Turbine engine and exhaust system connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907508-B2
Application number	US-201615013182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2016
Priority date	Nov 12, 2015
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A ceramic matrix composite (“CMC”) center body may be positioned around an austenitic nickel-chromium-based superalloy attachment ring. The attachment ring may be integrally formed with a turbine engine case. The attachment ring may have a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the center body. A plurality of pins may be inserted through apertures in the center body and coupled to the attachment ring. The pins may slide within the apertures, allowing the attachment ring to expand without applying a load on the center body.

First claim

We claim:

1. A turbine engine case comprising:
an outer cylinder;
an inner cylinder comprising an outer surface;
an attachment extension coupled to the inner cylinder, the attachment extension extending axially aft relative to the inner cylinder, the attachment extension being of a smaller diameter than the inner cylinder; and
a transition section extending from the outer surface of the inner cylinder to an outer surface of the attachment extension, wherein the inner cylinder, the transition section, and the attachment extension are of an integral construction, wherein the transition section comprises a ramp, a first transition segment, a land, and a second transition segment, wherein the attachment extension comprises a plurality of apertures configured to receive pins in a radial direction, wherein the ramp extends radially inward and aftward from the outer surface of the inner cylinder in the direction of the first transition segment, wherein the first transition segment is disposed between the ramp and the land, wherein the second transition segment is disposed between the land and the attachment extension and extends radially inward and aftward in the direction of the outer surface of the attachment extension, and wherein outer surfaces of the ramp, the first transition segment, the land, and the second transition segment are all disposed in different orientations relative to each other.

2. The turbine engine case of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of vanes extending between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder.

3. The turbine engine case of claim 1 , wherein the attachment extension comprises a cylinder extending in an axial and aftward direction relative to the inner cylinder.

4. The turbine engine case of claim 1 , wherein the attachment extension comprises an austenitic nickel-chromium-based alloy.

5. The turbine engine case of claim 1 , wherein a radius of the attachment extension is smaller than a radius of the inner cylinder.

6. A center body connection system comprising:
a turbine engine case comprising an attachment extension and an inner cylinder;
a center body comprising a ceramic matrix composite (“CMC”) housing, wherein an open space extends from an inner surface of the CMC housing to an outer surface of the attachment extension;
a pin extending through a first aperture in the CMC housing and a second aperture in the attachment extension;
a transition section extending from an outer surface of the inner cylinder to the attachment extension, wherein the transition section comprises an incline segment, a land, and a transition segment, wherein the incline segment extends radially inward and aftward from the outer surface of the inner cylinder to the land, wherein the land is disposed between the incline segment and the transition segment, and wherein the transition segment is disposed between the land and the attachment extension and extends radially inward and aftward toward the outer surface of the attachment extension, wherein outer surfaces of the incline segment, the land, and the transition segment are all disposed in different orientations relative to each other; and
a compressible, elastic seal situated between the land of the transition section and the inner surface of the center body and contacting both the incline segment and the land of the transition section, the compressible, elastic seal being configured to compress and decompress to allow axial movement between the CMC housing and the inner cylinder as the CMC housing and the inner cylinder expand and contract at different rates;
a first configuration where there is a first gap between the outer surface of the attachment extension and the inner surface of the center body and where the elastic seal is in a first compressed state; and
a second configuration where there is a second gap between the outer surface of the attachment extension and the inner surface of the center body and where the elastic seal is in a second compressed state, wherein the second gap is greater than the first gap, and wherein first compressed state is greater than the second compressed state.

7. The center body connection system of claim 6 , wherein a radius of the attachment extension is smaller than a radius of the inner cylinder.

8. The center body connection system of claim 6 , wherein the turbine engine case comprises an integral component comprising the attachment extension, the transition section, and the inner cylinder.

9. The center body connection system of claim 6 , wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the attachment extension is greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the CMC housing.

10. The center body connection system of claim 6 , wherein the pin is configured to slide through the first aperture in response to expansion of the attachment extension.

11. An aircraft propulsion system comprising:
a turbine engine aft case comprising an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder with an aerodynamic outer surface in a radial dimension that helps defines a flow path for engine exhaust gases, and an attachment extension extending axially in an aft direction relative to the inner cylinder;
a center body housing made from a ceramic material, the center body housing at least partially radially overlapping the attachment extension, wherein an open space extends from an inner surface of the center body housing to an outer surface of the attachment extension;
a transition section extending from the outer surface of the inner cylinder to the attachment extension, wherein the inner cylinder, the transition section, and the attachment extension are of an integral construction, wherein the transition section comprises an incline segment, a land, and a transition segment, wherein the incline segment extends radially inward and aftward from the outer surface of the inner cylinder to the land, wherein the land is disposed between the incline segment and the transition segment, and wherein the transition segment is disposed between the land and the attachment extension and extends radially inward and aftward toward the outer surface of the attachment extension, wherein outer surfaces of the incline segment, the land, and the transition segment are all disposed in different orientations relative to each other; and
a compressible, elastic seal situated between the land of the transition section and the inner surface of the center body housing and contacting both the incline segment and the land of the transition section, the compressible, elastic seal being configured to compress and decompress to allow axial movement between the center body housing and the inner cylinder as the center body housing and the inner cylinder expand and contract at different rates;
a first configuration where there is a first gap between the outer surface of the attachment extension and the inner surface of the center body housing and where the elastic seal is in a first compressed state; and
a second configuration where there is a second gap between the outer surface of the attachment extension and the inner surface of the center body housing and where the elastic seal is in a second compressed state, wherein the second gap is greater than the first gap, and wherein first compressed state is greater than the second compressed state.

12. The propulsion system of claim 11 , wherein the inner cylinder, the transition section, and the attachment extension are part of a single integral component.

13. The propulsion system of claim 11 , wherein an adjacent portion of the incline segment is located at an angle of between 95-105 degrees relative to the outer surface of the inner cylinder.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Knight Michael
• Iskander Fadi
• Geghamyan Narek

Classifications

• F02K1/80

  Couplings or connections · CPC title

• F02K1/04

  Mounting of an exhaust cone in the jet pipe · 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

• F05D2300/177

  Ni - Si alloys · CPC title

• F01D9/041

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title