Patent ID: 9645050
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: F01D,F04D,F05D,G01M

Claim:
1. An apparatus for investigating mechanical operational characteristics of a gas turbine variable vane actuation system, the apparatus including: coaxial inner and outer annular casings corresponding to inner and outer casings of an actual gas turbine engine; a circumferential row of vane substitutes, each vane substitute extending between an inner end at the inner casing and an outer end at the outer casing, and being rotatable about an axis extending through its ends to emulate the rotation of a variable vane in the actual engine; and respective loading devices for the vane substitutes, each loading device applying a mechanical load to its vane substitute between the inner and outer ends thereof as the vane substitute rotates to emulate the aerodynamic loading on a variable vane in the actual engine and to generate resulting frictional loading at the inner and outer ends which emulates the resulting frictional loading at the ends of the variable vane in the actual engine; and wherein the apparatus is configured to be fitted with a variable vane actuation system of the actual engine, the actuation system, when fitted and operated, rotating the vane substitutes such that the vane substitutes are loaded by the loading devices.