# US 2010/0166545 A1 · Stator assembly for a gas turbine engine

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- Number: US 2010/0166545 A1
- Document ID: US20100166545A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/347,402
- Filed: 2008-12-31
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Arthur Schuler; Marek Szrajer; Leszek Rzeszutek; Jakub Broniszewski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166545A1

## CPC

- F01D 25/06: for preventing blade vibration (means on blade-carrying members or blades F01D5/00)
- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F05D 2250/184: sinusoidal
- F05D 2300/43: Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: (a) an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots; (b) an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots; (c) a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes extending between the inner and outer shrouds, each vane having inner and outer ends which are received in the inner and outer slots; and (d) an annular, resilient retention ring spring which engages the inner ends of the vanes and urges them in a radially inward direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
(a) an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots;
(b) an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots;
(c) a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes extending between the inner and outer shrouds, each vane having inner and outer ends which are received in the inner and outer slots, respectively; and
(d) an annular, resilient retention ring spring which engages the inner ends of the vanes and urges them in a radially inward direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the vanes has an overhanging platform disposed at its outer end, which is substantially larger in cross-sectional area than the corresponding outer slot.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The stator assembly of claim 1 further including a resilient, non-metallic grommet disposed between the outer end of each of the vanes and the respective outer slot.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The stator assembly of claim 3 wherein the grommet comprises fluorocarbon or fluorosilicone elastomer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein each vane includes a hook disposed at its inner end which engages the retention ring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein the retention ring has a corrugated shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The stator assembly of claim 1 wherein the retention ring has a generally flatted sinusoidal shape in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the stator assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The stator assembly of claim 1 further including an annular, resilient, non-metallic filler block disposed in a inner cavity of the inner shroud, such that it encapsulates the hooks and the retention ring.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The stator assembly of claim 8 wherein the filler block comprises fluorocarbon or fluorosilicone elastomer.

### Claim 10

A method of assembling a stator assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
(a) providing an outer shroud having a circumferential array of outer slots;
(b) providing an inner shroud having a circumferential array of inner slots;
(c) inserting a plurality of airfoil-shaped vanes through the inner and outer slots; and
(d) engaging the inner ends of the vanes with a resilient retention ring which urges them in a radially inward direction.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein each of the vanes has an overhanging platform disposed at its outer end, which is substantially larger in cross-sectional area than the corresponding outer slot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further including inserting a resilient, non-metallic grommet between the outer end of each of the vanes and the respective outer slot.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the grommet comprises silicone rubber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 further including engaging a hook disposed at the inner end of each vane with the retention ring.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the retention ring has a corrugated shape.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the retention ring has a generally flatted sinusoidal shape in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the stator assembly.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising installing an annular, resilient, non-metallic filler block in a inner cavity of the inner shroud, such that it encapsulates the hooks and the retention ring.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein the filler block is installed by:
(a) applying an uncured material in flowable form to the inner cavity; and
(b) curing the material so as to solidify it.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein the filler block comprises fluorocarbon or fluorosilicone elastomer.