Embedded electric machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10487839-B2
Application number	US-201615242827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2016
Priority date	Aug 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. The rotary component is rotatable with the compressor section and the turbine section. The gas turbine engine additionally includes an electric machine rotatable with the rotary component and positioned coaxially with the rotary component at least partially inward of the core air flowpath. The electric machine is flexibly mounted to a static frame member, or flexibly coupled to the rotary component, or both, such that the electric machine is mechanically isolated or insulated from various internal and external forces on the gas turbine engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section and turbine section together defining a core air flowpath;
a rotary component rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section;
a static frame member;
a rotor connection member; and
an electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator, the rotor being rotatable with the rotary component, the electric machine positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction, the electric machine flexibly mounted to the static frame member, or flexibly coupled to the rotary component, or both, the rotor connection member supporting the rotor of the electric machine, wherein the rotor connection member flexibly couples the rotor to the rotary component of the gas turbine engine;
wherein the electric machine is positioned at least partially within or aft of the turbine section along the axial direction.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stator connection member supporting the stator of the electric machine, wherein the stator connection member flexibly mounts the stator to the static frame member.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the stator connection member comprises a flexible element such that the stator connection member flexibly mounts the stator of the electric machine to the static frame member.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the rotor connection member comprises a flexible element such that the rotor connection member flexibly couples the rotor of the electric machine to the rotary component.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the electric machine comprises a rotor and a stator, wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises:
a stator connection member supporting the stator of the electric machine and mounted to the static frame member; and
wherein at least one of the stator connection member or rotor connection member comprises a damper.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the damper is at least one of a viscous damper or a pneumatic damper.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the damper is a torsional damper.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the damper comprises an elastomeric material.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the gas turbine engine further defines a circumferential direction, wherein the damper provides damping along the axial direction, radial direction, and circumferential direction.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power gearbox, wherein the electric machine is mechanically driven by the rotary component through the power gearbox.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the power gearbox is flexibly mounted to the static frame member.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , further comprising a containment band positioned along the rotor connection member at a location radially outward of the rotor of the electric machine for strengthening the rotor connection member.

13. A propulsion system for an aeronautical device comprising:
an electric propulsor; and
gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising
a compressor section and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section and turbine section together defining a core air flowpath;
a rotary component rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section;
a static frame member;
a stator connection member and a rotor connection member; and
an electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator, the rotor being rotatable with the rotary component, the electric machine positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction, the electric machine electrically connected to the electric propulsor, the stator connection member supporting the stator of the electric machine and mounted to the static frame member and the rotor connection member supporting the rotor of the electric machine, wherein at least one of the stator connection member or rotor connection member comprises a torsional damper such that the electric machine is flexibly mounted to the static frame member, or flexibly coupled to the rotary component, or both;
wherein the stator connection member comprises the torsional damper such that the stator connection member flexibly mounts the stator to the static frame member.

14. The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the rotor connection member comprises the torsional damper such that the rotor connection member flexibly couples the rotor to the rotary component of the gas turbine engine.

15. The propulsion system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a power gearbox, wherein the electric machine is mechanically driven by the rotary component through the power gearbox, and wherein the power gearbox is flexibly mounted to the static frame member.

16. The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the gas turbine engine further defines a circumferential direction, wherein the torsional damper provides damping along the axial direction, radial direction, and circumferential direction.

17. A gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section and turbine section together defining a core air flowpath;
a rotary component rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section;
a static frame member;
an electric machine rotatable with the rotary component, the electric machine positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction, the electric machine flexibly mounted to the static frame member, or flexibly coupled to the rotary component, or both, wherein the electric machine is positioned at least partially within or aft of the turbine section along the axial direction; and
a power gearbox, the electric machine being mechanically driven by the rotary component through the power gearbox and the power gearbox being flexibly mounted to the static frame member.

18. A gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section and turbine section together defining a core air flowpath;
a rotary component rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section;
a static frame member;
a rotor connection member; and
an electric machine comprising a rotor and a stator, the rotor being rotatable with the rotary component, the electric machine positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction, the electric machine flexibly mounted to the static frame member, or flexibly coupled to the rotary component, or both, the rotor connection member supporting the rotor of the electric machine, wherein the rotor connection member flexibly couples the rotor to the rotary component of the gas turbine engine;
a stator connection member supporting the stator of the electric machine,

wherein the stator connection member flexibly mounts the stator to the static frame member.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Kupiszewski Thomas
• Miller Brandon Wayne
• Niergarth Daniel Alan
• Vondrell Randy M
• Gemin Paul Robert

Classifications

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• H02K7/116

  with gears · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• F01D5/02

  Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors (rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 {; selecting particular materials F01D5/28}) · CPC title