EP-4737308-A1 - SWIRL RECOVERY VANE WITH STRUCTURALLY CAPABLE ACOUSTIC TREATMENT, GAS TURBINE ENGINE AND PROCESS FOR FORMING A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

EP4737308A1EP 4737308 A1EP4737308 A1EP 4737308A1EP-4737308-A1

Abstract

A swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment includes a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; an attachment region opposite spanwise from a tip region; a span dimension extending between the attachment region and the tip region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the swirl recovery vane; a structural feature formed within the swirl recovery vane extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and tip region and/or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; an acoustic receiver formed within the structural feature extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; and an acoustic panel inserted into the acoustic receiver. A gas turbine engine includes the swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment. A process forms the gas turbine engine with the swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment.

Inventors

YAZICI, Murat
BREAULT, ANDREW E.
MORTON, JEFFREY T.

Assignees

RTX Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20251029

Claims (15)

A swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising: a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; an attachment region opposite spanwise from a tip region; a span dimension extending between the attachment region and the tip region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the swirl recovery vane; a structural feature formed within the swirl recovery vane extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region and/or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; an acoustic receiver formed within the structural feature extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; and an acoustic panel inserted into the acoustic receiver.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to claim 1, wherein the structural feature and the acoustic receiver are formed in the swirl recovery vane at predetermined locations along the span of the swirl recovery vane.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the acoustic panel is located on the pressure side.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the acoustic receiver shape is selected from the group consisting of oval, circle, semicircle, triangle, square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezoid, diamond, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: the acoustic treatment formed within the acoustic receiver, the acoustic treatment configured to dissipate sound energy.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the acoustic panel is configured insertable as a snap fit or friction fit into the acoustic receiver.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the acoustic panel is configured interchangeable to accommodate design changes and/or damage to the acoustic panel.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the acoustic panel is located on the suction side of the swirl recovery vane.
The swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: a surface skin in operative communication with the acoustic panel.
A gas turbine engine with a swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising: a propulsor rotor located within an open environment; and an array of swirl recovery vanes supported downstream from the propulsor rotor, the array of swirl recovery vanes attached to a nacelle flow surface; each swirl recovery vane of the array of swirl recovery vanes comprising a configuration as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9.
A process for gas turbine engine with a swirl recovery vane with a structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising: locating a propulsor rotor within an open environment; supporting an array of swirl recovery vanes downstream from the propulsor rotor; attaching the array of swirl recovery vanes to a nacelle flow surface by; coupling a attachment region of a swirl recovery vane of the array of swirl recovery vanes in operative communication with the nacelle flow surface; forming a structural feature within the swirl recovery vanes extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and a tip region of the swirl recovery vane and/or chordwise from a leading edge to a trailing edge; forming an acoustic receiver within the swirl recovery vane extending at least one of spanwise from the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region or chordwise from the leading edge to the trailing edge; and inserting an acoustic panel into the acoustic receiver.
The process according to claim 11, further comprising: forming the acoustic receiver in the swirl recovery vane at a predetermined location along the span of the swirl recovery vane; and/or further comprising: forming the acoustic treatment within the acoustic panel; and configuring the acoustic treatment to dissipate sound energy.
The process according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising: locating the acoustic receiver on the pressure side of the swirl recovery vane.
The process according to any of claims 11 to 13, further comprising: configuring the acoustic panel insertable as a snap fit or friction fit into the acoustic panel receiver.
The process according to any of claims 11 to 14, further comprising: configuring the acoustic panel and a surface skin as a combination panel interchangeable to accommodate design changes and/or damage; and/or further comprising: shaping the acoustic panel to influence acoustic dampening capability in the proximity of the swirl recovery vane.

Description

The present disclosure is directed to the improved structurally and acoustically capable swirl recovery vane structure. The swirl recovery vane pattern is defined to meet structural, performance and acoustic requirements across a wide range of operating conditions. Engine noise is challenging for open rotor architectures. Engine and airframe makers are looking for more opportunities for noise reduction. At the engine side, acoustic treatable areas are limited. Swirl recovery vanes are an area for noise reduction opportunities. In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; an attachment region opposite spanwise from a tip region; a span dimension extending between the attachment region and the tip region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the swirl recovery vane; a structural feature formed within the swirl recovery vane extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region and/or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; an acoustic receiver formed within the structural feature extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; and an acoustic panel inserted into the acoustic receiver. Particular embodiments further may include at least one, or a plurality of, the following optional features, alone or in combination with each other: A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the structural feature and the acoustic receiver are formed in the swirl recovery vane at predetermined locations along the span of the swirl recovery vane. A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the acoustic panel is located on the pressure side. A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the acoustic receiver shape is selected from the group consisting of rectangular, oval, circle, semicircle, triangle, square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezoid, diamond, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon. A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment further comprising the acoustic treatment formed within the acoustic receiver, the acoustic treatment configured to dissipate sound energy. A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the acoustic panel is configured insertable as a snap fit or friction fit into the acoustic receiver. A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the acoustic panel is configured interchangeable to accommodate design changes and/or damage to the acoustic panel. In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a gas turbine engine with a swirl recovery vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising a propulsor rotor located within an open environment; an array of swirl recovery vanes supported downstream from the propulsor rotor , the array of swirl recovery vanes attached to a nacelle flow surface; each swirl recovery vane of the array of swirl recovery vanes comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; an attachment region opposite spanwise from a tip region; a span dimension extending between the attachment region and the tip region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the swirl recovery vane; a structural feature formed within the swirl recovery vane extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region and/or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; an acoustic receiver formed within the structural feature extending at least one of spanwise through the swirl recovery vane between the attachment region and the tip region or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; and an acoustic panel inserted into the acoustic receiver. Particular embodiments further may include at least one, or a plurality of, the following optional features, alone or in combination with each other: A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may additionally and/or alternatively include the structural feature and the acoustic receiver are formed in the swirl recovery vane at predetermined locations along the span of the swirl recovery vane. A further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments may add