Insertable stator vane assembly

• US 5,494,404 A
• Filed: 12/22/1993
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc.
• Inventors: Mackin, Steven G., Thompson, James L., Little, Ian, Stenard, Seven C., White, Ellen, Hover, Forest H., Heydrich, Frank, Furseth, John P., Wilson, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John T.
• Application Number:
  US08/173,318
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 415/189, 415/209.2, 415/209.3, 415/209.4
• US Class Current: 415/209.3
• 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: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A turbofan engine fan stator assembly includes stator vanes readily insertable through the outer shroud into the stator assembly hub. Elastomeric grommets seal between the vanes, shroud and hub, and an outer band radially inwardly compresses the assembly. The vanes are radially secured to the hub only through frictional engagement with the hub grommet.

Claims

1. In a gas turbine engine having a rotary primary fan and a stationary fan stator vane assembly disposed downstream of said fan, said assembly comprising:

an annular outer shroud having openings therein;

an annular inner hub having openings therein and disposed concentrically to and radially inwardly of said shroud to define a radial space therebetween;

a plurality of stator vanes having air foil sections extending across said radial space and through said openings in said shroud and hub, each of said vanes having

a radial inner and extending through the associated one of said openings in the hub, and

an axially and circumferentially extending foot on the opposite radial outer end, said foot disposed radially outside said shroud;

an inner compressible seal between said hub and each of said stator vanes for sealing said associated openings in the hub, said stator vanes being in frictional engagement with the associated inner seal;

an outer compressible seal between said shroud and the foot of each of said stator vanes for sealing said associated openings in the shroud; and

means encircling said stator vanes and engaging said foot of each for exerting a radial inwardly directed compression force thereon to intersecure said assembly,

said vanes being comprised of a nonmetallic composite material comprising a plurality of compression molded, heat cured plies, said plies including a plurality of centrally located internal plies of reinforcement material of unidirectional yarns of para-aramid fibers, a plurality of plies of resin impregnated graphite fiber material on each side of said centrally located plies of reinforcement material, and an external steel wire mesh ply on the leading edges of said vanes.

2. A gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for exerting a radial inwardly directed compression force comprises an annular metallic band extending circumferentially around said assembly.

3. A gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said vanes have a circumferentially extending groove on the outer surface of said foot, said grooves being aligned to receive said band.

4. A gas turbine engine stator vane assembly comprising:

an annular outer shroud having openings therein;

an annular inner hub having openings therein and disposed concentrically to and radially inwardly of said shroud to define a radial space therebetween;

a plurality of stator vanes having airfoil sections extending across said radial space and through said openings in said shroud and hub, each of said vanes having

a radial inner and extending through the associated one of said openings in the hub, and

an axially and circumferentially extending foot on the opposite radial outer end, said foot disposed radially outside said shroud;

an inner compressible seal between said hub and each of said stator vanes for sealing said associated openings in the hub, said stator vanes being in frictional engagement with the associated inner seal and being otherwise unsecured to said hub;

an outer compressible seal between said shroud and the foot of each of said stator vanes for sealing said associated openings in the shroud; and

means encircling said stator vanes and encircling said foot of each for exerting a radial inwardly directed compression force thereon to intersecure said assembly,

said vane comprised of a nonmetallic composite material comprising a plurality of compression molded, heat cured plies, said plies including a plurality of centrally located internal plies of reinforcement material of unidirectional yarns of para-aramid fibers, a plurality of plies of resin impregnated graphite fiber material on each side of said centrally located plies of reinforcement material, and an external steel wire mesh ply on the leading edges of said vanes.