Engine assembly with modular compressor and turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245156-A1
Application number	US-201514864068-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An engine assembly including an engine core with at least one internal combustion engine, a first casing, a turbine module including a second casing located outside of the first casing, and a compressor module including a third casing located outside of the first and second casings. The turbine shaft extends into the first casing, is rotationally supported by a bearings all contained within the first casing, and is free of rotational support within the second casing. The first casing may be a gearbox module casing through which the turbine shaft is in driving engagement with the engine shaft. A method of driving a rotatable load of an aircraft, and an engine assembly with a rotary engine core, a gearbox module with a first casing, and a second module including a second casing located outside of the first casing and detachably connected to the first casing are also discussed.

First claim

1 . An engine assembly comprising:
an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine in driving engagement with an engine shaft; a first casing; a turbine module including a second casing located outside of the first casing, the second casing containing a turbine section, the turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine core, the turbine section including at least one turbine rotor connected to a turbine shaft, the turbine shaft extending into the first casing and rotationally supported by a plurality of bearings all contained within the first casing, the turbine shaft being free of rotational support within the second casing; and a compressor module including a third casing located outside of the first and second casings, the third casing containing a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, the compressor including at least one compressor rotor in driving engagement with at least one of the turbine shaft and the engine shaft.

2 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first casing is part of a gearbox module and contains at least part of a gear train, and the turbine shaft is in driving engagement with the engine shaft through the gear train.

3 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the turbine shaft extends within the third casing, the at least one compressor rotor connected to the turbine shaft, the turbine shaft being free of rotational support within the third casing.

4 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a lubricant circulation system for circulating lubricant the plurality of bearings, the lubricant circulation system being contained within the first casing.

5 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the first casing contains part of the gear train and the gearbox module includes a fourth casing detachably connected to the first casing and containing a remaining part of the gear train, the first and second casings being located outside of the fourth casing.

6 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one internal combustion engine includes a rotor sealingly and rotationally received within a respective internal cavity to provide rotating chambers of variable volume in the respective internal cavity, the rotor having three apex portions separating the rotating chambers and mounted for eccentric revolutions within the respective internal cavity, the respective internal cavity having an epitrochoid shape with two lobes.

7 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second and third casings are detachably connected to the first casing.

8 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the turbine section includes a first stage turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the engine core, and a second stage turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the first stage turbine.

9 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the turbine shaft and the engine shaft are parallel, radially offset from one another, and in driving engagement with one another within the first casing.

10 . The engine assembly as defined in claim 1 , further comprising at least one rotatable accessory located outside of the first casing, connected to the gearbox module, and in driving engagement with one of the engine shaft and the turbine shaft.

11 . A compound engine assembly comprising:
an engine core including at least one internal combustion engine in driving engagement with an engine shaft; a gearbox module including a gear train, the gearbox module having a first casing containing at least part of the gear train; a turbine module including a second casing located outside of the first casing and detachably connected to the first casing, the second casing containing a turbine section having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine core, the turbine section including at least one turbine rotor connected to a turbine shaft, the turbine shaft extending into the first casing and in driving engagement with the engine shaft through the gear train; and a compressor module including a third casing located outside of the first and second casings and detachably connected to the first casing, the third casing containing a compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine core, the compressor including at least one compressor rotor in driving engagement with at least one of the turbine shaft and the engine shaft through the gearbox module.

12 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , wherein the second and third casings are connected to opposed sides of the first casing.

13 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , wherein the turbine shaft extends within the third casing, the at least one compressor rotor connected to the turbine shaft.

14 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 13 , wherein the turbine shaft is supported by a plurality of bearings all located within the first casing.

15 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , wherein the first casing contains part of the gear train and the gearbox module includes a fourth casing detachably connected to the first casing and containing a remaining part of the gear train, the first and second casings being located outside of the fourth casing.

16 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , wherein each of the at least one internal combustion engine includes a rotor sealingly and rotationally received within a respective internal cavity to provide rotating chambers of variable volume in the respective internal cavity, the rotor having three apex portions separating the rotating chambers and mounted for eccentric revolutions within the respective internal cavity, the respective internal cavity having an epitrochoid shape with two lobes.

17 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , wherein the turbine section includes a first stage turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the engine core, and a second stage turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the first stage turbine.

18 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , wherein the turbine shaft and the engine shaft are parallel and radially offset from one another.

19 . The compound engine assembly as defined in claim 11 , further comprising at least one rotatable accessory located outside of the first casing, connected to the gearbox module, and in driving engagement with one of the engine shaft and the turbine shaft through the gearbox module.

20 . A method of driving a rotatable load of an aircraft, the method comprising:
directing compressed air from an outlet of a compressor to an inlet of at least one internal combustion engine of a compound engine assembly, the compressor being contained in a compressor module casing; driving rotation of an engine shaft with the at least one combustion engine; driving rotation of a turbine shaft of a turbine section of the compound engine assembly by circulating an exhaust of the at least one internal combustion engine to the turbine section, the turbine section being contained in a turbine module casing spaced apart from the compressor module casing; compounding power from the turbine shaft with that of the engine shaft to drive the rotatable load; and circulating lubricant to each of a plurality of bearings rotationally supporting th

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Lamarre Sylvain
• Fontaine Mike
• Julien Andre
• Gaul Michael
• Thomassin Jean
• Mitrovic Lazar
• Medvedev Ilya B
• Usikov Sergey
• Zolotov Andrey

Classifications

• F02C7/36

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F05D2260/4031

  as in toothed gearing · CPC title

• F05D2300/171

  Steel alloys · CPC title

• F02C6/206

  the vehicles being airscrew driven · CPC title

• F05D2250/312

  the axes being parallel to each other · CPC title