Patent Application
20230387750
This disclosure relates generally to a gas turbine engine and, more particularly, to an electric machine for the gas turbine engine.
A gas turbine engine may include an electric motor such as a starter motor for providing mechanical power and an electric generator for providing electricity. The electric motor and the electric generator are typically connected to a gearbox outside of a core of the gas turbine engine, where the gearbox is coupled with a rotor within the engine core via a tower shaft. Some efforts have been made to arrange the electric motor and/or the electric generator within the engine core to reduce an overall size of the gas turbine engine. However, there is a need in the art for arrangements and systems which facilitate arrangement of an electric motor and an electric generator within an engine core.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine. This gas turbine engine assembly includes an engine core and an electric machine. The engine core includes a first rotating structure, a second rotating structure, a combustor and a flowpath. The first rotating structure includes a first structure turbine rotor. The second rotating structure includes a second structure compressor rotor, a second structure turbine rotor and a second structure shaft connecting the second structure compressor rotor to the second structure turbine rotor. The second structure compressor rotor, the combustor, the second structure turbine rotor and the first structure turbine rotor are arranged sequentially along the flowpath. The electric machine is arranged within the engine core. The electric machine includes an electric machine rotor and an electric machine stator adjacent the electric machine rotor. The electric machine rotor is rotatable with the second rotating structure and located between the second structure compressor rotor and the first structure turbine rotor.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, another assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine. This gas turbine engine assembly includes an engine core and an electric machine. The engine core includes a rotating structure, a combustor and a flowpath. The rotating structure includes a compressor rotor, a turbine rotor and a shaft connecting the compressor rotor to the turbine rotor. The compressor rotor, the combustor and the turbine rotor are arranged sequentially along the flowpath. The electric machine is arranged within the engine core. The electric machine includes an electric machine rotor and an electric machine stator adjacent the electric machine rotor. The electric machine rotor is rotatable with the rotating structure. The combustor is arranged radially outboard of and extends circumferentially about the electric machine.
According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, another assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine. This gas turbine engine assembly includes an engine core, a drive shaft and an electric machine. The engine core includes a rotating structure, a combustor and a flowpath. The rotating structure is rotatable about a first axis. The rotating structure includes a compressor rotor, a turbine rotor and a rotating structure shaft connecting the compressor rotor to the turbine rotor. The compressor rotor, the combustor and the turbine rotor are arranged sequentially along the flowpath. The drive shaft is rotatable about a second axis that is angularly offset from the first axis, and the drive shaft is rotatable with the rotating structure. The electric machine is arranged within the engine core. The electric machine includes an electric machine rotor and an electric machine stator adjacent the electric machine rotor. The electric machine rotor is mounted to the drive shaft.
The rotating structure may be rotatable about an axis. The electric machine rotor may be located axially between the compressor rotor and the turbine rotor.
The rotating structure may be configured as or otherwise include a high pressure spool.
The assembly may also include a plurality of bearings. These bearings may rotatably support the shaft. The bearings may include a first bearing and a second bearing. The electric machine rotor may be disposed between the first bearing and the second bearing. The electric machine rotor may be mounted to the shaft.
The second rotating structure may be rotatable about an axis. The electric machine may be located axially between the second structure compressor rotor and the second structure turbine rotor.
The combustor may be radially outboard of and may circumscribe the electric machine.
A portion of the flowpath between the combustor and the second structure turbine rotor may be radially outboard of and may circumscribe the electric machine.
The second rotating structure may be rotatable about an axis. The second structure turbine rotor may be located axially between the electric machine and the second structure compressor rotor.
The electric machine is configurable as an electric motor during a motor mode of operation. The electric machine may also or alternatively be configurable as an electric generator during a generator mode of operation.
The electric machine rotor may be mounted to the second structure shaft.
The assembly may also include a bearing rotatably supporting the second rotating structure. The bearing and the electric machine may be disposed within a bearing compartment within the engine core.
The assembly may also include a plurality of bearings. These bearings may rotatably support the second rotating structure. The bearings may include a first bearing and a second bearing. The electric machine may be disposed between the first bearing and the second bearing.
The second rotating structure may be rotatable about an axis. The electric machine rotor may be axially adjacent the first bearing and/or the second bearing.
The assembly may also include a bearing and a lubrication system. The bearing may rotatably support the second rotating structure. The lubrication system may be configured to direct lubricant through the electric machine to the bearing.
The assembly may also include a lubrication system configured to direct lubricant to the electric machine stator and then to the electric machine rotor.
The assembly may also include an engine case. This engine case may house and/or extend circumferentially about the first rotating structure, the second rotating structure, the combustor and/or the electric machine.
The assembly may also include a propulsor rotor outside of the engine core. The propulsor rotor may be rotatably driven by the first rotating structure.
The first rotating structure may also include a first structure compressor rotor and a first structure shaft connecting the first structure compressor rotor to the first structure turbine rotor. The first structure compressor rotor, the second structure compressor rotor, the combustor, the second structure turbine rotor and the first structure turbine rotor may be arranged sequentially along the flowpath.
The present disclosure may include any one or more of the individual features disclosed above and/or below alone or in any combination thereof.
The foregoing features and the operation of the invention will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings.
The gas turbine engine 20 of
The mechanical load 22 may be configured as or otherwise include a rotor 30 of the gas turbine engine 20. This rotor 30 may be configured as a bladed propulsor rotor, which propulsor rotor includes a plurality of rotor blades arranged circumferentially around and connected to a rotor hub or disk. The rotor 30 of
The engine core 24 of
The first (e.g., low speed, low pressure) rotating structure 32A includes a bladed first structure turbine rotor 40A and a first structure shaft 42A. The first structure turbine rotor 40A includes a plurality of rotor blades arranged circumferentially around and connected to one or more rotor disks. The first structure turbine rotor 40A of
The first rotating structure 32A of
The second (e.g., high speed, high pressure) rotating structure 32B includes a bladed second structure compressor rotor 38B, a bladed second structure turbine rotor 40B and a second structure shaft 42B. Each of the rotors 38B and 40B includes a plurality of rotor blades arranged circumferentially around and connected to one or more respective rotor disks. The second structure compressor rotor 38B of
The stationary structure 34 includes an engine case configured to at least partially or completely house the HPC section 44B, a combustor section 54 of the engine core 24, the HPT section 46B and the LPT section 46A, where the engine sections 44B, 54, 46B and 46A may be arranged sequentially along the rotational axis 48 between an airflow inlet 56 to the gas turbine engine 20 and an exhaust 58 from the gas turbine engine 20. The stationary structure 34 of
During operation, air enters the gas turbine engine 20 through the airflow inlet 56, which airflow inlet 56 may be located at (e.g., on, adjacent or proximate) a forward end of the engine core 24. This air is directed into at least a core flowpath 60 which extends sequentially through the engine sections 44B, 54, 46B and 46A (e.g., the engine core 24) to the exhaust 58, which exhaust 58 may be located at an aft end of the gas turbine engine 20 and its engine core 24. The air within this core flowpath 60 may be referred to as “core air”.
The core air is compressed by the second structure compressor rotor 38B and directed into a (e.g., annular) combustion chamber 62 of a (e.g., annular) combustor 64 in the combustor section 54. Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber 62 through one or more fuel injectors 66 and mixed with the compressed core air to provide a fuel-air mixture. This fuel-air mixture is ignited and combustion products thereof flow through and sequentially cause the second structure turbine rotor 40B and the first structure turbine rotor 40A to rotate. The rotation of the second structure turbine rotor 40B drives rotation of the second structure compressor rotor 38B and, thus, compression of the air received from the airflow inlet 56. The rotation of the first structure turbine rotor 40A drives rotation of the rotor 30. Where the rotor 30 is configured as the propulsor rotor, the rotor 30 propels additional air outside of (or through) the gas turbine engine 20 to provide aircraft propulsion system thrust. Where the rotor 30 is configured as the generator rotor, rotation of the rotor 30 facilitates generation of electricity.
The electric machine 26 of
The electric machine 26 may be configurable as an electric motor and/or an electric generator. For example, during a motor mode of operation, the electric machine 26 may operate as the electric motor to convert electricity (e.g., received from a battery and/or another electrical power source) into mechanical power. This mechanical power may be utilized for various purposes within the gas turbine engine 20 such as, for example, rotating the rotor 30 and/or rotating the second rotating structure 32B during gas turbine engine startup. During a generator mode of operation, the electric machine 26 may operate as the electric generator to convert mechanical power received from, for example, the second rotating structure 32B and/or the rotor 30 into electricity. This electricity may be utilized for various purposes within the gas turbine engine 20 such as, for example, electrically powering one or more electric components of the gas turbine engine 20 (e.g., pumps, motors, etc.) and/or charging the power source. The electricity may also or alternatively be utilized for various purposes outside of the gas turbine engine 20 such as, for example, electrically powering one or more electric components in the aircraft.
Referring to
The machine rotor 70 may be configured as or otherwise include one or more magnets; e.g., permanent magnets. The machine rotor 70 is connected (e.g., fixedly mounted) to the second rotating structure 32B and its second structure shaft 42B. The machine rotor 70 of
The machine stator 72 may be configured as or otherwise include one or more coils of electrically conductive elements; e.g., wires. The machine stator 72 of
The machine rotor 70 may be located axially between inner races 84A and 84B of the bearings 36A and 36B. The machine stator 72 may be located axially between outer races 86A and 86B of the bearings 36A and 36B, which outer races 86A and 86B of
Referring to
The lubricant source 88 is configured to provide the lubricant to the lubricant circuit 90 during lubrication system operation. The lubricant source 88 may also be configured to store (e.g., contain a quantity of) the lubricant before, during and/or after lubrication system operation. The lubricant source 88 of
The lubricant circuit 90 includes one or more internal volumes 96A-E (generally referred to as “96”) for one or more respective components 72, 70, 36A, 36B and 98 of the gas turbine engine 20. Each of the internal volumes 96 may be or otherwise include an internal cavity, an internal passage and/or another space within and/or at least partially or completely formed by a respective engine component, which internal volume is adapted to receive the lubricant. For example, each volume 96A, 96B may be configured as or otherwise include a passage and/or a cavity formed by and/or within the electric machine 26. More particularly, the stator volume 96A may be configured as or otherwise include a passage and/or a cavity formed by and/or within the machine stator 72. The rotor volume 96B may be configured as or otherwise include a passage and/or a cavity formed by and/or within the machine rotor 70. The first bearing volume 96C may be configured as or otherwise includes a passage within and/or a space at least partially formed by and/or within the first bearing 36A. The second bearing volume 96D may be configured as or otherwise includes a passage within and/or a space at least partially formed by and/or within the second bearing 36B. The collector volume 96E may be configured as or otherwise include a space at least partially formed by the lubricant collector 98; e.g., a sump, a gutter, etc. The lubricant circuit 90 of the present disclosure, however, is not limited to the foregoing exemplary internal volumes nor the foregoing exemplary collection of turbine engine components. For example, in other embodiments, any one or more of the internal volumes 96 may be omitted from the lubricant circuit 90 and/or serviced by another lubricant circuit of the lubrication system 28.
The lubricant circuit 90 is configured to provide the lubricant to the electric machine 26 and its components 70 and 72 and then to the bearings 36 adjacent the electric machine 26. The stator volume 96A of
With the foregoing lubricant circuit arrangement of
In the lubrication system 28 of
The lubrication system 28 is described above as providing the lubricant to certain exemplary engine components. It is contemplated, however, any one or more of the engine components may be omitted from the lubricant circuit 90 and/or serviced by another lubricant circuit and/or replaced by another component of the gas turbine engine 20 which may utilize the lubricant, for example, for heating, cooling and/or lubrication. The lubricant circuit 90 may also or alternatively include one or more additional fluid components other than those described above. Examples of these other components may include, but are not limited to, heat exchanger(s), sensor(s), manifold(s), additional bearing(s), nozzle(s), etc.
In some embodiments, referring to
In some embodiments, referring to
In some embodiments, the gas turbine engine 20 of
While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure. For example, the present disclosure as described herein includes several aspects and embodiments that include particular features. Although these features may be described individually, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that some or all of these features may be combined with any one of the aspects and remain within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.
