# US 2014/0154046 A1 · Variable area turbine nozzle with a position selector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154046 A1 - Document ID: US20140154046A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/660,849 - Filed: 2012-10-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-25 - Assignees: Solar Turbines Incorporated - Inventors: John James Hensley; Ulrich Edmund Stang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154046A1 ## CPC - F01D 17/162: {for axial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially perpendicular to the rotor centre line (F01D17/167 takes precedence)} - F05D 2250/241: spherical - 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 gas turbine engine (100) variable nozzle (460) includes an outer shroud (461), an inner shroud (462), a variable nozzle airfoil (463), and a position selector (470). The inner shroud (462) is located radially inward from the outer shroud (461). The variable nozzle airfoil (463) extends radially between the outer shroud (461) and the inner shroud (462). The variable nozzle airfoil (463) includes a vane shaft (464) extending radially outward from the variable nozzle airfoil (463) through the outer shroud (461). The position selector (470) is coupled with the variable nozzle airfoil (463) to fixedly lock the variable nozzle airfoil (463) into one of a plurality of preselected positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas turbine engine variable nozzle, comprising: an outer shroud; an inner shroud located radially inward from the outer shroud; a variable nozzle airfoil extending radially between the outer shroud and the inner shroud, the variable nozzle airfoil including a vane shaft extending radially outward from the variable nozzle airfoil through the outer shroud; and a position selector coupled with the variable nozzle airfoil to fixedly lock the variable nozzle airfoil into one of a plurality of preselected positions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The variable nozzle of claim 1, wherein the position selector has a plate like shape and is located radially outward from the outer shroud, the position selector including: a forward edge located axially forward, an aft edge located, axially aft, a first alignment, edge located on a side of the position selector, a second alignment edge located on a side of the position selector distal to the first alignment edge, wherein the first alignment edge and the second alignment edge are keyed to prevent independent rotation of adjacent position selectors installed within a gas turbine engine, and a plurality of clocking positions configured for predetermined variable nozzle airfoil positions; wherein the position selector is keyed to the vane shaft to prevent relative angular displacement between the position selector and the vane shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The variable nozzle of claim 2, wherein each, of the plurality of clocking positions is a through hole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The variable nozzle of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of clocking positions is a notch or a slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The variable nozzle of claim 2, wherein the position selector is configured with a dowel hole extending from a bottom of the position selector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The variable nozzle of claim 5, wherein the dowel hole is a blind hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The variable nozzle of claim 2, wherein the position selector includes a selector bolt configured to be inserted into any of the plurality of clocking positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The variable nozzle of claim 2, wherein the plurality of clocking positions include a cold position, a standard position, and a hot position, wherein the cold position, standard position, and hot position are each configured for different gas turbine engine operations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The variable nozzle of claim 1, wherein the vane shaft extends within, the variable nozzle airfoil. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The variable nozzle of claim 1, wherein, the vane shaft is angled between five and fifteen degrees in an axial direction with a radially outer portion of the vane shaft leaned in a forward direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A gas turbine engine including a plurality of the variable nozzles of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the variable nozzles form a variable nozzle stage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) A gas turbine engine variable nozzle assembly including a plurality of the variable nozzles of claim 2, wherein the variable nozzle assembly further includes: a variable outer housing located radially outward from the plurality of variable nozzles, the variable outer housing having a plurality of holes, wherein each hole is configured to align with one of the clocking positions of the variable nozzle position selectors for a predetermined variable nozzle airfoil position; an inter turbine duct axially preceding the variable nozzles, the inter turbine duct having an outer wall, and an inner wall located radially inward from the outer wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are configured to diverge as the inter turbine duct extends towards the variable nozzles. ### Claim 13 A gas turbine engine, comprising: a plurality of variable nozzles, each variable nozzle having an outer shroud; an inner shroud located radially inward from the outer shroud; a variable nozzle airfoil extending radially between the outer shroud and the inner shroud, the variable nozzle airfoil including a vane shaft extending radially outward from the variable nozzle airfoil through the outer shroud; and a position selector coupled with the variable nozzle airfoil to fixedly lock the variable nozzle airfoil into one of a plurality of preselected positions; a variable outer-housing located radially outward from the plurality of variable nozzles; an inter turbine duct axially preceding the variable nozzles, the inter turbine duct having an outer wall, and an inner wall located radially inward from the outer wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are configured to diverge as the inter turbine duct extends towards the variable nozzles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The gas turbine engine of claim 13, wherein the position selector has a plate like shape and is located radially outward from the outer shroud, the position selector including: a forward edge located axially forward, an aft edge located axially aft, a first alignment edge located on a side of the position selector, a second alignment edge located on a side of the position selector distal to the first alignment edge, wherein the first alignment edge and the second alignment edge are keyed to prevent independent rotation of adjacent position selectors installed within a gas turbine engine; and a plurality of clocking positions configured for predetermined variable nozzle airfoil positions; wherein the position selector is keyed to the vane shaft to prevent relative angular displacement between the position selector and the vane shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the variable outer housing includes a plurality of holes, wherein each hole is configured to align with one of the clocking positions of the variable nozzle position selectors for a predetermined variable nozzle airfoil position and the position selector includes a selector bolt configured to be inserted through any of the plurality of clocking positions and into one of the plurality of holes. ### Claim 16 A method of operating a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: providing a position selector with a discrete number of variable nozzle airfoil clocking positions; selecting one of the clocking positions of the position selector; rotating a variable nozzle airfoil while the gas turbine engine is not operating by rotating the position selector into the selected clocking position; and fixing the angle of die variable nozzle airfoil and clocking position of the position selector. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising shutting down the gas turbine engine prior to rotating the variable nozzle airfoil and position selector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising loosening the locking nut and removing the selector bolt prior to rotating the variable nozzle airfoil and position selector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising tightening the locking nut after fixing the angle of the variable nozzle airfoil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising ensuring all variable nozzle airfoils are rotated to the same angle.