Heat shield for gas turbine engine gearbox

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10145306-B2
Application number	US-201314761539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2013
Priority date	Jan 16, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A heat shield ( 44 ) for an external component, such as a gearbox ( 42 ), of a gas turbine engine ( 20 ) for limiting heat transfer from the engine ( 20 ) to the external component is disclosed. The heat shield ( 44 ) may be formed to the shape of the gearbox ( 42 ) to reduce the geometric envelope of the gearbox ( 42 ) and heat shield ( 44 ). The heat shield ( 44 ) may be formed by a thin thermal insulation core ( 50 ) surrounded by a metal sheet ( 51 ). The small thickness of the heat shield ( 44 ) also reduces the geometric envelope of the heat shield ( 44 ). Since no extra equipment is needed to provide cooling fluid to the gearbox ( 42 ), the heat shield ( 44 ) reduces the overall weight of the gas turbine engine ( 20 ) as well.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combination of a heat shield and a gearbox of a gas turbine engine, the heat shield comprising:
a barrier adapted to be positioned between the gas turbine engine and the gearbox, the barrier being complementarily shaped to the shape of the gearbox; and
a plurality of connectors mounting the heat shield to the gearbox, wherein the heat shield comprises a thermal insulation core and at least one metal sheet surrounding the thermal insulation core and wherein the combination is secured to a diffuser case surrounding a diffuser and a combustor of the gas turbine engine such that the heat shield is positioned between the gearbox and the diffuser case.

2. The heat shield and gearbox of claim 1 , wherein each connector is welded to the barrier.

3. The heat shield and gearbox of claim 2 , wherein each connector is bolted to the gearbox.

4. The heat shield and gearbox of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal sheet is chromium nickel stainless steel.

5. The heat shield and gearbox of claim 1 , wherein the insulation core is low-conductivity fiber felt insulation.

6. A combination of a heat shield for a gearbox of a gas turbine engine and the gearbox thereof, the heat shield comprising:
a barrier adapted to be positioned between the gas turbine engine and the gearbox, the barrier being complementarily shaped to the shape of the gearbox; and
a plurality of connectors mounting the heat shield to the gearbox, wherein the heat shield comprises a thermal insulation core and at least one metal sheet surrounding the thermal insulation core, wherein the heat shield includes a body having a longitudinal axis, a first leg extending from the body in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and forming a first angle between the body and the first leg, and a second leg extending from the body in a second direction opposite to the first direction and forming a second angle between the body and the second leg.

7. The heat shield and gearbox of claim 6 , wherein the heat shield further includes a foot extending from the second leg in the second direction forming a third angle between the second leg and the foot.

8. The heat shield and gearbox of claim 6 , wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle.

9. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a gearbox operatively associated with the engine and mounted outside of an engine core component;
a heat shield formed to the shape of the gearbox, the heat shield being mounted to the gearbox by a plurality of connectors and being positioned between the gearbox and said core component, wherein the heat shield comprises a thermal insulation core and at least one metal sheet surrounding the thermal insulation core;
a diffuser located between a compressor and a combustor of the gas turbine engine;
a diffuser case surrounding the diffuser and the combustor, wherein the gearbox is positioned around the diffuser case and the heat shield is positioned between the gearbox and diffuser case.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the heat shield includes a body, a first leg extending from the body in a circumferential direction around the diffuser case, and a second leg extending from the body away from the diffuser case.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the heat shield further includes a foot extending from the second leg away from the diffuser case.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein each connector is welded to the heat shield and bolted to the gearbox.

13. A method of limiting an amount of heat transferred to a gearbox of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
aligning a heat shield with a gearbox such that the shape of the heat shield is complementary with the shape of the gearbox, wherein the heat shield comprises a thermal insulation core and at least one metal sheet surrounding the thermal insulation core;
mounting the heat shield to the gearbox; and
mounting the gearbox to the engine, wherein the heat shield is positioned between the gearbox and a diffuser case of the engine the diffuser case surrounding a diffuser and a combustor of the gas turbine engine.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising welding a plurality of connectors to the heat shield prior to mounting the heat shield to the gearbox.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mounting of the heat shield to the gearbox comprises bolting the heat shield to the gearbox.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the aligning of the heat shield of the gearbox comprises positioning the heat shield such that all surfaces of the gearbox which will face the engine are covered by the heat shield.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Webb Timothy

Classifications

• F02C7/32

  Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries · CPC title

• F05D2260/4031

  as in toothed gearing · CPC title

• Y10T29/49828

  Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work · CPC title

• Y02T50/671

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F05D2260/231

  Preventing heat transfer · CPC title