Inlet protector for vane coupling hole
An inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet including a vane including a vane cooling air inlet; an inlet protector fluidly coupled to the vane cooling air inlet, the inlet protector comprising a protector body having a discharge portion and a suction portion, an interior flow passage fluidly coupling the suction portion with the discharge portion; the discharge portion fluidly coupled with the vane cooling air inlet; and a suction inlet formed in the suction portion, wherein the suction inlet is located distally from the vane cooling air inlet.
1. An inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet comprising:
a vane comprising a vane cooling air inlet;
an inlet protector fluidly coupled to the vane cooling air inlet, the inlet protector comprising a protector body having a discharge portion and a suction portion, an interior flow passage fluidly coupling the suction portion with the discharge portion;
the discharge portion fluidly coupled with the vane cooling air inlet; and
a suction inlet formed in the suction portion, wherein the suction inlet is located distally from the vane cooling air inlet;
a seal proximate the vane cooling air inlet;
an anti-rotation lug proximate the vane cooling air inlet; wherein the suction inlet of the inlet protector extends radially outboard the seal and radially outboard the anti-rotation lug in the internal cavity.
2. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 1 , wherein the interior flow passage fluidly communicates the suction inlet to a discharge exit formed in the discharge portion, the discharge exit being fluidly coupled with the vane cooling air inlet.
3. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 1 , wherein the suction inlet comprises a bell-mouth shape.
4. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 1 , wherein the suction inlet comprises a cross-sectional area 20 percent larger than the vane cooling air inlet.
5. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge exit comprises a cross sectional area equal to the vane cooling air inlet.
6. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet protector attaches to the vane along a vane face proximate the vane cooling air inlet.
7. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 1 , wherein the vane cooling air inlet comprises a second vane feed hole.
8. An inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet comprising:
a gas turbine engine internal cavity;
a vane proximate the internal cavity, the vane comprising a vane cooling air inlet;
an anti-rotation lug proximate the vane cooling air inlet;
a seal proximate the vane cooling air inlet;
an inlet protector fluidly coupled to the vane cooling air inlet, the inlet protector comprising a protector body having a discharge portion and a suction portion, an interior flow passage fluidly coupling the suction portion with the discharge portion, the discharge portion fluidly coupled with the vane cooling air inlet; and
a suction inlet formed in the suction portion, wherein the suction inlet is located within the internal cavity distally from the vane cooling air inlet; wherein the suction inlet of the inlet protector extends radially outboard the seal and radially outboard the anti-rotation lug in the internal cavity.
9. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a vane-lug gap formed in the internal cavity between the anti-rotation lug and the vane cooling air inlet.
10. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 8 , wherein the suction inlet comprises a bell-mouth shape formed from the suction inlet into the interior flow passage, the bell-mouth shape comprising a relatively larger cross-sectional area that gradually reduces along the interior flow passage to form a relatively low flow velocity region.
11. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 8 , wherein the inlet protector attaches to the vane along a vane face proximate the vane cooling air inlet.
12. The inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet according to claim 8 , wherein the interior flow passage fluidly communicates the suction inlet to a discharge exit formed in the discharge portion, the discharge exit being fluidly coupled with the vane cooling air inlet.
13. A process for preventing debris with an inlet protector for a vane cooling air passage inlet comprising:
a vane comprising a vane cooling air inlet;
fluidly coupling an inlet protector to the vane cooling air inlet, the inlet protector comprising a protector body having a discharge portion and a suction portion, an interior flow passage fluidly coupling the suction portion with the discharge portion; and
fluidly coupling the discharge portion with the vane cooling air inlet;
forming a suction inlet in the suction portion, wherein the suction inlet is located distally from the vane cooling air inlet;
fluidly communicating the interior flow passage between the suction inlet and a discharge exit formed in the discharge portion;
fluidly coupling the discharge exit with the vane cooling air inlet;
forming a bell-mouth shape from the suction inlet into the interior flow passage, the bell-mouth shape comprising a relatively larger cross-sectional area that gradually reduces along the interior flow passage;
forming a relatively low flow velocity region proximate the suction inlet; and
extending the suction inlet of the inlet protector radially outboard a seal and radially outboard an anti-rotation lug in an internal cavity proximate the vane.
14. The process of claim 13 , further comprising:
attaching the inlet protector to the vane along a vane face proximate the vane cooling air inlet.
15. The process of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming the suction inlet with a cross-sectional area 20 percent larger than the vane cooling air inlet.