Compressor variable stage remote actuation for turbine engine
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsGabriel L. Suciu, Brian Merry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine engine locates an actuator (55) for the compressor variable guide vanes (54a, b, c) at a location remote from the variable guide vanes. The actuator is connected to the variable guide vanes through a torque rod (56) inside an inlet guide vane. The torque rod rotatably drives an activation ring (57) about the engine centerline. The activation ring is coupled to each of the variable compressor vanes via linkage, such that rotation of the activation ring about the engine centerline causes all of the variable compressor vanes to pivot. With this configuration, a tip turbine engine can be more easily provided with variable compressor vanes for the axial compressor.
Claims20
A turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor case including a plurality of vanes disposed about a longitudinal axis of the compressor case, at least one of the vanes pivotable about a pivot axis, a bypass air flow path disposed radially outwardly of the compressor case;
- and
- an actuator disposed radially outward of at least a portion of the bypass air flow path, the actuator mechanically coupled to the at least one vane to selectively pivot the at least one vane about the pivot axis.
A compressor vane assembly for an axial compressor of a turbine engine comprising:
- a vane pivotable about a pivot axis;
- and
- an actuator for selectively pivoting the vane about the pivot axis, the actuator spaced away from the vane in a direction having a component generally parallel to the pivot axis.
A method for actuating a variable guide vane on a compressor, the method including the steps of:
- generating an actuation force at a remote location from a variable guide vane having a pivot axis;
- transmitting the actuation force to the pivot axis;
- and
- selectively pivoting the guide vane about the pivot axis with the transmitted actuation force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.