Annular bearing support dampers, gas turbine engines including the same, and methods for the manufacture thereof
First Claim
1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
- an engine housing;
a rotor assembly disposed within the engine housing;
a rotor bearing supporting the rotor assembly within the engine housing; and
an annular bearing support damper positioned between the rotor bearing and the engine housing, the annular bearing support damper comprising;
an annular housing assembly fixedly coupled to the engine housing;
a damping fluid annulus formed within the annular housing assembly and fillable with a damping fluid; and
an array of circumferentially-spaced damper pistons comprising a plurality of piston caps and bellows, the piston caps sealingly coupled to the annular housing assembly by the bellows and in fluid communication with the damping fluid annulus, the piston caps further fixedly coupled to the rotor bearing and moving in conjunction therewith to force the flow of damping fluid around the damping fluid annulus during operation of the gas turbine engine to reduce the transmissions of vibrations to the engine housing;
wherein the annular housing assembly comprises;
a circumferential wall bounding the damping fluid annulus; and
a plurality of radial openings formed in the circumferential wall and accommodating the array of circumferentially-spaced damper pistons.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a gas turbine engine are provided, as are embodiments of an annular bearing support damper and embodiments of a method for manufacturing an annular bearing support damper. In one embodiment, the gas turbine engine includes engine housing and a rotor assembly disposed within the engine housing. A rotor bearing supports the rotor assembly within the engine housing, and an annular bearing support damper is positioned between the rotor bearing and the engine housing. The support damper includes an annular housing assembly having a damping fluid annulus. An array of circumferentially-spaced damper pistons is movably coupled to the annular housing assembly and fluidly communicates with the damping fluid annulus. The damper pistons are fixedly coupled to the rotor bearing and moves in conjunction therewith to force the flow of damping fluid around the annulus during engine operation to reduce the transmissions of vibrations to the engine housing.
88 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
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an engine housing; a rotor assembly disposed within the engine housing; a rotor bearing supporting the rotor assembly within the engine housing; and an annular bearing support damper positioned between the rotor bearing and the engine housing, the annular bearing support damper comprising; an annular housing assembly fixedly coupled to the engine housing; a damping fluid annulus formed within the annular housing assembly and fillable with a damping fluid; and an array of circumferentially-spaced damper pistons comprising a plurality of piston caps and bellows, the piston caps sealingly coupled to the annular housing assembly by the bellows and in fluid communication with the damping fluid annulus, the piston caps further fixedly coupled to the rotor bearing and moving in conjunction therewith to force the flow of damping fluid around the damping fluid annulus during operation of the gas turbine engine to reduce the transmissions of vibrations to the engine housing; wherein the annular housing assembly comprises; a circumferential wall bounding the damping fluid annulus; and a plurality of radial openings formed in the circumferential wall and accommodating the array of circumferentially-spaced damper pistons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An annular bearing support damper, comprising:
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an annular housing assembly having a damping fluid annulus fillable with a damping fluid; a centering spring around which the annular housing assembly extends; and an array of circumferentially-spaced damper pistons, each comprising; a piston cap in fluid communication with the damping fluid annulus; a bellows sealingly coupled between the piston cap and the annular housing assembly such that the bellows deflects as the piston cap moves with respect to the annular housing assembly to force the flow of damping fluid around the damping fluid annulus and dampen vibrations during usage of the annular bearing support damper; and a piston shaft extending through the bellows to fixedly couple the piston cap to the centering spring. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification