Fan exit guide vane load carrying tension member with damper

A gas turbine engine with a fan exit guide vane load member with a damper comprising:

• a fan located within a fan duct;
• an array of fan exit guide vanes supported within the fan duct downstream from the fan, the array of fan exit guide vanes span across the fan duct attached to a radially inner surface of the fan duct and a radially outer surface of the fan duct;
• each of the fan exit guide vanes comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge;
• a radially inner attachment region opposite spanwise from a radially outer attachment region, the radially inner attachment region in operative communication with the radially inner surface of the fan duct, the radially outer attachment region in operative communication with the radially outer surface of the fan duct;
• a span dimension extending between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region;
• a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge;
• a pressure side opposite a suction side of the fan exit guide vane;
• a load member cavity formed within at least one fan exit guide vane in the array, the load member cavity extending spanwise through the at least one fan exit guide vane from the radially inner attachment region to the radially outer attachment region;
• the load member extending through the load member cavity beyond each of the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region of the at least one fan exit guide vane;
• the load member in operative communication with the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface;
• and
• the damper in operative communication with the load member, wherein the damper is only located at a load member central portion, wherein the load member central portion is located midway between fixed ends of the load member, the damper located along the span farthest from the fixed ends of the load member beyond each of the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region of the fan exit guide vane.

A process for supporting a structural load path in a gas turbine engine with a fan exit guide vane having a load member with a damper comprising:

• locating a fan within a fan duct;
• supporting an array of fan exit guide vanes within the fan duct downstream from the fan;
• attaching the array of fan exit guide vanes spanned across the fan duct to a radially inner surface of the fan duct and a radially outer surface of the fan duct;
• each of the fan exit guide vanes comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge;
• a radially inner attachment region opposite spanwise from a radially outer attachment region;
• coupling the radially inner attachment region in operative communication with the radially inner surface of the fan duct;
• coupling the radially outer attachment region in operative communication with the radially outer surface of the fan duct;
• a span dimension extending between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region;
• a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge;
• a pressure side opposite a suction side of the fan exit guide vane;
• forming a load member cavity within at least one fan exit guide vane in the array;
• extending the load member cavity spanwise through the at least one fan exit guide vane from the radially inner attachment region to the radially outer attachment region;
• extending the load member through the load member cavity beyond each of the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region of the at least one fan exit guide vane;
• coupling the load member in operative communication with the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface;
• and
• forming the damper integral as one unit with the load member, wherein integral is defined as a single, continuous material without joints, connections, or assembly of multiple components.