Thrust bearing loading arrangement for gas turbine engines
First Claim
1. In a gas turbine engine including a stationary wall and a rotor comprising a compressor and a turbine, a thrust bearing loading arrangement comprising:
- (a) means for mounting said rotor for rotating movement, said means including a thrust ball bearing;
(b) said engine including at least one sealed cavity between a portion of said rotor and said stationary wall;
(c) said cavity including an aft wall and a forward wall, one of said walls having a greater surface area than the other of said walls;
(d) said stationary wall having an opening aft of said compressor for providing a path for flow of compressor discharge air into said cavity to increase the load on said thrust bearing;
(e) means responsive to compressor discharge pressure for controlling flow of compressor discharge air into said cavity to insure unidirectional loading on said thrust bearing throughout the normal operating range of said engine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of openings are provided in a stationary wall of a gas turbine engine aft of the compressor discharge to admit compressor discharge air into a sealed cavity formed between the stationary wall and the rotor of the gas turbine engine. A valve, biased to an open position, is associated with each of the openings so that under low speed conditions some of the compressor discharge air is admitted to the cavity to provide supplementary axial force on the rotor in one direction to prevent crossover under such conditions. Under higher speed conditions the increase in compressor discharge pressure overcomes the force biasing the valve to its open position, thereby causing the valve to close and terminate flow of compressor discharge air to the cavity, terminating the aforementioned supplementary axial force on the rotor. Each of the valves includes a housing surrounding the corresponding opening in the stationary wall and a valve piston within the housing is biased to an open position by open or more belleville springs positioned within the housing.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a gas turbine engine including a stationary wall and a rotor comprising a compressor and a turbine, a thrust bearing loading arrangement comprising:
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(a) means for mounting said rotor for rotating movement, said means including a thrust ball bearing; (b) said engine including at least one sealed cavity between a portion of said rotor and said stationary wall; (c) said cavity including an aft wall and a forward wall, one of said walls having a greater surface area than the other of said walls; (d) said stationary wall having an opening aft of said compressor for providing a path for flow of compressor discharge air into said cavity to increase the load on said thrust bearing; (e) means responsive to compressor discharge pressure for controlling flow of compressor discharge air into said cavity to insure unidirectional loading on said thrust bearing throughout the normal operating range of said engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification