Patent Application
20190040875
The present invention generally relates to compressor inlet guide vanes, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to linkage arrangements to provide sympathetic motion of vanes in an inlet guide vane assembly.
Providing positioning mechanisms in an inlet guide vane assembly remains an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology.
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique link and pivot mechanism assembly for an inlet guide vane assembly. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for providing movement positioning of vanes used in an inlet guide vane assembly. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
With reference to
The IGV assembly 54 can include an annular housing 58 with an array of vanes 60 (seen in
Turning now to
The first links 68 and second links 70 are each attached at one of their ends to the stems, whether the drive stem 66a or any of the driven stems 66b. The attachment of links 68 or 70 to any of the stems is via a pivoting link which can be manifested in any number of different ways. For example, the links 68 or 70 can be fastened via a pin and aperture connection, a loosely riveted connection between the components, a hinge, etc etc etc which allows the links 68 or 70 to pivot about the attachment point relative to the stems. A similar type of connection can also be used at the other end of the links 68 or 70 for attachment to the reciprocating hinge 72. Either end of any or all of the links 68 and 70 can furthermore have different types of connection points. In some forms the links 68 can have one type of connection and links 70 can have another. In short, any variety of connection points can be used for the links 68 and/or 70 to any structure used in the actuation of the vanes 60. First links 68 can be relatively thin in cross section and narrow in width relative to its length, and also bent or angled along its length near one end as illustrated, but any shape is contemplated for the given implementation. Second links 70 can also be relatively thin and in one form (e.g. the illustrated form) the links are straight with no bend such as that provided in the first links 68. The links can be attached any suitable distance from a center of rotation of the vane stems 66a and/or 66b (and discussed further below).
Actuation of the vanes 60 is accomplished by providing actuation power to the drive stem 66a of drive vane 60a. Such delivery of actuation power can be via any suitable type of actuation and powered via any suitable source. To set forth just a few non-limiting examples, rotary or linear actuators can be used with the drive vane 60a that are powered via hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical sources. Rotation of the drive stem 66a via a suitable actuator causes sympathetic movement in the first link 68 which itself is coupled to the reciprocating hinge 72.
The reciprocating hinge 72 includes a body 74, bearing 76, and bearing guide 78 which together operate to provide a hinge that reciprocates along a path upon actuation of the drive stem 66a and transmits power to the second link 70. The body 74 is attached to the first link 68 and second link 70 which can be accomplished using any of the techniques described above. The body 74 can includes a top with portions that are angled to one another to permit planar attachment of the various links 68 and 70, but such angled surface portions are not required depending on the attachment technique (e.g. an angled bore can be provided in a body 74 having a flat top. The body 74 is configured to rotate and/or slide relative to the bearing guide 78 as the body 74 moves along a path directed by the same bearing guide 78.
The bearing 76 can take on any variety of forms suitable to permit rotation and translation of the body 74 relative to the bearing guide 78. To set forth just a few nonlimiting examples, the bearing 76 can be a simple contact bearing, a sleeve bearing, a ball bearing assembly having an inner and outer race, or can incorporate any number of rolling element bearings in any variety of arrangements. In general the bearing 76 is intended to engage the bearing guide 78 for translation along the guide 78.
The bearing guide 78 can take any variety of forms useful to restrict/confine/direct/etc the translating motion of the bearing 76 as it receives motive force via the body 74 and link 68. The bearing guide 78 can include any suitable surface 80 appropriate to engage the bearing 76, whether that surface 80 flat or otherwise shaped. In one nonlimiting form the surface 80 can be a U-shaped channel suitable to capture the bearing 76. The bearing guide 78 includes at least one side for engagement with the bearing 76, but in other forms such as illustrated in
As stated above, rotation of the drive stem 66a via a suitable actuator causes sympathetic movement in the first link 68 which itself is coupled to the reciprocating hinge 72. On the other side of the reciprocating hinge 72, the second link 70 is also attached at one of its ends to the reciprocating hinge 72 and is used to transmit motion from the reciprocating hinge 72 to the vane stem 66b. Rotation of the stem 66b driven by the second link 70 thus causes a second link on the other side of the stem 66b to also move, which in turn causes the next reciprocating hinge 72 to move, which in turn causes its first link to move, and so on and so forth. A repeating pattern of links and hinges can be utilized around the periphery of the IGV assembly, such that the pattern develops according to the following template: {vane, first link, reciprocating hinge, second link, vane, second link, reciprocating hinge, first link}. In some forms the pattern can repeat three times, but other numbers of repeats are contemplated. Motion imparted to the drive vane 66a is thus transmitted through a series of linkages and hinges to the remaining driven vanes 66b.
As discussed above, the links are attached to the vanes through a mechanism that permits relative rotation between the two. In one form the links 68 and/or 70 can be attached direct to the stem of the vane, or an extension of the stem. For example, the stem can include one or more ears that protrude and which permit a surface to which the link can be attached. In one form any or all of the stems can include an opening into which is inserted a rod, where the rod is used to attach to the link. The illustrated embodiment depicts one form of rods 82/84 extending from the stems. The opening can be a recess or a through passage. Whether the rod includes a circular diameter or other shape, it will be appreciated that such an insert device can be useful in the manufacturing/assembly of the IGV 54. In one form the rod is manifested as an extension from the vane stem whether or not the extension itself was inserted into the vane stem or made integrally with one or more portions of the vane stem. Such an integral rod can have a circular appearance, but other appearances are also contemplated. The rods 84 extending from stems that attach the second links can be longer than rods 82 extending from stems that attach the first links, but other variations are also contemplated (e.g. same length rods, or reverse relationship, depending on the application). Furthermore, and as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the longer length provided from center of vane rotation by the longer rods can be coupled with straight second links 70, while the shorter length provided from center of vane rotation by the shorter rods can be coupled with the bent or angled first links 68.
Although not seen, the embodiment illustrated in
The IGV assembly 54 described herein can have the same or similar form factor as a sync ring style IGV assembly such that embodiments of the IGV assembly 54 disclosed herein can be retrofitted to existing compressor systems and/or installed in newly made assemblies. It will thus be appreciated herein that the IGV assemblies 54 can have an absence of a sync ring.
One aspect of the present application includes an apparatus comprising an inlet guide vane device having a plurality of vanes, one the plurality of vanes being a drive vane and the other of the plurality of vanes being driven vanes, each of the drive vane and a driven vanes project radially into a flow stream, the drive vane and the driven vanes structured as variable vanes that pivot about their respective rotational axes to change a cross sectional area of the inlet guide vane through which the flow stream traverses, the drive vane coupled to at least one of the driven vanes through a reciprocating hinge, the reciprocating hinge connected to the drive vane through a first link and connected to the at least one of the driven vanes through a second link such that rotation of the drive vane about its axis causes motion of the reciprocating hinge through action of the first link, and the motion of the reciprocating hinge causes actuation of the at least one of the driven vanes through action of the second link, wherein the drive vane is capable of causing sympathetic motion of the driven vane without a circumferentially extending synchronization ring.
A feature of the present application further includes a plurality of connection rods, and a plurality of first links, reciprocating hinges, and second links distributed in a repeating pattern around the inlet guide vane device, the pattern including: connection rod connected to first link connected to reciprocating hinge connected to second link connected to connection rod connected to second link connected to reciprocating hinge connected to first link.
Another feature of the present application includes wherein the plurality of connection rods includes a plurality of first connection rods and a plurality of second connection rods, the plurality of first connection rods shorter than the plurality of second connection rods, the connection rod of the drive vane being one of the plurality of first connection rods.
Still another feature of the present application includes wherein the repeating pattern is connected to the plurality of driven vanes and only a single drive vane, wherein the reciprocating hinge includes a bearing, and which further includes means for guiding the bearing.
Yet another feature of the present application includes wherein within the pattern the first recited reciprocating hinge is located on an opposing side of the at least one driven vane relative to the second recited reciprocating hinge.
Still yet another feature of the present application includes wherein a connection rod extends through an opening of the at least one driven vane in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the at least one driven vane.
Yet still another feature of the present application includes wherein a hinge point of the connection rod and second link form a larger moment arm about the at least one driven vane than a moment arm formed by the hinge point of the connection rod and the first link about the drive vane.
A further feature of the present application includes wherein the opening is a through-opening extending from one side of the driven vane, and wherein the first link includes a relatively constant width as well as a length, the length longer than the width, and wherein the first link includes an end that is bent along its length.
Another aspect of the present application includes an apparatus comprising an inlet guide vane assembly including: a drive vane structured to receive a torque to generate movement in the drive vane and thereby change a cross sectional area of a flow path of the inlet guide vane assembly, a first link connected to the drive vane and structured to move in response to pivoting motion of the drive vane, a reciprocating hinge connected to the drive vane via the first link, the reciprocating hinge structured to receive motion from the first link and rotate about an axis oriented in a radial direction of the inlet guide vane assembly and to translate in an axial direction of the inlet guide vane assembly, a second link connected to the reciprocating hinge and structured to move in response to the rotation and translation of the reciprocating hinge, and a driven vane connected to the reciprocating hinge via the second link, the driven vane structured to receive a torque from movement of the second link to cause rotation of the driven vane and thereby change a cross sectional area of the flow path of the inlet guide vane assembly.
A feature of the present application includes wherein the driven vane moves in response to movement of the drive vane without need of a circumferentially translating ring that synchronizes movement.
Another feature of the present application includes the reciprocating hinge having a pivoting member slidably received in a guide.
Still another feature of the present application includes where the guide is a bearing guide structured to capture a bearing of the reciprocating hinge, the bearing permitting pivoting motion of the reciprocating hinge constrained by the bearing guide.
Yet another feature of the present application includes wherein the bearing is a ball bearing.
Still yet another feature of the present application includes wherein the bearing guide includes a grooved feature within which the bearing is captured, and wherein the grooved feature provides for a reciprocating path traversed by the reciprocating hinge, the reciprocating path extending in a line that extends parallel to an internal flow space of the inlet guide vane device in which the flow stream traverses.
Yet still another feature of the present application includes wherein a connection rod extends through an opening of the drive vane in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the drive vane, and wherein the first link is connected to the connection rod through a pivoting connection.
A further feature of the present application includes wherein another connection rod extends through an opening of the at least one driven vane in a direction transverse to the rotational axis of the driven vane, and wherein the second link is connected to the another connection rod through a pivoting connection.
A yet further feature of the present application includes wherein the second link extends in a straight line, and wherein the first link includes a bend located closer to an end of the second link connected to the drive vane than to an end of the second link connected to the reciprocating hinge.
Still another aspect of the present application includes a method comprising providing torque to a drive vane disposed within an inlet guide vane assembly for an air compressor, rotating a reciprocating hinge about a radial axis and translating the reciprocating hinge in a direction of a bulk flow of the inlet guide vane assembly as a result of receiving force from the drive vane via a first link, and pivoting a driven vane as a result of receiving force from the reciprocating hinge via a second link.
A feature of the present application includes wherein the reciprocating hinge is a first reciprocating hinge located on a first side of the driven vane, and which further includes a second reciprocating hinge located on a second side of the driven vane, wherein the first reciprocating hinge and the second reciprocating hinge axially translate out of phase with each other such that axial forward motion in the first reciprocating hinge results in axial rearward motion in the second reciprocating hinge.
Another feature of the present application includes wherein the first link is coupled via a hinge connection to a connection rod installed in an opening of the drive vane, and which further includes pivoting the first link about the hinge connection as a result of movement of the drive vane.
Still another feature of the present application further includes sliding a bearing of the reciprocating hinge within a groove of a bearing guide.
Yet another feature of the present application includes wherein the bearing is a ball bearing, and which further includes rotating an inner race of the ball bearing relative to an outer race of the ball bearing.
Still yet another feature of the present application further includes a plurality of driven vanes, first links, reciprocating hinges, and second links.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions are desired to be protected. It should be understood that while the use of words such as preferable, preferably, preferred or more preferred utilized in the description above indicate that the feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and embodiments lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, the scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims, it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one,” or “at least one portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. When the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item can include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
