Variable camber and stagger airfoil and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsNicholas Francis Martin, Steven Mark Schirle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aerodynamically efficient air flow management in axial flow-turbines is provided by utilizing a variable stagger and camber airfoil. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by providing a two-piece airfoil including a strut and a flap, each of which is mounted to articulate about a common, radially oriented axis. The strut and flap are respectively positioned by a strut gear and a flap gear, located at the radial end of the airfoil and, in an exemplary embodiment, are driven by a stepped synchronizing ring.
Claims16
A compressor stator vane for a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a leading edge part and a trailing edge part, each said part having a shaft-like portion extending through an outer diameter case wall of said gas turbine compressor, said leading edge part and said trailing edge part being mounted to articulate about a common, radially, oriented axis;
- a strut gear for selectively varying an angle of said leading edge part with respect to an inlet air flow vector by rotating said leading edge part with respect to said axis of rotation;
- and
- a flap gear for selectively rotating said trailing edge part about said axis of rotation to vary an angle of said trailing edge part with respect to said air flow vector.
A method for changing stagger angle and camber angle of a compressor stator vane, comprising:
- providing an airfoil including:
- a leading edge part and a trailing edge part, each said part having a shaft-like portion extending through an outer diameter case wall of said gas turbine compressor, said leading edge part and said trailing edge part being mounted to articulate about a common, radially, oriented axis;
- a strut gear for selectively varying an angle of said leading edge part with respect to an inlet air flow vector by rotating said leading edge part with respect to said axis of rotation;
- and
- a flap gear for selectively rotating said trailing edge part about said axis of rotation to vary an angle of said trailing edge part with respect to said air flow vector;
- the method comprising driving said strut gear and said flap gear to determine a stagger angle and a camber angle of said airfoil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.