Stator vane control system with magnetic actuation rotor for gas turbine engines

A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the vane assembly comprising

• a first plurality of vanes configured to each rotate about a first vane pitch axis,
• a first actuator assembly including a first annular ring coupled to the first plurality of vanes, a first magnet arranged on the first annular ring, and a first stator spaced apart from the first magnet, and
• a controller configured to control the first stator so as to control movement of the first annular ring via interaction between the first stator and the first magnet,
• wherein the annular movement of the first annular ring causes rotation of at least one first vane of the first plurality of vanes about the first vane pitch axis.

A method, comprising

• providing a first plurality of vanes extending radially outward relative to a central axis of a gas turbine engine, each vane configured to rotate about a first vane pitch axis that extends radially relative to the central axis,
• providing a first actuator assembly including a first annular ring, a first magnet, and a first stator,
• arranging the first annular ring radially outward of the first plurality of vanes,
• coupling the first annular ring to at least one first vane of the first plurality of vanes,
• arranging the first magnet on the first annular ring,
• arranging the first stator in spaced apart relation to the first magnet, the first stator configured to electromagnetically interact with the first magnet, wherein the first annular ring is configured to rotate the at least one first vane about the corresponding first vane pitch axis in response to rotation of the first annular ring about the central axis and the first stator is configured to selectively rotate the first magnet and first annular ring about the central axis, and
• providing a controller configured to control a current flowing through the first stator so as to control movement of the first annular ring via interaction between a magnetic field created by the current and the first magnet to thereby control rotation of the at least one first vane about the corresponding first pitch axis.