Routing for electrical communication in gas turbine engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047251-B2
Application number	US-201916514258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2019
Priority date	Jul 17, 2019
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Gas turbine engines which include electrical motor-generator assemblies arranged near the fan outlet include electrical cable routing assemblies extending through a bypass flow path. Directing the electrical cables through a king guide vane can consolidate routing requirements while accessing each of electrical windings of the electrical machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical power routing assembly for providing electrical communication with an electrical machine of a gas turbine engine, the electrical power routing assembly comprising
a network of electrical cables for communicating electrical power, each of the electrical cables configured to connect with corresponding windings of the electrical machine that are arranged circumferentially about a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein each of the electrical cables includes an inner radial extent formed to extend radially between a connection with one of the corresponding windings and a divider defining a primary flow path of the gas turbine engine, and an outer radial extent formed to extend radially between the divider and an outer boundary wall defining a bypass flow path of the gas turbine engine; and
a king guide vane configured as a structural support within the bypass flow path of the gas turbine engine, the king guide vane including an airfoil body extending radially between the divider and the outer boundary wall, the airfoil body defining a routing passageway in the airfoil body, wherein the outer radial extent of each of the electrical cables extends through the routing passageway,
wherein at least some of the electrical cables include a circumferential extent arranged to extend circumferentially about the rotational axis of the gas turbine engine,
wherein the circumferential extent of the at least some of the electrical cables extends circumferentially between the inner and outer radial extents.

2. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner radial extent of each of the electrical cables is configured to extend radially through the primary flow path of the gas turbine engine.

3. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the electrical cables are configured to connect with the corresponding windings of the electrical machine that are arranged circumferentially spaced apart from each other about the rotational axis of the gas turbine engine.

4. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the electrical cables are configured to connect with the corresponding windings that are equally circumferentially spaced apart from each other.

5. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the network of electrical cables are configured to communicate an entire amount of electrical power communication with the electrical machine.

6. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical machine is formed as electrical motor-generator configured for mechanical connection with a fan drive shaft of the gas turbine engine.

7. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the king guide vane is formed as an outlet guide vane for guiding bypass air received from a fan of the gas turbine engine.

8. The electrical power routing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the routing passageway comprises a number of isolated paths extending through the airfoil body of the king guide vane, each of the isolated paths receiving one of the electrical cables of the network.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising
an turbine engine assembly including a fan for drawing air, a compressor for receiving the air from the fan for compression, a combustor for receiving compressed air from the fan for combustion with fuel to generate combustion gases, a turbine for receiving the combustion gases from the combustor for expansion to provide rotational drive to a fan shaft for transmission to the fan, and an electrical machine coupled with the fan shaft to communicate rotational force, wherein the turbine engine assembly includes a primary flow path for providing a first portion of the air from the fan to the compressor, and a bypass flow path for bypassing a second portion of the air from the fan around the compressor,
a network of electrical cables for communicating electrical power, each of the electrical cables configured to connect with corresponding windings of the electrical machine that are arranged circumferentially about a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein each of the electrical cables includes an inner radial extent formed to extend radially between a connection with one of the corresponding windings and a divider defining the primary flow path of the gas turbine engine, and an outer radial extent formed to extend radially between the divider and an outer boundary wall defining the bypass flow path of the gas turbine engine; and
a king guide vane configured as a structural support within the bypass flow path of the gas turbine engine, the king guide vane including an airfoil body extending radially between the divider and the outer boundary wall, the airfoil body defining a routing passageway in the airfoil body, wherein the outer radial extent of each of the electrical cables extends through the routing passageway,
wherein at least some of the electrical cables include a circumferential extent arranged to extend circumferentially about the rotational axis of the gas turbine engine to connect between the inner and outer radial extents.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the inner radial extent of each of the electrical cables is configured to extend radially through the primary flow path of the gas turbine engine.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the network of electrical cables are configured to provide an entire amount of electrical power communication with the electrical machine.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the electrical machine is formed as electrical motor-generator coupled for rotation with the fan shaft to selectively provide and receive the rotational force.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the king guide vane is formed as an outlet guide vane for guiding the second portion of the air received from the fan of the gas turbine engine.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the king guide vane is circumferentially aligned with one of the corresponding windings of the electrical machine.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the routing passageway comprises a number of isolated paths extending through the airfoil body of the king guide vane, each of the isolated paths receiving one of the electrical cables of the network.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the inner radial extents of each of the electrical cables extend through a corresponding strut of an air inlet housing.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the king guide vane and an air inlet housing include cooling air passages arranged in thermal communication with the electrical cables to receive the air through the cooling air passages to reduce cable temperature.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the corresponding windings of the electrical machine are arranged equally circumferentially spaced apart from each other about the rotational axis of the gas turbine engine.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Banham Christopher
• Little Rex M

Classifications

• H02K5/225

  Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132) · CPC title

• F01D9/065

  Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26) · CPC title

• H02K9/06

  with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft · CPC title

• H02K7/1823 Primary

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title