Anti-windmilling system for a gas turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10337349-B2
Application number	US-201615139403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Apr 27, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A gas turbine engine has an engine static structure. At least one component rotatable relative to the engine static structure about an engine axis of rotation. A fan is coupled to at least one component for rotation about the engine axis of rotation. An actuator is mounted to the engine static structure, wherein the actuator is activated to prevent the fan from rotation and is inactivated to allow the fan to rotate. A method for preventing rotation of a fan in a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for preventing rotation of a fan in a gas turbine engine comprising:
driving a fan with a geared architecture that is driven by at least one shaft from a turbine section;
using one or more sensors to identify a non-operational engine condition comprising at least a windmilling condition;
including a control which receives data from the one or more sensors to determine if the aircraft is on the ground and is experiencing the windmilling condition by
determining weight on wheels,
determining if engine shut-down has been completed, and/or
determining aircraft velocity to identify if the gas turbine engine is stationary; and

activating an actuator positioned aft of the turbine section to prevent rotation of the fan during the windmilling condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , including activating the actuator to frictionally and/or magnetically restrain the at least one shaft from rotating to prevent the fan from windmilling.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a first feature and the at least one shaft includes a second feature that locks with the first feature when the actuator is activated to prevent the at least one shaft from rotating, wherein one of the first and second features comprises a dog extension and wherein the other of the first and second features comprises a recess that receives the dog extension, and including selectively activating the actuator to lock the first and second features together to prevent the fan from windmilling.

4. The method of claim 1 , including communicating data from the one or more sensors to a control and only activating the actuator when the control determines that the gas turbine engine is powered off and is stationary.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Roberge Gary D

Classifications

• F02K3/06

  with front fan · CPC title

• F02C7/36

  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 title

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title

• F02C7/32

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

• F01D21/006 Primary

  Arrangements of brakes (brakes per se F16D) · CPC title