Gas turbine engine frame assembly

• US 9,932,858 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Miller, Brandon Wayne, Schmidt, Richard, Niergarth, Daniel Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jr., Woody
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Elton
• Application Number:
  US14/809,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20170030220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/162 Bearing supports
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/164 Flexible supports; Vibration damping means associated with the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/18 Lubricating arrangements of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/20 using lubrication pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/065 Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/50 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/40311 of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/98 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A gas turbine engine is provided including a shaft coupling a compressor of a compressor section to a turbine of a turbine section. An aft bearing assembly, including at least two bearings, is positioned at least partially in an aft sump and supports the shaft within the turbine section. The aft sump is configured to receive lubrication oil from a lubrication oil supply extending through at least a portion of a turbine center frame of the turbine section, and provide such lubrication to the at least two bearings of the aft bearing assembly.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a compressor section including one or more compressors;

a turbine section located downstream of the compressor section, the turbine section including one or more turbines, a turbine center frame, and a turbine rear frame;

a shaft mechanically coupling at least one of the one or more compressors of the compressor section to at least one of the one or more turbines of the turbine section;

an aft bearing assembly including at least two bearings positioned in an aft sump and supporting the shaft in the turbine section, the aft sump configured to receive lubrication oil from a lubrication oil supply extending through at least a portion of the turbine center frame and provide such lubrication oil to the at least two bearings of the aft bearing assembly; and

wherein the turbine rear frame is configured as a dry turbine rear frame having no lubrication oil supply lines or lubrication oil scavenge lines extending therethrough.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein a scavenge line extends from a scavenge pump at least partially through the turbine center frame to the aft sump for scavenging lubrication oil from within the aft sump.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the one or more compressors of the compressor section includes a low pressure compressor, wherein the one or more turbines of the turbine section includes a low pressure turbine, and wherein the shaft is a low pressure shaft mechanically coupling the low pressure compressor to the low pressure turbine.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3, wherein the aft bearing assembly includes a first low pressure turbine bearing and a second low pressure turbine bearing, wherein the first low pressure turbine bearing is positioned forward of a connection member extending between the low pressure turbine and the low pressure shaft, and wherein the second low pressure turbine bearing is positioned aft of the connection member extending between the low pressure turbine and the low pressure shaft.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 3, wherein the gas turbine engine defines a longitudinal centerline and a radial direction, wherein the aft sump includes an outer wall along the radial direction, and wherein the outer wall of the aft sump slopes towards the longitudinal centerline at an aft end of the outer wall.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 3, wherein the aft sump defines a sump outlet fluidly connected to a scavenge pump, wherein the sump outlet is positioned proximate to a forward end of the outer wall.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the aft sump defines an opening for receiving lubrication oil from the lubrication oil supply.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, further comprising

an inducer positioned proximate to the opening defined by the aft sump for spraying lubrication oil flowing through the opening onto at least a portion of the aft bearing assembly.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein the inducer is a rotating paddle inducer.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising

a forward bearing assembly positioned at least partially within a forward sump for supporting the shaft within the compressor section, wherein the forward bearing assembly includes a first bearing spaced from a second bearing, wherein the first bearing is a ball bearing, wherein the second bearing is a roller bearing, and wherein the first bearing is positioned forward of the second bearing.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the first bearing includes a squeeze film dampener to increase dynamic stability.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the first and second bearings of the forward bearing assembly support the shaft relative to a low pressure compressor bearing support cone, and wherein the low pressure compressor bearing support cone is attached to a fan frame of the gas turbine engine.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the one or more compressors of the compressor section includes a low pressure compressor, wherein the shaft is a low pressure shaft mechanically coupled to the low pressure compressor, and wherein the low pressure compressor includes one or more stages of rotatable blades attached to an low pressure compressor disk drum.

14. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a compressor section including a low pressure compressor;

a turbine section located downstream of the compressor section and including a low pressure turbine, a turbine center frame having at least a portion positioned forward of the low pressure turbine, and a turbine rear frame having at least a portion positioned aft of the low pressure turbine;

a low pressure shaft mechanically coupling the low pressure compressor to the low pressure turbine;

an aft bearing assembly positioned at least partially within an aft sump, the aft bearing assembly positioned within the turbine section and comprised of a first bearing and a second bearing, the first and second bearings of the aft bearing assembly configured to receive lubrication oil from a lubrication oil supply extending through at least a portion of the turbine center frame; and

wherein a scavenge line extends from a scavenge pump at least partially through the turbine center frame to the aft sump for scavenging lubrication oil from within the aft sump, and wherein the turbine rear frame is configured as a dry turbine rear frame having no lubrication oil supply lines or lubrication oil scavenge lines extending therethrough.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the first and second bearings of the aft bearing assembly are positioned on opposite sides of a connection member extending between the low pressure shaft and the low pressure turbine.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, further comprising

a forward bearing assembly for supporting the low pressure shaft within the compressor section comprised of a ball bearing positioned forward of a roller bearing, wherein the forward bearing assembly is positioned at least partially in a forward sump.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 wherein the ball bearing of the forward bearing assembly includes a squeeze film dampener to increase dynamic stability.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 16, wherein the ball bearing and the roller bearing of the forward bearing assembly support the low pressure shaft relative to a low pressure compressor bearing support cone, and wherein the low pressure compressor bearing support cone is attached to a fan frame of the gas turbine engine.