This application relates to a unique turbine housing which will be incorporated into an air cycle machine.
Air cycle machines are known, and typically include a pair of turbine stages mounted at opposed ends of the machine, and driving a common shaft. A compressor is mounted intermediate the two turbines, and it is driven by the turbines along with the shaft.
Typically, the turbines may be exposed to ram air, such as may be found outside a moving aircraft. The air is delivered into a first turbine stage, driving that turbine stage to rotate, and then the air passes downstream to a second turbine stage.
The compressor compresses air which may be delivered for use in a cabin of the aircraft, or for other uses on the aircraft.
Housings are associated with each of the three sections.
A turbine inlet housing for an air cycle machine has a main housing body which extends about a central axis, and is to receive a turbine rotor. An inlet duct extends away from the main housing body to provide an inlet duct for delivering air into a cavity within the main housing body. A plurality of bolt hole bosses are formed on a downstream face of the inlet housing. The bolt hole bosses will receive bolts to secure an outlet housing to the inlet housing. A plurality of the bosses have a ramped surface which extends radially outwardly for a greater extent than a second plurality of bosses. The plurality of ramped bosses extend between the downstream face and the duct. The ramped bosses have a forward boss portion, and a ramped surface at an angle of between 50 and 54 degrees extending from an upstream end of the forward boss portion. A curved surface curves from an upstream end of the ramped surface to merge into the duct. A turbine stage and air cycle machine are also disclosed and claimed.
These and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following specifications and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
An air cycle machine 20 is illustrated in
A second stage turbine includes a rotor 34 enclosed between an inlet housing 30 and an outlet housing 32 that also drives shaft 25. Rotor 34 is housed in a cavity or chamber 104 within housing 30.
As shown, the inlet housing 30 includes a duct 40 that receives air downstream of the first turbine rotor 28. The inlet housing 30 could be said to be “upstream” of the outlet housing 32, in that air is received in the duct 40, passes across the second stage rotor 34, and leaves through the outlet housing 32.
As shown in
The diameter of the bolt hole 50 is d2. A distance t2 is defined from the centerline y of bolt hole 50 radially outwardly to the end point 58 of the ramped surface 56. In embodiments, t2 was 1.08″ (2.74 cm), and d2 was 0.25″ (0.6 cm).
In embodiments, a ratio of t2 to d2 was between 4.2 and 4.4. A ratio of t2 to t1 was between 8.8 and 9.3. A ratio of d1 to t1 was between 39.3 and 39.8.
As shown in
A housing as disclosed above has beneficial features relative to the prior art. In particular, the ramped bosses operate to provide additional stability at highly stressed areas wherein the bolt holes 46 will be secured into the duct. The various geometries disclosed herein provide a housing which will be able to withstand the stresses, but also utilize a reduced amount of material.
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 invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
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Number | Date | Country |
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102530253 | Jul 2012 | CN |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20140030080 A1 | Jan 2014 | US |