The application relates to a bearing compartment for a gas turbine engine and, particularly, a centering spring used in the bearing compartment.
Centering springs are commonly used in gas turbine engines to centrally locate rotor shafts and transmit bearing loads to engine static structure. A typical centering spring includes first and second rings that are axially spaced apart from one another and interconnected by circumferentially spaced axially extending beams. The bearing is supported by the second ring, and the first ring is mounted to the engine static structure via a tight, interference fit to the engine static structure. A support surface on the first ring providing the interference fit is axially spaced from the beams. Load from the bearing is passed through the beams, which are the flexible portion of the centering spring, to the first ring and into the engine static structure by way of the tight fit. The beams are designed to provide a desired stiffness and fatigue life capability for the centering spring.
In one exemplary embodiment, a bearing compartment for a gas turbine engine includes an engine static structure. A rotating structure is configured to rotate about an axis relative to the engine static structure. A bearing supports the rotating structure. A centering spring has first and second rings interconnected by axially extending circumferentially spaced beams. An aperture is provided between an adjacent pair of the beams. The first ring is mounted to the engine static structure. The bearing is mounted to the second ring. The first ring includes multiple circumferentially spaced lugs. Each of the lugs axially extend into a corresponding one of the apertures. The lugs include a support surface that engages the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of the above, the beam has a first radius at the first ring. The lug has a second radius at the support surface. The second radius is greater than the first radius.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the beam is tapered and includes first and second portions respectively joined to the first and second rings. A center portion interconnects the first and second portions.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the first ring includes a hoop that is arranged radially inward of the lugs and joined thereto by radially extending lug pedestals.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the second ring provides a bearing support surface that is supported by radially extending circumferentially spaced bearing pedestals. The bearing is mounted to the bearing support surface.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the second ring includes a sealing surface having at least one groove. A seal is provided in the groove. The seal engages the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the first ring includes a radially extending flange that abuts a shoulder that is provided on the engine static structure. A fastener secures the flange to the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the fastener is a nut secured, via threads, to the engine static structure and in abutment with the flange.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the flange includes circumferentially spaced apart holes that receive bolts that fasten the flange to the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the bearing includes inner and outer races. Rolling elements are circumferentially retained with respect to one another and are arranged between the inner and outer races.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the outer race is discrete from the second ring.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the axis is an engine axis. The rotating structure is a shaft that operatively supports at least one of a turbine section and a compressor section for rotation about the axis.
In another exemplary embodiment, a centering spring for transferring a load from a bearing to an engine static structure, the centering spring includes first and second rings interconnected by axially extending circumferentially spaced beams. An aperture is provided between an adjacent pair of the beams. The first ring is configured to be mounted to the engine static structure. The second ring is configured to support the bearing. The first ring includes multiple circumferentially spaced lugs. Each of the lugs axially extend into a corresponding one of the apertures. The lugs include a support surface that is configured to engage the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the beam has a first radius at the first ring. The lug has a second radius at the support surface. The second radius is greater than the first radius.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the beam is tapered and includes first and second portions respectively joined to the first and second rings. A center portion interconnects the first and second portions.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the first ring includes a hoop that is arranged radially inward of the lugs and joined thereto by radially extending lug pedestals.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the first ring includes a radially extending flange. The flange is configured to abut the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the flange includes circumferentially spaced apart holes that are configured to receive bolts that fasten the flange to the engine static structure.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the second ring provides a bearing support surface that is supported by radially extending circumferentially spaced bearing pedestals. The bearing support surface is configured to support the bearing.
In a further embodiment of any of the above, the second ring includes a sealing surface having at least one groove. A seal is provided in the groove. The seal is configured to engage the engine static structure.
These and other features may be best understood from the following drawings and specification.
The exemplary engine 20 generally includes a low speed spool 30 and a high speed spool 32 mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis A relative to an engine static structure 36 via several bearing systems 38. It should be understood that various bearing systems 38 at various locations may alternatively or additionally be provided, and the location of bearing systems 38 may be varied as appropriate to the application.
The low speed spool 30 generally includes an inner shaft 40 that interconnects, a first (or low) pressure compressor 44 and a first (or low) pressure turbine 46. The inner shaft 40 is connected to the fan 42 through a speed change mechanism, which in exemplary gas turbine engine 20 is illustrated as a geared architecture 48 to drive a fan 42 at a lower speed than the low speed spool 30. The high speed spool 32 includes an outer shaft 50 that interconnects a second (or high) pressure compressor 52 and a second (or high) pressure turbine 54. A combustor 56 is arranged in exemplary gas turbine 20 between the high pressure compressor 52 and the high pressure turbine 54. A mid-turbine frame 57 of the engine static structure 36 may be arranged generally between the high pressure turbine 54 and the low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 further supports bearing systems 38 in the turbine section 28. The inner shaft 40 and the outer shaft 50 are concentric and rotate via bearing systems 38 about the engine central longitudinal axis A which is collinear with their longitudinal axes. Although depicted as a geared architecture turbofan gas turbine engine in the disclosed non-limiting embodiment, it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to use with geared architecture turbofans as the teachings may be applied to other types of turbine engines including non-geared architecture two-spool and three-spool architectures.
The core airflow is compressed by the low pressure compressor 44 then the high pressure compressor 52, mixed and burned with fuel in the combustor 56, then expanded over the high pressure turbine 54 and low pressure turbine 46. The mid-turbine frame 57 includes airfoils 59 which are in the core airflow path C. The turbines 46, 54 rotationally drive the respective low speed spool 30 and high speed spool 32 in response to the expansion. It will be appreciated that each of the positions of the fan section 22, compressor section 24, combustor section 26, turbine section 28, and fan drive geared architecture 48 may be varied. For example, geared architecture 48 may be located aft of the low pressure compressor, or aft of the combustor section 26 or even aft of turbine section 28, and fan 42 may be positioned forward or aft of the location of geared architecture 48.
The engine 20 in one example is a high-bypass geared aircraft engine. In a further example, the engine 20 bypass ratio is greater than about six (6), with an example embodiment being greater than about ten (10), the geared architecture 48 is an epicyclic gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system, with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.3 and the low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about five. In one disclosed embodiment, the engine 20 bypass ratio is greater than about ten (10:1), the fan diameter is significantly larger than that of the low pressure compressor 44, and the low pressure turbine 46 has a pressure ratio that is greater than about five 5:1. Low pressure turbine 46 pressure ratio is pressure measured prior to inlet of low pressure turbine 46 as related to the pressure at the outlet of the low pressure turbine 46 prior to an exhaust nozzle. The geared architecture 48 may be an epicycle gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system, with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about 2.3:1 and less than about 5:1. It should be understood, however, that the above parameters are only exemplary of one embodiment of a geared architecture engine and that the present invention is applicable to other gas turbine engines including direct drive turbofans.
A significant amount of thrust is provided by the bypass flow B due to the high bypass ratio. The fan section 22 of the engine 20 is designed for a particular flight condition—typically cruise at about 0.8 Mach and about 35,000 feet (10,668 meters). The flight condition of 0.8 Mach and 35,000 ft (10,668 meters), with the engine at its best fuel consumption—also known as “bucket cruise Thrust Specific Fuel Consumption (‘TSFC’)”—is the industry standard parameter of lbm of fuel being burned divided by lbf of thrust the engine produces at that minimum point. “Low fan pressure ratio” is the pressure ratio across the fan blade alone, without a Fan Exit Guide Vane (“FEGV”) system. The low fan pressure ratio as disclosed herein according to one non-limiting embodiment is less than about 1.45. “Low corrected fan tip speed” is the actual fan tip speed in ft/sec divided by an industry standard temperature correction of [(Tram ° R)/(518.7° R)]0.5. The “Low corrected fan tip speed” as disclosed herein according to one non-limiting embodiment is less than about 1150 ft/second (350.5 meters/second).
The engine 20 has numerous bearing compartments 66 having a variety of configurations depending upon the location and application within the engine 20, as shown in
Some bearing compartments 66 have limited axial space within which to fit hardware, such as the centering spring 70. This, in turn, limits the overall length of the centering spring, making it difficult to achieve desired packaging, desired deflection, and structural criteria relating to fatigue life requirements. To this end, the disclosed centering spring 70 provides an arrangement in which the overall centering spring length may be reduced, if desired.
Referring to
An aperture 94, or window, is provided between an adjacent pair of the beams 86 such that the apertures 94 are provided circumferentially between the beams 86.
The bearing 72 is mounted to the second ring 84. In the example shown in
The first ring 82 includes a radially extending flange 96. The flange 96 abuts a shoulder 98 of the engine static structure 36 when installed. The centering spring 70 may be secured to the engine static structure 36 in a variety of manners. In the example shown, a nut 100, or fastener, is used to clamp the flange 96 against the shoulder 98.
Referring to
The lugs 102 include a support surface 104 that is arranged at an outer diameter. As shown in
To provide stiffness to the lugs 102, a full hoop 108 is arranged radially inwardly of the lugs 102 to prevent the lugs 102 from bending. Lug pedestals 106 are circumferentially spaced apart from one another and radially interconnect the lugs 102 to the hoop 108. It should be noted full hoop 108 is not necessarily required provided lugs 102 are stiff enough to endure the various engine load and dynamic scenarios to which they are subject.
In the example illustrated in
A bearing support surface 116 is provided by the second ring. As shown in
The first ring 182 includes the support surface 204 that engages the engine static structure. The lugs 202 axially extend into the aperture 194 such that they are in axially overlapping relationship with the beams 186.
The second ring 184 supports the bearing 172, which is axially retained with respect to the rotating structure 145 by a nut 226.
Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.