Gas turbine engine shaft bearing configuration

• US 9,194,329 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Merry, Brian D., Suciu, Gabriel L., Hasel, Karl L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SUNG, GERALD LUTHER
• Application Number:
  US14/219,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 602/261, 60/391.63, 60/390.8, 415/132, 415/142, 415/229, 415/110, 415/111
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/162 Bearing supports
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/06 Arrangements of bearings bearings F16C; Lubricating of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/00 Plants including a gas turbine driving a compressor or a ducted fan
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/04 the plant including ducted fans, i.e. fans with high volume, low pressure outputs, for augmenting the jet thrust, e.g. of double-flow type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4932 Turbomachine making

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a housing including an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path. A geared architecture is arranged within the inlet case. The geared architecture includes an epicyclic gear train. A fan is rotationally driven by the geared architecture. A shaft provides a rotational axis. A hub is operatively supported by the shaft. First and second bearings support the shaft relative to the intermediate case and the inlet case, respectively.

Claims

1. A compressor module for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a housing including an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path;

a shaft providing a rotational axis;

first and second bearings supporting the shaft relative to the intermediate case and the inlet case, respectively, wherein the first bearing is arranged in a first bearing support, the first bearing support removably secured to the intermediate case, and the second bearing is arranged in a second bearing support, the second bearing support removably secured to the inlet case;

a hub operatively supported by the shaft; and

a rotor connected to the hub;

a core inlet has a radially inner boundary that is spaced a first radial distance from the rotational axis, the radially inner boundary of the core inlet is at a location of a core inlet stator; and

a compressor section inlet has a radially inner boundary that is spaced a second radial distance from the rotational axis, the radially inner boundary of the compressor section inlet is at a location of a first stage low-pressure compressor rotor, wherein a ratio of the second radial distance to the first radial distance is about 0.65 to about 0.9.

2. The compressor module as recited in claim 1, wherein the first bearing is arranged in a first bearing support, the first bearing support being removably secured to the intermediate case, and the second bearing is arranged in a second bearing support, the second bearing support being removably secured to the inlet case.

3. The compressor module as recited in claim 2, wherein the first bearing is a ball bearing and the second bearing is a rolling bearing.

4. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a shaft providing a rotational axis;

a hub operatively supported by the shaft;

a housing including an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path;

a rotor connected to the hub and supporting a compressor section, the compressor section arranged axially between the inlet case flow path and the intermediate case flow path, the rotor is a first stage rotor of a low-pressure compressor;

a core inlet has a radially inner boundary that is spaced a first radial distance from the rotational axis, and a compressor section inlet having a radially inner boundary that is spaced a second radial distance from the rotational axis;

a geared architecture arranged within the inlet case, the geared architecture including an epicyclic gear train;

a fan rotationally driven by the geared architecture;

first and second bearings supporting the shaft relative to the intermediate case and the inlet case, respectively;

wherein the radially inner boundary of the core inlet is at a location of a core inlet stator and the radially inner boundary of the compressor section inlet is at a location of the first stage low-pressure compressor rotor; and

a variable vane array arranged upstream from the first stage rotor of the low-pressure compressor, a low-pressure turbine supported by the shaft, the low-pressure turbine driving the fan via the geared architecture, wherein the low-pressure turbine has a pressure ratio that is greater than about five, wherein at least one of the first and second bearings is arranged radially inward of the low pressure compressor, wherein the first bearing is arranged in a first bearing support, the first bearing support removably secured to the intermediate case, and the second bearing is arranged in a second bearing support, the second bearing support removably secured to the inlet case, wherein the second bearing support and the geared architecture are arranged in a lubrication compartment, wherein the first bearing is a ball bearing and the second bearing is a rolling bearing, wherein a ratio of the second radial distance to the first radial distance is about 0.65 to about 0.9.