Bowed rotor prevention system

• US 9,664,070 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Selstad, Tyler J., Clauson, Jesse W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meade, Lorne
• Application Number:
  US15/042,331
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/00 Shutting-down of machines or engines, e.g. in emergency; Regulating, controlling, or safety means not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/34 Turning or inching gear
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/36 using electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/275 Mechanical drives
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/277 the starter being a separate turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/532 of the bevelled or angled type
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/85 Starting
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/114 by limiting mechanical stresses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A bowed rotor prevention system for a gas turbine engine includes a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of the gas turbine engine through an engine accessory gearbox. The bowed rotor prevention system also includes a controller operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor and drive rotation of the gas turbine engine below an engine starting speed until a bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is met.

Claims

1. A bowed rotor prevention system for a gas turbine engine, the bowed rotor prevention system comprising:

a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of the gas turbine engine through an engine accessory gearbox;

an air turbine starter, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor drives a motor shaft that is mechanically linked to an air turbine starter drive shaft of the air turbine starter;

an air turbine of the air turbine starter operable to rotate an output shaft of the air turbine starter, wherein an output bevel gear of the output shaft interfaces with a motor bevel gear of the motor shaft, and an input bevel gear of the air turbine starter drive shaft interfaces with the motor bevel gear at a gear interface of the bowed rotor prevention system; and

a controller operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor and drive rotation of the gas turbine engine below an engine starting speed until a bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is met.

2. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor is an electric motor and the controller is operable to control a flow of electric current from a power supply to the bowed rotor prevention motor.

3. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor based on detecting an engine shutdown condition of the gas turbine engine.

4. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the air turbine starter drive shaft is coupled to an air turbine starter gearbox that is mechanically linked through a clutch to the engine accessory gearbox.

5. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 4, wherein a rotational force received at the engine accessory gearbox as driven by the motor shaft rotates a high pressure spool of the gas turbine engine.

6. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the motor shaft is mechanically linked to the air turbine through a clutch.

7. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is a predetermined period of time.

8. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to disengage the bowed rotor prevention motor based on receiving a maintenance request.

9. The bowed rotor prevention system as in claim 1, wherein one or more of a hydraulic pump and an electric generator are disengaged from the engine accessory gearbox when the bowed rotor prevention motor is commanded to turn.

10. A gas turbine engine comprising:

an engine accessory gearbox configured to be coupled to a high pressure spool; and

a bowed rotor prevention system comprising;

a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of the gas turbine engine through the engine accessory gearbox;

an air turbine starter, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor drives a motor shaft that is mechanically linked to an air turbine starter drive shaft of the air turbine starter;

an air turbine of the air turbine starter operable to rotate an output shaft of the air turbine starter, wherein an output bevel gear of the output shaft interfaces with a motor bevel gear of the motor shaft, and an input bevel gear of the air turbine starter drive shaft interfaces with the motor bevel gear at a gear interface of the bowed rotor prevention system; and

a controller operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor and drive rotation of the gas turbine engine below an engine starting speed until a bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is met.

11. The gas turbine engine as in claim 10, wherein the bowed rotor prevention motor is an electric motor and the controller is operable to control a flow of electric current from a power supply to the bowed rotor prevention motor.

12. The gas turbine engine as in claim 10, wherein the controller is operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor based on detecting an engine shutdown condition of the gas turbine engine.

13. The gas turbine engine as in claim 10, wherein the air turbine starter drive shaft is coupled to an air turbine starter gearbox that is mechanically linked through a clutch to the engine accessory gearbox.

14. The gas turbine engine as in claim 10, wherein the gas turbine engine is a turbofan engine, and the bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is a predetermined period of time.

15. A method of bowed rotor prevention for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

interfacing an output bevel gear of an output shaft of an air turbine starter with a motor bevel gear of a motor shaft of a bowed rotor prevention motor;

interfacing an input bevel gear of an air turbine starter drive shaft with the motor bevel gear;

engaging the bowed rotor prevention motor with turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine through an engine accessory gearbox of the gas turbine engine; and

driving rotation of the turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine by the bowed rotor prevention motor below an engine starting speed until a bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is met.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising engaging the bowed rotor prevention motor based on detecting an engine shutdown condition of the gas turbine engine.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is a predetermined period of time, and the bowed rotor prevention motor drives rotation of turbomachinery of the gas turbine engine at less than 1000 revolutions per minute.

18. The method as in claim 15, further comprising linking the motor shaft to the air turbine starter through a clutch.

19. The method as in claim 15, further comprising disengaging the bowed rotor prevention motor based on receiving a maintenance request.

20. The method as in claim 15, further comprising disengaging one or more of a hydraulic pump and an electric generator from the engine accessory gearbox when the bowed rotor prevention motor is commanded to turn.