EP-4737687-A1 - FAN EXIT GUIDE VANE WITH STRUCTURALLY CAPABLE ACOUSTIC TREATMENT, GAS TURBINE ENGINE AND PROCESS FOR FORMING A FAN EXIT GUIDE VANE WITH STRUCTURALLY CAPABLE ACOUSTIC TREATMENT

EP4737687A1EP 4737687 A1EP4737687 A1EP 4737687A1EP-4737687-A1

Abstract

A fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment includes a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; a radially inner attachment region opposite spanwise from a radially outer attachment region; a span dimension extending between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the fan exit guide vane; a structural feature and an acoustic receiver formed within the fan exit guide vane extending at least one of spanwise through the fan exit guide vane between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region and/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 fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment. A process forms the fan exit guide 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 fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising: a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; a radially inner attachment region opposite spanwise from a radially outer attachment region; a span dimension extending between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the fan exit guide vane; a structural feature formed within the fan exit guide vane extending at least one of spanwise through the fan exit guide vane between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment 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 fan exit guide vane between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region or chordwise between the leading edge and the trailing edge; and an acoustic panel inserted into the acoustic receiver.
The fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to claim 1, wherein the structural feature and the acoustic receiver are formed in the fan exit guide vane at predetermined locations along the span of the fan exit guide vane.
The fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the acoustic panel is located on the pressure side.
The fan exit guide 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 fan exit guide 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 fan exit guide 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 fan exit guide 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 fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the acoustic panel is located on the suction side.
The gas turbine engine with the fan exit guide 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 treatment.
A gas turbine engine with a fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising: a fan located within a fan duct; and an array of fan exit guide vanes supported within the fan duct downstream from the fan, the array of fan exit guide vanes span across the fan duct attached to a radially inner surface of the fan duct and a radially outer surface of the fan duct; each fan exit guide vane of the array of fan exit guide vanes having the configuration of the fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment according to any of claims 1 to 9.
A process for forming a fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising: locating a fan within a fan duct; supporting an array of fan exit guide vanes within the fan duct downstream from the fan; attaching the array of fan exit guide vanes spanned across the fan duct to a radially inner surface of the fan duct and a radially outer surface of the fan duct by; coupling a radially inner attachment region of a fan exit guide vane of the array of fan exit guide vanes in operative communication with a radially inner surface of the fan duct; coupling a radially outer attachment region of the fan exit guide vane in operative communication with the radially outer surface of the fan duct; forming a structural feature within the fan exit guide vane extending at least one of spanwise through the fan exit guide vane between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region and/or chordwise between a leading edge and a trailing edge; forming an acoustic receiver within the fan exit guide vane extending at least one of spanwise through the fan exit guide vane between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region or chordwise between the leading edge and 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 fan exit guide vane at a predetermined location along a span of the fan exit guide 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; and/or 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 13, further comprising: configuring the acoustic panel and a surface skin as a combination panel interchangeable to accommodate design changes and/or damage.
The process according to any of claims 11 to 14, further comprising: shaping the acoustic panel to influence acoustic dampening capability in the proximity of the fan exit guide vane.

Description

The present disclosure is directed to the improved structurally and acoustically capable fan exit guide vane. Current gas turbine engine design, as seen in Fig. 1 through Fig. 4a, includes a design with variable or non-variable fan exit guide vanes (FEGV). The fan F is positioned within the fan duct FD proximate the engine inlet EI. The fan exit guide vanes (FEGV) are downstream from the fan F and located forward of the bypass duct BD. A current FEGV pattern is created to minimize airflow back pressure adverse effect on fan blades F caused by the downstream presence of nacelle N bypass duct BD elements (Fig. 2), such as the upper and lower bifurcation (BiFi), air-to-oil cooler (AOC), and environmental control system inlet (ECS). As seen in Fig. 3, the FEGV has a circumferential pattern CP made up of vanes V that can translate the structural load path LP shown as arrows in Fig. 4. All vane types are designed with the same cross sectional monolithic load carrying features (Fig. 4a). Additionally, the FEGV pattern aims to optimize the fan duct performance and acoustic characteristics of the gas turbine engine. The FEGV pattern is defined to meet structural, performance and acoustic requirements across a wide range of operating conditions. It is therefore not optimized at any single mission condition, like cruise condition or climb condition. Engine noise targets are getting more challenging for future programs. Engine and airframe makers are looking for more opportunities for noise reduction. At the engine side, acoustic treatable areas are limited. Fan exit guide vanes are an area for noise reduction opportunities. In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise from the leading edge; a radially inner attachment region opposite spanwise from a radially outer attachment region; a span dimension extending between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment region; a chord dimension extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a pressure side opposite a suction side of the fan exit guide vane; a structural feature formed within the fan exit guide vane extending at least one of spanwise through the fan exit guide vane from the radially inner attachment region to the radially outer attachment region and/or chordwise from the leading edge to the trailing edge; an acoustic receiver formed within the structural feature extending at least one of spanwise through the fan exit guide vane between the radially inner attachment region and the radially outer attachment 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 fan exit guide vane at predetermined locations along the span of the fan exit guide 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 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 fan exit guide 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 fan exit guide vane with structurally capable acoustic treatment comprising a fan located within a fan duct; an array of fan exit guide vanes supported within the fan duct downstream from the fan, the array of fan exit guide vanes span across the fan duct attached to a radially inner surface of the fan duct and a radially outer surface of the fan duct; each fan exit guide vane of the array of fan exit guide vanes comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite chordwise fr