TURBINE DRIVE SYSTEM WITH LOCK-UP CLUTCH AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A gas turbine engine including a turbine drive system, comprising:
- an engine case;
a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine disposed in flow series within the engine case, the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine mounted on a high pressure spool and the low pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine mounted on a low pressure spool, each spool rotationally mounted within the engine case;
at least one engine accessory having an input shaft coupled to the high pressure spool to receive a drive force therefrom;
a bleed air conduit having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage therebetween, the bleed air conduit inlet port fluidly coupled to the high pressure compressor to receive a flow of bleed air from the high pressure compressor;
a flow control valve mounted on the bleed air conduit and selectively movable between at least a closed position, in which the bleed air conduit inlet port is fluidly isolated from the bleed air conduit outlet port, and an open position, in which the bleed air conduit inlet port is in fluid communication with the bleed air conduit outlet port;
an air turbine having a fluid inlet and a rotationally mounted air turbine output shaft, the air turbine fluid inlet in fluid communication with the bleed air conduit outlet port to receive bleed air therefrom when the flow control valve is in the open position, the air turbine output shaft coupled to the at least one engine accessory; and
a lock-up clutch coupled between the air turbine output shaft and the at least one engine accessory and movable between (i) an engage position, in which the air turbine output shaft is coupled to the at least one engine accessory in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, and (ii) a disengage position, in which the air turbine output shaft is not coupled to the at least one engine accessory.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pneumatically driven turbine drive system is coupled to a gas turbine engine that includes low and high pressure compressors, low and high pressure turbines, a lock-up clutch, and at least one engine accessory driven by the high pressure compressor. The pneumatically driven turbine drive system selectively bleeds air discharged from the high pressure compressor and supplies it to an air turbine that is coupled to the at least one engine accessory. Thus, the system selectively reduces the power extracted from the high pressure compressor and is capable of supplying power back to the engine core. This, coupled with the bleed air that is diverted from the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine, allows the high pressure spool and the low pressure spool to run at lower speeds when high engine thrust is not needed or desired, but when the at least one engine accessory is still needed.
88 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A gas turbine engine including a turbine drive system, comprising:
-
an engine case; a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine disposed in flow series within the engine case, the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine mounted on a high pressure spool and the low pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine mounted on a low pressure spool, each spool rotationally mounted within the engine case; at least one engine accessory having an input shaft coupled to the high pressure spool to receive a drive force therefrom; a bleed air conduit having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage therebetween, the bleed air conduit inlet port fluidly coupled to the high pressure compressor to receive a flow of bleed air from the high pressure compressor; a flow control valve mounted on the bleed air conduit and selectively movable between at least a closed position, in which the bleed air conduit inlet port is fluidly isolated from the bleed air conduit outlet port, and an open position, in which the bleed air conduit inlet port is in fluid communication with the bleed air conduit outlet port; an air turbine having a fluid inlet and a rotationally mounted air turbine output shaft, the air turbine fluid inlet in fluid communication with the bleed air conduit outlet port to receive bleed air therefrom when the flow control valve is in the open position, the air turbine output shaft coupled to the at least one engine accessory; and a lock-up clutch coupled between the air turbine output shaft and the at least one engine accessory and movable between (i) an engage position, in which the air turbine output shaft is coupled to the at least one engine accessory in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, and (ii) a disengage position, in which the air turbine output shaft is not coupled to the at least one engine accessory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A gas turbine engine including a turbine drive system, comprising:
-
an engine case; a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine disposed in flow series within the engine case, the high pressure turbine and the high pressure compressor mounted on a high pressure spool, and the low pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine mounted on a low pressure spool, each spool rotationally mounted within the engine case; an engine accessory gearbox having an input shaft coupled to the high pressure spool to receive a drive force therefrom and operable, upon receipt of the drive force; at least one engine accessory having an input shaft coupled to the engine accessory gearbox to receive the drive force therefrom and operable, upon receipt of the drive force; a bleed air conduit having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage therebetween, the bleed air conduit inlet port fluidly coupled to the high pressure compressor to receive a flow of bleed air from the high pressure compressor; a flow control valve mounted on the bleed air conduit and selectively movable between at least a closed position, in which the bleed air conduit inlet port is fluidly isolated from the bleed air conduit outlet port, and an open position, in which the bleed air conduit inlet port is in fluid communication with the bleed air conduit outlet port; an air turbine having a fluid inlet and a rotationally mounted output shaft, the air turbine fluid inlet in fluid communication with the bleed air conduit outlet port to receive bleed air therefrom when the flow control valve is in the open position, the air turbine output shaft coupled to the at least one engine accessory; and a lock-up clutch coupled between the air turbine output shaft and the engine accessory gearbox and movable between (i) an engage position, in which the air turbine output shaft is coupled to the engine accessory gearbox, and (ii) a disengage position, in which the air turbine output shaft is not coupled to the engine accessory gearbox. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. In a gas turbine engine system including a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine, a low pressure turbine, and at least one engine accessory coupled to the high pressure compressor to receive a drive force therefrom, a method of providing a pneumatically driven turbine drive system to the high pressure compressor, comprising the steps of:
-
determining an operational state of the gas turbine engine system; and selectively supplying air discharged from the high pressure compressor to an air turbine that is coupled to the at least one engine accessory based at least in part on the determined operational state, whereby the air turbine rotates and supplies the drive force to the at least one engine accessory in addition to that provided by the high pressure compressor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification