Axial loading element for turbine vane
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsEric DUROCHER, John PIETROBON, Alan JUNEAU, Dennis ENGLISH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising an axial loading element disposed between a mounting element of the vane ring and a cooperating portion of the supporting structure, such as to generate a load force therebetween in an axial direction. The axial load force limits unwanted relative movement between the vane ring and the supporting structure during operation of the gas turbine engine.
Claims19
A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the vane assembly comprising a plurality of airfoils radially extending between an inner and outer vane platforms defining a gas path therebetween, the vane assembly being concentric with a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, at least the inner platform having a mounting member protruding therefrom and disposed in engagement with a corresponding cooperating portion of a supporting structure of the vane assembly such as to at least partially support and position the vane assembly in place within the gas turbine engine, and wherein an axial loading element is disposed between the mounting member of the vane assembly and the cooperating portion of the supporting structure to generate an axial load force therebetween, the axial load force limiting relative axial movement between the vane assembly and the supporting structure during operation of the gas turbine engine.
A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine, the vane assembly comprising a vane support and a vane ring, the vane ring including a plurality of airfoils radially extending between inner and outer vane platforms, the vane ring being concentric with a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, the vane ring having mounting members radially protruding therefrom, the mounting members being disposed in engagement with corresponding recesses of the vane support, and a means for generating an axial load force against the vane support, said means axially biasing the vane ring relative to the vane support thereby limiting relative axial movement between the vane ring and the vane support during operation of the gas turbine engine.
A method of reducing vibration in a gas turbine engine having a turbine vane assembly including a plurality of airfoils radially extending between an inner and outer vane platforms defining a gas path therebetween, the vane assembly being concentric with a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, the method comprising generating a substantially constant axial load force against a portion of at least one of the inner and outer vane platforms outside of the gas path, thereby axially biasing the vane assembly into contact with a supporting structure while permitting relative radial displacement therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.