Definition
Stationary, airfoil-shaped vanes mounted at the discharge end of a compressor or fan section in a turbine engine. Their job is to straighten the swirling airflow leaving the rotating blades and direct it smoothly and axially into the next stage — typically the combustion section, the diffuser, or (in a turbofan) the bypass duct.
Plain English
Fixed blades placed just after a spinning fan or compressor section to take the swirling air coming off the rotor and straighten it out so it flows in a clean, straight line into whatever comes next.
Context Anchor
Seen in turbine engine systems, especially when studying axial-flow compressors and engine airflow paths.
Derivation
Plainly named: vanes (fixed blade-like surfaces) located at the exit of a rotating stage, used to guide the air. The word 'vane' comes from Old English fana, meaning a flag or blade — something flat that responds to or directs moving air.
Why Pilots Care
They reduce turbulence, improve compressor efficiency, and protect downstream engine components from uneven airflow.
Grounding Statement
Picture fast-moving air leaving spinning blades with a twist in it; the exit guide vanes take out much of that twist and aim the air forward into the engine.
Intuition Check
Exit guide vanes are not rotating blades. They do not add energy to the air; they guide and straighten air that has already been compressed.
Example Sentence 1
Air leaving the fan blades passes through the exit guide vanes before entering the bypass duct, which removes the swirl and improves thrust efficiency.
Example Sentence 2
Damaged exit guide vanes can cause compressor stall by disrupting the smooth flow into the combustor.