Hybrid turbine nozzle
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoshua Brian Jamison, Steven Strang, Aaron Todd Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbine nozzle apparatus for a gas turbine engine includes: an annular inner band; an annular outer band circumscribing the inner band; a plurality of airfoil-shaped structural vanes extending between and interconnecting the inner band and the outer band; and a plurality of airfoil-shaped non-structural vanes extending between the inner band and the outer band, each non-structural vane having a root end received by the inner band and a tip end received by the outer band, such that each non-structural vane is free to move to a limited degree relative to the inner and outer bands.
Claims18
A turbine nozzle apparatus for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- an annular inner band;
- an annular outer band circumscribing the inner band;
- a plurality of airfoil-shaped structural vanes extending between and interconnecting the inner band and the outer band;
- and
- a plurality of airfoil-shaped non-structural vanes extending between the inner band and the outer band, each non-structural vane having a root end received by the inner band and a tip end received by the outer band, such that each non-structural vane is free to move to a limited degree relative to the inner and outer bands.
The apparatus of claim wherein one of the inner and outer bands includes:
- a plurality of spaced-apart apertures formed therein;
- and
- a cover received in each aperture, the aperture including at least one blind pocket, each blind pocket receiving one of the ends of the non-structural vanes.
A method of assembling a turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- providing an annular inner band, an annular outer band circumscribing the inner band, and a plurality of airfoil-shaped structural vanes extending between and interconnecting the inner band and the outer band;
- inserting an airfoil-shaped non-structural vane through an opening formed in one of the inner and outer bands;
- and
- closing the opening, such that the non-structural vanes extend between the inner band and the outer band, each non-structural vane having a root end received by the inner band and a tip end received by the outer band, such that each non-structural vane is free to move to a limited degree relative to the inner and outer bands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.