TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to stator vanes installed therein.

BACKGROUND

Gas turbine engine rotors typically have a row of stator vanes upstream or downstream thereof. Vanes may be provided in segments, but may also be provided as individually insertable vanes. The vanes are usually individually manufactured from a molding and/or machining process and are radially inserted inside the engine case through the annular gas flow passage. To minimize leakage between the vane and the case, a grommet may be disposed between the external surface of the case and the vane head. However, the grommet may be subjected to air leaks which may affect the engine's performance.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosure describes a vane configured to be disposed in a gas path defined in part by an inner surface of a case of a gas turbine engine. The vane comprises:

a vane body configured to extend through an aperture in the case; and

a vane head disposed at an end of the vane body and configured to be disposed outside the gas path when the vane body extends through the aperture, the vane head having:

an abutting surface configured to contact an outer surface of the case when the vane body extends through the aperture; and

a groove configured to receive a sealing member, the groove surrounding an inner region including the aperture when the vane body extends through the aperture, the groove opening to the abutting surface and being outwardly open relative to the inner region, the groove having an inner seating surface configured to receive the sealing member and hinder movement of the sealing member toward the abutting surface.

In another aspect, the disclosure describes an assembly for a gas turbine engine. The assembly comprises:

a case having an inner side defining a portion of a gas path of the gas turbine engine and an outer side opposite the inner side, the case having an aperture extending from the inner side to the outer side;

a sealing member; and

a vane secured with the case, the vane including:

a vane body extending in the gas path and through the aperture; and

a vane head disposed at an end of the vane body and outside of the gas path, the vane head including:

an abutting surface contacting a surface of the outer side of the case; and

a groove receiving the sealing member while the sealing member provides a seal between the vane head and the surface of the outer side of the case, the groove surrounding an inner region including the aperture, the groove being open to the abutting surface and also being outwardly open relative to the inner region, the groove having an inner seating surface receiving the sealing member and hindering movement of the sealing member toward the abutting surface.

In a further aspect, the disclosure describes a method of installing a vane in a gas turbine engine. The vane has a vane body for extending in a gas path of the gas turbine engine and a vane head attached to the vane body. The method comprises:

installing an o-ring sealing member in a groove formed on the vane head, the groove open to an abutting surface of the vane head configured to contact an outer surface of a case of the gas turbine engine when the vane body extends through an aperture of the case, a seating surface of the groove configured to receive the o-ring member and hinder movement of the o-ring sealing member toward the abutting surface, the groove being outwardly open relative to an inner region surrounded by the groove;

receiving the vane body through a vane-receiving aperture of the case; and

compressing the o-ring sealing member between the vane head and the case to form a seal between the vane head and the case.

Further details of these and other aspects of the subject matter of this application will be apparent from the detailed description included below and the drawings.

