# US 10,480,326 B2 · Vane for variable area turbine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,326 B2 - Document ID: US10480326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/701,008 - Filed: 2017-09-11 - Published: 2019-03-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-11 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: David J. Candelori; Michael F. Blair - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480326B2 ## CPC - F01D 5/148: {Blades with variable camber, e.g. by ejection of fluid} - F01D 5/142: {of the blades of successive rotor or stator blade-rows} - F01D 5/145: {Means for influencing boundary layers or secondary circulations (for compressors F04D29/68)} - F01D 5/186: {Film cooling (F01D5/187 takes precedence)} - F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)} - F01D 17/148: {by means of rotatable members, e.g. butterfly valves} - F01D 17/16: by means of nozzle vanes - F01D 17/162: {for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence)} - F04D 29/544: {Blade shapes} - F05D 2240/122: related to the trailing edge of a stator vane - F05D 2240/304: related to the trailing edge of a rotor blade - F05D 2260/202: by film cooling - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Disclosed is a vane stage for a variable area turbine, comprising vane platforms comprising a first vane platform and a second vane platform, one of the vane platforms being a radial inner vane platform and another of the vane platforms being a radial outer vane platform, and a space therebetween defining an air flowpath; a primary vane body secured at opposing radial ends to the first vane platform and the second vane platform, a secondary vane body movably secured at the first vane platform, the secondary vane body being movable between a stowed position, wherein the secondary vane body is outside of the air flow path, and a deployed position, wherein the secondary vane body is extended between the plurality of vane platforms to form a vane trailing edge extension. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vane stage for a variable area turbine, comprising: a plurality of vane platforms comprising a first vane platform and a second vane platform, one of the plurality of vane platforms being a radial inner vane platform and another of the plurality of vane platforms being a radial outer vane platform, and a space therebetween defining an air flowpath; a primary vane body secured at opposing radial ends to the first vane platform and the second vane platform, the primary vane body having a primary leading edge, a primary trailing edge, a primary pressure side and a primary suction side, a secondary vane body movably secured at the first vane platform, the secondary vane body having secondary leading edge, a secondary trailing edge, a secondary pressure side and a secondary suction side, and the secondary vane body being movable between a stowed position, wherein the secondary vane body is outside of the air flow path and a first radial end surface of the secondary vane body is flush with the first vane platform, and a deployed position, wherein the secondary vane body is extended between the plurality of vane platforms to form a vane trailing edge extension, and the secondary vane body includes a plurality of radially spaced tabs that support the secondary pressure side and secondary suction side of the secondary body, the plurality of tabs defining the leading edge of the secondary vane body and the tabs forming a first boss for positioning the secondary vane body at the trailing edge of the primary vane body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vane stage of claim 1 wherein the radial end of surface of the secondary vane body includes a plurality of protrusions forming a second boss for positioning secondary vane body against the second vane platform. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vane stage of claim 2 wherein the trailing edge of the primary body includes a cooling air slot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vane stage of claim 3 wherein a trailing edge of the plurality of tabs is tapered to form an air convergence cavity within the secondary vane body, the wherein the air convergence cavity receives air flowing from the trailing edge of the primary vane body when the secondary vane body is in the deployed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vane stage of claim 4 wherein the secondary vane body includes a plurality of cooling holes in one or both of the secondary pressure side surface and secondary suction side surface proximate the air convergence cavity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The vane stage of claim 3 wherein the secondary vane body includes a cooling slot extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the secondary body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The vane stage of claim 3 wherein the trailing edge of the primary vane body includes a radially extending cutback slot along which the secondary leading edge of the secondary vane body is positioned in the deployed position. ### Claim 8 A gas turbine engine comprising: a variable area turbine that includes a vane stage, the vane stage comprising: a plurality of vane platforms comprising a first vane platform and a second vane platform, one of the plurality of vane platforms being a radial inner vane platform and another of the plurality of vane platforms being a radial outer vane platform, and a space therebetween defining an air flowpath; a primary vane body secured at opposing radial ends to the first vane platform and the second vane platform, the primary vane body having a primary leading edge, a primary trailing edge, a primary pressure side and a primary suction side, a secondary vane body movably secured at the first vane platform, the secondary vane body having secondary leading edge, a secondary trailing edge, a secondary pressure side and a secondary suction side, the secondary vane body being movable between a stowed position, wherein the secondary vane body is outside of the air flow path and a first radial end surface of the secondary vane body is flush with the first vane platform, and a deployed position, wherein the secondary vane body is extended between the plurality of vane platforms to form a vane trailing edge extension, and the secondary vane body includes a plurality of radially spaced tabs that support the secondary pressure side and secondary suction side of the secondary body, the plurality of tabs defining the leading edge of the secondary vane body and the tabs forming a first boss for positioning the secondary vane body at the trailing edge of the primary vane body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The engine of claim 8 wherein the radial end of surface of the secondary vane body includes a plurality of protrusions forming a second boss for positioning secondary vane body against the second vane platform. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The engine of claim 9 wherein the trailing edge of the primary body includes a cooling air slot. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The engine of claim 10 wherein a trailing edge of the plurality of tabs is tapered to form an air convergence cavity within the trailing edge of the secondary vane body, the wherein the air convergence cavity receives air flowing from the first plurality of film cooling holes when the secondary vane body is in the deployed position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The engine of claim 11 wherein the secondary vane body includes a plurality of cooling holes in one or both of the secondary pressure side surface and secondary suction side surface proximate the air convergence cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The engine of claim 10 wherein the secondary vane body includes a cooling slot extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the secondary body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The engine of claim 10 wherein the trailing edge of the primary vane body includes a radially extending cutback slot along which the secondary leading edge of the secondary vane body is positioned in the deployed position. ### Claim 15 A method for decreasing a gage distance between at least two vanes in a plurality of vanes on a first vane stage of a variable area turbine, the first vane stage comprising: a plurality of vane platforms comprising a first vane platform and a second vane platform, one of the plurality of vane platforms being a radial inner vane platform and another of the plurality of vane platforms being a radial outer vane platform, and a space therebetween defining an air flowpath; a primary vane body secured at opposing radial ends to the first vane platform and the second vane platform, the primary vane body having a primary leading edge, a primary trailing edge, a primary pressure side and a primary suction side, a secondary vane body movably secured at the first vane platform, the secondary vane body having secondary leading edge, a secondary trailing edge, a secondary pressure side and a secondary suction side, and the secondary vane body being movable between a stowed position, wherein the secondary vane body is outside of the air flow path and a first radial end surface of the secondary vane body is flush with the first vane platform, and a deployed position, wherein the secondary vane body is extended between the plurality of vane platforms to form a vane trailing edge extension, and the secondary vane body includes a plurality of radially spaced tabs that support the secondary pressure side and secondary suction side of the secondary body, the plurality of tabs defining the leading edge of the secondary vane body and the tabs forming a first boss for positioning the secondary vane body at the trailing edge of the primary vane body; the method comprising extending the secondary vane body from the stowed position to the deployed position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of vanes includes a primary vane body fixedly disposed on the first stage of the variable area turbine.