 10 further including engaging a hook disposed at the inner end of each vane with the retention ring.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the retention ring has a corrugated shape.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the retention ring has a generally flatted sinusoidal shape in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the stator assembly.