Mid turbine frame including a sealed torque box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118480-B2
Application number	US-201715830558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A mid-turbine frame for a gas turbine engine includes an inner frame case defining a sealed torque box cavity. Multiple spokes protrude radially outward from the inner frame case, and at least one service line is connected to the inner frame case.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mid-turbine frame for a gas turbine engine comprising:
an inner frame case defining a sealed torque box cavity;
a plurality of spokes protruding radially outward from the inner frame case, each of said spokes including a cooling passage extending from a radially outward end of the spoke toward the inner frame case, wherein the cooling passage is sealed at a joint between the inner frame case and the spoke such that fluid transfer into said torque box at said joint is minimized; and
at least one service line connected to the inner frame case.

2. The mid-turbine frame of claim 1 , wherein each of said spokes comprises a cooling passage extending from a radially outward end of the spoke partially toward said inner frame case.

3. The mid-turbine frame of claim 2 , wherein each of said spokes further comprises a redirection tube directing cooling fluid flowing through said cooling passage aft such that said cooling fluid bypasses the torque box.

4. The mid-turbine frame of claim 1 , wherein said at least one service line is connected to the inner frame case via a connection feature, the connection feature interfacing the service line with a corresponding bearing support passage in the torque box.

5. The mid-turbine frame of claim 4 , wherein the connection feature includes:
a flange portion and an extension portion, the extension portion extending radially into said bearing support passage;
a seal plate radially outward of said flange portion; and
a seal element sealing said seal plate to said inner frame case.

6. The mid-turbine frame of claim 5 , wherein the seal element sealing said seal plate to said inner frame case is a piston seal.

7. The mid-turbine frame of claim 5 , further comprising a service line seal disposed between an outward facing surface of said extension portion and an inward facing surface of said bearing support passage.

8. The mid-turbine frame of claim 4 , wherein said bearing support passage includes at least a first opening for providing fluid from said bearing support passage to a component disposed radially inward of the mid-turbine frame.

9. The mid-turbine frame of claim 1 , wherein the inner frame case is configured such that all cooling air provided to an engine segment adjacent to said inner frame case bypasses the torque box.

10. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a primary fluid flow path defined at least in part by a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section;
a mid-turbine frame disposed in said turbine section between a first turbine portion and a second turbine portion;
said mid-turbine frame structurally supporting a bearing associated with said first turbine portion and providing cooling air to said second turbine portion; and
wherein the mid-turbine frame includes an inner frame case defining a sealed torque box cavity, a plurality of spokes protruding radially outward form the inner frame case, and at least one service line connected to the inner frame case each of said spokes including a cooling passage extending from a radially outward end of the spoke toward the inner frame case, wherein the cooling passage is sealed at a joint between the inner frame case and the spoke.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein said at least one service line connects to a bearing support passage in said sealed torque box such that fluid is passed through said torque box through said bearing support passage to said bearing.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein each opening in said sealed torque box is sealed such that fluid exchange between said torque box and fluid external to said torque box is minimized.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Lienau Jeffrey J
• Davis Dustin W
• Lemoine Jonathan
• Zacchera Kevin

Classifications

• F01D9/042 Primary

  fixing blades to stators (fixing stator-rings in the casing or to each other F01D25/246) · CPC title

• F05D2260/20

  Heat transfer, e.g. cooling · 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

• F05D2240/58

  Piston ring seals · CPC title

• F01D25/12

  Cooling · CPC title