Fan drive thrust balance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10107131-B2
Application number	US-201414769959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan section, a shaft including a bearing system, a turbine section in communication with the shaft, a speed change mechanism coupling the fan section to the turbine section and a biasing device configured to apply a biasing force against the shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a fan section;
a shaft including a bearing system;
a turbine section in communication with the shaft;
a speed change mechanism coupling the fan section to the turbine section;
a biasing device including an actuator configured to apply a biasing force against the shaft; and
a rotating bearing assembly configured to allow the actuator to remain stationary while applying a compressive force to the shaft.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the biasing device includes a hydraulic press in communication with the shaft.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , including a fluid conduit in communication with the hydraulic press configured to pressurize the hydraulic press to apply a compressive force against the shaft, wherein fluid conduit includes a valve configured to selectively control the amount of hydraulic fluid entering the hydraulic press.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the biasing device includes an electromagnetic press.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the bearing system includes at least one thrust bearing.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the turbine section includes at least a low pressure turbine and a high pressure turbine; the shaft connects the low pressure turbine to the speed change mechanism.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the speed change mechanism is a geared architecture.

8. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a shaft including a bearing system;
a turbine section in communication with the shaft;
a biasing device including an actuator configured to apply a biasing force against the shaft; and
a rotating bearing assembly configured to allow the actuator to remain stationary while applying a compressive force to the shaft.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the biasing device includes a hydraulic press in communication with the shaft.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , including a fluid conduit in communication with the hydraulic press configured to pressurize the hydraulic press to apply a compressive force against the shaft, wherein fluid conduit includes a valve configured to selectively control the amount of hydraulic fluid entering the hydraulic press.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the biasing device includes an electromagnetic press.

12. A method of balancing a load in a geared turbofan engine comprising:
applying an axial load to a shaft in a first axial direction in response to an operating condition on the geared turbofan engine; and
applying a biasing force to the shaft in a second axial direction with a biasing device including an actuator configured to apply a biasing force against the shaft, the second axial direction being opposite to the first axial direction, wherein a rotating bearing assembly is configured to allow the actuator to remain stationary while applying a compressive force to the shaft.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the biasing force is applied during periods of elevated or maximum engine load.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the biasing device is disabled during normal operating conditions of the geared turbofan engine.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the biasing device includes a hydraulic press in communication with the shaft.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the biasing force is directed axially forward.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Schwarz Frederick M
• Glahn Jorn A

Classifications

• F05D2260/15

  Load balancing · CPC title

• F05D2240/60

  Shafts · CPC title

• F01D3/00 Primary

  Machines or engines with axial-thrust balancing effected by working-fluid · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F05D2240/52

  Axial thrust bearings · CPC title