NON UNIFORM VANE SPACING

• US 20170268537A1
• Filed: 03/15/2016
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mielke, Mark Joseph, Wood, Peter John, Green, Brian Richard, Taylor, Steven Mitchell, Moeckel, Curtis, Frisch, Mark Joseph, Bruni, Joseph Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/041 using blades F01D5/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/042 fixing blades to stators fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/328 with unequal distribution of blades around the hub
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/542 Bladed diffusers fixing blades to stators F01D9/042
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/666 by means of rotor construction or layout, e.g. unequal distribution of blades or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/12 Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/128 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/30 Arrangement of components
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/961 by mistuning rotor blades or stator vanes with irregular interblade spacing, airfoil shape

Abstract

A circular row of non-uniformally spaced vanes includes only one first group and only one second group of adjacent vanes, unequal first and second spacing between adjacent vanes in the first and second groups, and first spacing greater than second spacing. An embodiment with second group including only three adjacent vanes. Second spacing may be about 25%-35% smaller than a nominal uniform spacing used as a design parameter for designing spacing of the non-uniformly spaced stator vanes. Circular row may be sectored. A gas turbine engine section may include one or more rings or circular rows of fixed and/or variable non-uniformally spaced vanes. Method for designing non-uniform vane spacing for circular row includes determining nominal uniform spacing and forming first spacing and second spacing from nominal uniform spacing of vanes.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine ring or circular row of non-uniformally spaced vanes comprising:

first group and second groups including all the vanes in the ring or circular row,

only one first group and only one second group of adjacent vanes,

unequal first and second spacing between the adjacent vanes in the first and second groups respectively, and

the first spacing greater than the second spacing.

2. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the second group including only three adjacent vanes and only two adjacent pairs of the vanes and the second spacing being between each of the vanes in each of the two adjacent pairs.

3. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a nominal uniformal spacing of the stator vanes used as a design parameter for designing the spacing of the non-uniformly spaced stator vanes and the second spacing being about 25%-35% smaller than the nominal uniformal spacing.

4. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row being sectored.

5. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row including about 9 to 14 sectors and about 8 to 16 vanes per sector.

6. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row being sectored.

7. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row including about 9 to 14 sectors and about 8 to 16 vanes per sector.

8. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the second group including one or more adjacent vanes including one or more adjacent pairs of the vanes and the second spacing being between each of the one or adjacent pairs of the vanes respectively.

9. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row being sectored.

10. The gas turbine engine ring or circular row as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row including about 9 to 14 sectors and about 8 to 16 vanes per sector.

11. A gas turbine engine assembly comprising:

a gas turbine engine section including one or more rings or circular rows of fixed and/or variable non-uniformally spaced vanes,

first group and second groups including all the vanes in each of the one or more rings or circular rows,

only one first group and only one second group of adjacent vanes in each of the one or more rings or circular rows,

unequal first and second spacing between the adjacent vanes in the first and second groups respectively, and

the first spacing greater than the second spacing.

12. The gas turbine engine assembly as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the second group including only three adjacent vanes and only two adjacent pairs of the vanes and the second spacing being between each of the vanes in each of the two adjacent pairs.

13. The gas turbine engine assembly as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a nominal uniformal spacing of the stator vanes used as a design parameter for designing the spacing of the non-uniformly spaced stator vanes and the second spacing being about 25%-35% smaller than the nominal uniformal spacing.

14. The gas turbine engine assembly as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the gas turbine engine rings or circular rows being sectored.

15. The gas turbine engine assembly as claimed in claim 14 further comprising the gas turbine engine rings or circular rows including about 9 to 14 sectors and about 8 to 16 vanes per sector.

16. The gas turbine engine assembly as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the gas turbine engine rings or circular rows being sectored.

17. The gas turbine engine assembly as claimed in claim 16 further comprising the gas turbine engine rings or circular rows including about 9 to 14 sectors and about 8 to 16 vanes per sector.

18. A method for designing non-uniform vane spacing for a ring or circular row of non-uniformally spaced gas turbine engine vanes, the method comprising:

determining a 360 degree nominal uniform spacing S pattern,

spreading apart one interim pair of the nominal uniformally spaced apart vanes and moving the remaining vanes closer together wherein the remaining vanes are all evenly spaced at a first spacing creating one big gap or an interim large spacing between the interim pair, and inserting an additional vane in the one big gap or interim large spacing forming two adjacent equal narrow gaps or spaces having second spacings smaller than the first spacing.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the second spacing being about 25%-35% smaller than the nominal uniformal spacing.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 further comprising the gas turbine engine ring or circular row being sectored.