Stator vane support system within a gas turbine engine

Abstract

A stator vane segment ( 10 ) including a connection system ( 12 ) that enables stator vane ( 14 ) alignment while enabling an individual stator vane ( 14 ) to be replaced is disclosed. The stator vane connection system ( 12 ) may include a radially extending inner support ( 26 ) extending from a stator vane ( 14 ), whereby the inner support ( 26 ) is secured to forward and aft inner rings via a removable, inner axial bolt ( 22 ). The stator vane connection system ( 12 ) may include one or more first inner pins ( 24 ) that aligns the stator vane ( 14 ) and is positioned within the portion of the inner support ( 26 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ) to which one or more inner axial bolts ( 22 ) are attached. The stator vane connection system ( 12 ) may include one or more first outer alignment pins ( 28 ) that aligns the stator vane ( 14 ) and is positioned within a portion of the outer diameter platform ( 48 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ), whereby the first outer alignment pin ( 28 ) aligns the stator vane ( 14 ).

We claim: 
     
         1 . A stator vane segment ( 10 ), characterized in that:
 a stator vane ( 14 ) formed from an airfoil ( 32 ) formed from an outer wall ( 34 ), and having a leading edge ( 36 ), a trailing edge ( 38 ), a pressure side ( 40 ), a suction side ( 42 ), an inner diameter platform ( 44 ) at a first end ( 46 ) of the airfoil ( 32 ) and an outer diameter platform ( 48 ) at a second end ( 50 ) of the airfoil ( 32 );   a stator vane connection system ( 12 ) comprising:
 at least one inner axial bolt ( 22 ) extending through a first inner ring ( 18 ), through at least a portion of an inner support ( 26 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ) positioned inward of the airfoil ( 32 ), and into a second inner ring ( 20 ) to secure the stator vane ( 14 ); 
 at least one first inner pin ( 24 ) positioned within the portion of the inner support ( 26 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ) to which the at least one inner axial bolt ( 22 ) is attached, wherein the at least one first inner pin ( 24 ) aligns the stator vane ( 14 ); and 
 at least one first outer alignment pin ( 28 ) positioned within the portion of the outer diameter platform ( 48 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ), wherein the at least one first outer pin ( 28 ) aligns the stator vane ( 14 ). 
   
     
     
         2 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , further characterized in that an outer tie bar ( 56 ) coupled to the outer diameter platform ( 48 ), wherein the outer tie bar ( 56 ) is secured to the outer diameter platform ( 48 ) via a dovetail connection ( 58 ) and at least one radially extending bolt between the outer tie bar ( 56 ) and the outer diameter platform ( 48 ). 
     
     
         3 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , characterized in that the first inner ring ( 18 ) is a forward inner ring ( 18 ). 
     
     
         4 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 3 , further characterized in that a seal ( 76 ) extending radially inward from a radially inner surface of the forward inner ring. 
     
     
         5 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 4 , characterized in that the seal ( 76 ) extending radially inward from a radially inner surface of the forward inner ring is a honeycomb seal ( 76 ). 
     
     
         6 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 3 , characterized in that the forward inner ring is sized to fit radially inward of a forward extending portion of the inner diameter platform ( 44 ) and within a recess in the inner diameter platform ( 44 ). 
     
     
         7 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , characterized in that the second inner ring ( 20 ) is an aft inner ring ( 20 ). 
     
     
         8 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 7 , further characterized in that a seal ( 88 ) extending radially inward from a radially inner surface ( 90 ) of the aft inner ring ( 20 ). 
     
     
         9 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 8 , characterized in that the seal ( 88 ) extending radially inward from a radially inner surface ( 90 ) of the aft inner ring ( 20 ) is a honeycomb seal ( 88 ). 
     
     
         10 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 7 , characterized in that an outer surface ( 92 ) of the aft inner ring ( 20 ) is flush with a radially outer surface ( 94 ) of the inner diameter platform ( 44 ) of the airfoil ( 32 ). 
     
     
         11 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 7 , characterized in that the aft inner ring ( 20 ) includes a portion that is sized to extend axially forward into an aft recess ( 98 ) in the inner diameter platform ( 44 ). 
     
     
         12 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 7 , characterized in that the aft inner ring ( 20 ) includes two aft extending arms ( 100 ,  102 ) and separated from each other via an aft recess ( 104 ). 
     
     
         13 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , characterized in that a radially inner surface ( 106 ) of the inner support ( 26 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ) is flush with a radially inner surface ( 108 ) of the first inner ring ( 18 ) and a radially inner surface ( 110 ) of the second inner ring ( 20 ). 
     
     
         14 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one first inner pin ( 24 ) positioned within the portion of the inner support ( 26 ) of the stator vane ( 14 ) extends in a circumferential direction and at least one second inner pin ( 112 ) positioned within the portion of the second inner ring ( 20 ) and extending in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         15 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one inner axial bolt ( 22 ) includes threads ( 116 ) that engage threads ( 118 ) within the second inner ring ( 20 ). 
     
     
         16 . The stator vane segment ( 10 ) of  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one inner axial bolt ( 22 ) includes a head ( 120 ) that is larger than a shaft ( 122 ) of the axial bolt ( 22 ) and wherein the first inner ring ( 18 ) includes a head receiving cavity ( 124 ) in which the head  912 ) of the inner axial bolt ( 22 ) resides.