Method for providing coolant to a movable airfoil

Abstract

A gas turbine engine with an adjustable vane includes a platform with a hole and an aperture. A vane is supported for rotation relative to the platform by a trunion that is received in the hole. The vane has an opening that is laterally spaced from the trunion and is in alignment with the aperture. The vane includes an airfoil with a cooling passage in fluid communication with the opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas turbine engine with an adjustable vane, comprising:
 an inner and outer platform, the outer platform having a hole, an aperture, and a boss circumscribing the aperture; and 
 a vane is supported for rotation relative to the outer platform by a trunion received in the hole, the vane has an opening laterally spaced from the trunion and in alignment with the aperture, the vane includes an airfoil with a cooling passage in fluid communication with the opening, wherein the outer platform includes a groove opposite the boss adjacent to the vane, and a seal is provided in the groove and is engageable with the vane; and 
 a cooling source in fluid communication with the outer platform, a passageway extending through the boss to the groove and configured to supply fluid from the cooling source to the seal to urge the seal into engagement with the vane. 
 
     
     
       2. A gas turbine engine with an adjustable vane, comprising:
 an inner and outer platform, the outer platform having a hole, an aperture, and a boss circumscribing the aperture; and 
 a vane is supported for rotation relative to the outer platform by a trunion received in the hole, the vane has an opening laterally spaced from the trunion and in alignment with the aperture, the vane includes an airfoil with a cooling passage in fluid communication with the opening, wherein the outer platform includes a groove opposite the boss adjacent to the vane, and a seal is provided in the groove and is engageable with the vane; and 
 wherein the aperture is larger than the opening, the seal circumscribes the aperture to define a seal boundary. 
 
     
     
       3. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 2 , wherein the vane is moveable between fully opened and closed positions, the vane opening remaining within the seal boundary in the fully opened and closed positions. 
     
     
       4. A gas turbine engine with an adjustable vane, comprising:
 a platform with a hole and an aperture; 
 a vane is supported for rotation relative to the platform by a trunion received in the hole, the vane has an opening laterally spaced from the trunion and in alignment with the aperture, the vane includes an airfoil with a cooling passage in fluid communication with the opening, wherein the opening is an entrance, and the cooling passage includes an exit opposite the entrance, the platform includes an inner platform having a recess in fluid communication with the exit, wherein the inner platform includes a groove opposite the vane, and a seal is provided in the groove and is engageable with the vane; and 
 wherein the aperture is larger than the opening, the seal circumscribes the aperture to define a seal boundary, the vane is moveable between fully opened and closed positions, the vane opening remaining within the seal boundary in the fully opened and closed positions. 
 
     
     
       5. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 4 , comprising a cooling source in fluid communication with the outer platform, a passageway extending through a boss to the groove and configured to supply fluid from the cooling source to the seal to urge the seal into engagement with the vane. 
     
     
       6. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , comprising a turbine section, the vane arranged within the turbine section. 
     
     
       7. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 6 , the vane is an adjustable vane arranged in a circumferential array of fixed and adjustable vanes. 
     
     
       8. A method of cooling a vane for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
 supporting the vane for rotation relative to a platform about a trunion; and 
 energizing a seal provided between the platform and the vane by supplying fluid from a cooling source to the seal to urge the seal into engagement with the vane to seal a gap between the platform and the vane. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , comprising the step of supplying cooling fluid to the vane from an area adjacent to the trunion. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising supporting the vane for rotation relative to an inner platform and an outer platform, the platform is one of the inner platform and the outer platform, and comprising a step of energizing a second seal provided between an other of the outer and inner platforms and the vane and engaging the vane with the second seal. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 8 , comprising supplying a cooling fluid to an interior of the vane.