Endwall countouring trench
A gas turbine engine component comprises a casing, and a component fixed to the casing to extend from a first edge to a second edge. The component has a first side and a second side. A trench is formed within the casing adjacent the second side of the component. The trench has a maximum depth that is positioned at or aft of the first edge.
1. A gas turbine engine component comprising:
a casing;
an airfoil fixed to the casing to extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side; and
a trench formed within the casing adjacent the suction side of the component, the trench having a maximum depth that is positioned at or aft of the leading edge; and
wherein the trench is defined by a length extending in a longitudinal direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a width extending in a lateral direction from the airfoil toward an adjacent airfoil fixed to the casing, and wherein the width of the trench is less than a distance between the airfoil and the adjacent airfoil.
2. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein the airfoil has a length extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and wherein the length of the trench is greater than the length of the airfoil.
3. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein a depth of the trench gradually decreases in an aft direction from the maximum depth and terminates at a location aft of the trailing edge of the airfoil.
4. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein a nominal flow path is defined by the casing, and wherein a depth of the trench gradually increases from the nominal flow path at a position forward of the leading edge to the maximum depth.
5. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein the airfoil has an airfoil length extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and wherein the maximum depth is located within a range of 4% to 10% of the airfoil length relative to the leading edge.
6. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein the airfoil has an aerodynamic loading factor that is greater than or equal to a value of 0.5.
7. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein the trench has a U-shaped cross-section in the direction extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
8. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein a lateral edge of the trench is laterally spaced apart from a pressure side of the adjacent airfoil.
9. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 1 wherein the width of the trench terminates prior to reaching the pressure side of the adjacent airfoil at a distance that is half-way between the at least one airfoil and the adjacent airfoil.
10. A gas turbine engine component comprising:
a casing;
a plurality of airfoils fixed to the casing, each airfoil defining an airfoil length that extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge, and each airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side; and
a trench formed within the casing adjacent the suction side of at least one airfoil of the plurality of airfoils, the trench defined by a length extending in a longitudinal direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a width extending in a lateral direction from the at least one airfoil toward an adjacent airfoil of the plurality of airfoils, and wherein the width of the trench is less than a distance between the at least one airfoil and the adjacent airfoil, and wherein the length of the trench is greater than the airfoil length.
11. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 10 wherein the trench has a maximum depth that is positioned adjacent the leading edge.
12. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 11 wherein the maximum depth is located within a range of 4% to 10% of the airfoil length relative to the leading edge.
13. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 11 wherein a nominal flow path is defined by the casing, and wherein a depth of the trench gradually increases from the nominal flow path at a position forward of the leading edge to the maximum depth, and wherein the depth of the trench gradually decreases in an aft direction from the maximum depth and terminates at a location aft of the trailing edge of the airfoil.
14. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 10 wherein each airfoil has an aerodynamic loading factor that is greater than or equal to a value of 0.5.
15. The gas turbine engine component according to claim 10 wherein the width of the trench terminates prior to reaching the pressure side of the adjacent airfoil at a distance that is half-way between the at least one airfoil and the adjacent airfoil.
16. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section;
a combustor section downstream of the compressor section; and
a turbine section downstream of the combustor section, and wherein at least one of the combustor section and the turbine section include a component having an airfoil fixed to a casing to extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, and a trench formed within the casing adjacent the suction side of the airfoil, the trench having a maximum depth that is positioned adjacent the leading edge, and wherein the trench is defined by a length extending in a longitudinal direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge and a width extending in a lateral direction from the airfoil toward an adjacent airfoil fixed to the casing, and wherein the width of the trench is less than a distance between the airfoil and the adjacent airfoil.
17. The gas turbine engine according to claim 16 wherein a nominal flow path is defined by the casing, and wherein a depth of the trench gradually increases from the nominal flow path at a position forward of the leading edge to the maximum depth, and wherein the depth of the trench gradually decreases in an aft direction from the maximum depth and terminates at a location aft of the trailing edge of the airfoil.
18. The gas turbine engine according to claim 17 wherein the airfoil has an airfoil length extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and wherein the maximum depth is located within a range of 4% to 10% of the airfoil length relative to the leading edge.
19. The gas turbine engine according to claim 16 wherein the length of the trench is greater than a length of the airfoil extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
20. The gas turbine engine according to claim 16 wherein the airfoil has an aerodynamic loading factor that is greater than or equal to a value of 0.5.
21. The gas turbine engine according to claim 16 wherein the width of the trench terminates prior to reaching the pressure side of the adjacent airfoil at a distance that is half-way between the at least one airfoil and the adjacent airfoil.