Gas turbine engine forward bearing compartment architecture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410483-B2
Application number	US-201514640251-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Jan 10, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a bearing structure mounted to the front center body case structure to rotationally support a shaft driven by a geared architecture. A bearing compartment passage structure is in communication with the bearing structure through a front center body case structure.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a front center body case structure;
a geared architecture at least partially supported by said front center body case structure;
a bearing structure mounted to said front center body case structure to rotationally support a shaft driven by said geared architecture;
a bearing compartment passage structure in communication with said bearing structure through said front center body case structure, wherein said bearing compartment passage structure includes a hollow front center body strut; and
a conditioning device in fluid communication with said bearing compartment passage structure.

2. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said bearing structure includes a seal.

3. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said bearing structure includes a bearing.

4. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3 , wherein said hollow front center body strut is in fluid communication with a fan rotor bearing support structure which at least partially supports said bearing structure.

5. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conditioning device is a heat exchanger.

6. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conditioning device is in communication with a high pressure compressor.

7. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6 , wherein said high pressure compressor is axially downstream of said geared architecture.

8. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said conditioning device is radially outboard of a low pressure compressor.

9. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 8 , wherein said low pressure compressor is downstream of said geared architecture.

10. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein said a fan is driven by said geared architecture through said shaft.

11. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 10 , wherein said bearing structure is axially between said fan and said geared architecture.

12. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 , wherein said front center body case structure defines a core flow path for a core airflow.

13. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a front center body case structure;
a geared architecture at least partially supported by said front center body case structure;
a bearing structure mounted to said front center body case structure to rotationally support a shaft driven by said geared architecture;
a fan rotor bearing support structure at least partially supporting said bearing structure; and
a bearing compartment passage structure in communication with said bearing structure through said front center body case structure, wherein said bearing compartment passage structure includes a hollow front center body strut in fluid communication with a passage in said fan rotor bearing support structure, and wherein, downstream of said passage in said fan rotor bearing support structure, passageways are arranged to direct fluid to at least one of (1) a spinner, and (2) an annular core flow path of said gas turbine engine.

14. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13 , wherein said passageways are arranged such that fluid is ejected aft of said fan and into said annular core flow path of said gas turbine engine.

15. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13 , wherein said passageways are arranged such that fluid is directed to both of said spinner and said annular core flow path.

16. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with said bearing compartment passage structure and with a high pressure compressor.

17. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 13 , wherein a fan is driven by said geared architecture through said shaft.

18. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 17 , wherein said bearing structure is axially between said fan and said geared architecture.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Munsell Peter M
• Stripinis Philip S

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

• F02C7/28

  Arrangement of seals · CPC title

• F01D25/16 Primary

  Arrangement of bearings; Supporting or mounting bearings in casings (bearings per se F16C) · CPC title

• F02C7/12

  Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P) · CPC title

• F02C7/06 Primary

  Arrangements of bearings (bearings F16C); Lubricating ({of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or} engines in general F01M) · CPC title