Heat exchanger inlet vane assemblies with improved mixing trailing edge features

A gas turbine engine comprising:

• a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a cooling fluid passing through the heat exchanger to a flow of air received by the heat exchanger, and
• an inlet shroud configured to be coupled with the heat exchanger upstream of the heat exchanger, the inlet shroud including a vane frame and a plurality of inlet turning vanes coupled with the vane frame and configured to direct the flow of air into the heat exchanger, the vane frame having a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart from and opposite the first side wall, and the plurality of inlet turning vanes located in the vane frame and configured to adjust a direction of the flow of air before the flow of air enters the heat exchanger,
• wherein the plurality of inlet turning vanes includes a first inlet vane and a second inlet vane, the first inlet vane including a first airfoil body having a first chord length, a first end of the first airfoil body coupled to the first side wall, and a second end of the first airfoil body coupled to the second side wall, and the second inlet vane including a second airfoil body having the first chord length, a first end of the second airfoil body coupled to the first side wall, and a second end of the second airfoil body coupled to the second side wall,
• wherein the first side wall and the second side wall of the vane frame are both formed to include a first slot having a second chord length and a second slot neighboring the first slot and having a third chord length different from the second chord length.

A method comprising:

• providing a heat exchanger,
• arranging an inlet shroud upstream of the heat exchanger, the inlet shroud including a vane frame and a plurality of inlet turning vanes including a first inlet vane and a second inlet vane, the vane frame having a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart from and opposite the first side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall both formed to include a first slot having a first chord length and a second slot neighboring the first slot and having a second chord length different from the first chord length,
• inserting a first tab extending from a first end of the first inlet vane into the first slot of the first side wall,
• inserting a second tab extending from a second end of the first inlet vane into the first slot of the second side wall,
• inserting a third tab extending from a first end of the second inlet vane into the second slot of the first side wall,
• inserting a fourth tab extending from a second end of the second inlet vane into the second slot of the second side wall,
• directing a flow of air through the inlet shroud, and
• adjusting a direction of the flow of air via the plurality of inlet turning vanes before the flow of air enters the heat exchanger.