Geared architecture for high speed and small volume fan drive turbine
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a fan shaft driving a fan;
a frame which supports said fan shaft;
a plurality of gears to drive said fan shaft;
a flexible support which at least partially supports said plurality of gears, said flexible support having a different stiffness than said frame;
a first turbine section providing a drive input into said plurality of gears; and
a second turbine section,wherein said first turbine section has a first exit area at a first exit point and rotates at a first speed,wherein said second turbine section has a second exit area at a second exit point and rotates at a second speed, which is faster than the first speed,wherein a first performance quantity is defined as the product of the first speed squared and the first area,wherein a second performance quantity is defined as the product of the second speed squared and the second area, andwherein a ratio of the first performance quantity to the second performance quantity is between about 0.5 and about 1.5.
3 Assignments
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A gas turbine engine includes a flex mount for a fan drive gear system. A very high speed fan drive turbine drives the fan drive gear system.
180 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
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a fan shaft driving a fan; a frame which supports said fan shaft; a plurality of gears to drive said fan shaft; a flexible support which at least partially supports said plurality of gears, said flexible support having a different stiffness than said frame; a first turbine section providing a drive input into said plurality of gears; and a second turbine section, wherein said first turbine section has a first exit area at a first exit point and rotates at a first speed, wherein said second turbine section has a second exit area at a second exit point and rotates at a second speed, which is faster than the first speed, wherein a first performance quantity is defined as the product of the first speed squared and the first area, wherein a second performance quantity is defined as the product of the second speed squared and the second area, and wherein a ratio of the first performance quantity to the second performance quantity is between about 0.5 and about 1.5. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A machine comprising:
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a shaft driving a fan; a frame which supports said shaft; a plurality of gears which drives the shaft; a flexible support which at least partially supports said plurality of gears, said flexible support having a different stiffness than said frame; a high pressure turbine; a low pressure turbine, said low pressure turbine being configured to drive one of said plurality of gears; a ratio of a thrust provided by said engine, to a volume of a turbine section including both said high pressure turbine and said low pressure turbine being greater than or equal to about 1.5 and less than or equal to about 5.5 lbf/inch3. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A gas turbine engine comprising:
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a fan shaft; a frame which supports said fan shaft, said frame defines a frame lateral stiffness and a frame transverse stiffness; a gear system which drives said fan shaft; a flexible support which at least partially supports said gear system, said flexible support defines a flexible support lateral stiffness with respect to said frame lateral stiffness and a flexible support transverse stiffness with respect to said frame transverse stiffness; and an input coupling to said gear system, said input coupling defines an input coupling lateral stiffness with respect to said frame lateral stiffness and an input coupling transverse stiffness with respect to said frame transverse stiffness.
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Specification