Rotatable torque frame for gas turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10961850-B2
Application number	US-201715708762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2017
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A gas turbine engine including a torque frame is provided. The torque frame includes an inner shroud defined circumferentially around the axial centerline, an outer shroud surrounding the inner shroud and defined circumferentially around the axial centerline, and a structural member extended along the radial direction and coupled to the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The torque frame is configured to rotate around the axial centerline.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a torque frame comprising an inner shroud defined circumferentially around an axial centerline, an outer shroud surrounding the inner shroud and defined circumferentially around the axial centerline, a structural member extended along the radial direction and coupled to the inner shroud and the outer shroud, wherein the torque frame is configured to rotate around the axial centerline, and wherein the torque frame comprises an outer band circumferentially surrounding the outer shroud, wherein the outer band is extended at least partially along the radial direction, and wherein a plurality of connecting members extend at least partially along the radial direction and couple the outer shroud and the outer band, and wherein the connecting members define a spring.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the structural member is extended along a longitudinal direction to define a lean angle relative to the axial centerline.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the lean angle is acute relative to the axial centerline, wherein a radially outward end of the structural member is disposed upstream of a radially inward end of the structural member.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the lean angle is acute relative to the axial centerline, wherein a radially inward end of the structural member is disposed upstream of a radially outward end of the structural member.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the structural member defines an airfoil defining a pressure side and a suction side.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the connecting members extend at least partially along the circumferential direction from the outer shroud to the outer band.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the connecting members define an approximately V cross section.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the outer band defines an annular ring generally concentric about the axial centerline.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the outer shroud defines a platform extended at least partially along the longitudinal direction and at least partially along the circumferential direction, and wherein the connecting members extend from the platform to the outer band.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the outer band defines one or more balance planes along a portion of an inner diameter and/or along a portion of an outer diameter.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the structural member, the inner shroud, and the outer shroud together define an integral structure.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the structural member, the inner shroud, the outer shroud, the plurality of connecting members and the outer band together define an integral structure.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
an outer drum rotor coupled to the outer band of the torque frame, wherein the outer drum rotor comprises one or more stages of a plurality of outer drum airfoils extended inward along the radial direction.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second turbine rotor disposed radially inward of the outer drum rotor, wherein the second turbine rotor comprises one or more stages of second turbine airfoils extended outward along the radial direction, and further wherein the second turbine rotor is independently rotatable relative to the torque frame and the outer drum rotor, and wherein the torque frame is disposed downstream of the second turbine rotor.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the torque frame and the outer drum rotor together define a low speed rotor, and wherein the second turbine rotor defines a higher speed rotor relative to the low speed rotor.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising:
an inner drum rotor coupled to the inner shroud of the torque frame, wherein the inner drum rotor comprises one or more stages of a plurality of inner drum airfoils extended outward along the radial direction, and wherein the torque frame, the outer drum rotor, and the inner drum rotor together rotate at a first speed around the axial centerline.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second turbine rotor disposed radially inward of the outer drum rotor, wherein the second turbine rotor comprises one or more stages of second turbine airfoils extended outward along the radial direction, and further wherein the second turbine rotor is independently rotatable relative to the torque frame and the outer drum rotor, and wherein the torque frame is disposed upstream of the second turbine rotor.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Van Der Merwe Gert Johannes
• Zatorski Darek Tomasz
• Wesling Richard Alan
• Clements Jeffrey Donald

Classifications

• F01D1/24

  characterised by counter-rotating rotors subjected to same working fluid stream without intermediate stator blades or the like · CPC title

• F02C3/067

  having counter-rotating rotors (F02C3/073 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2250/38

  angled, e.g. sweep angle · CPC title

• F01D5/34

  Rotor-blade aggregates of unitary construction {, e.g. formed of sheet laminae; (discs formed of sheet laminae F01D5/028; ceramic materials F01D5/284, composite materials F01D5/282)} · CPC title

• F05D2260/52

  involving springs · CPC title