Active system for bearing oil damper supply and vibration control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9494048-B1
Application number	US-201514709866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A bearing damping system includes a pump configured to pump a fluid. The system further includes a variable position valve having a plurality of open positions each configured to generate different pressures in the fluid downstream from the variable position valve. The system also includes a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly includes a bearing housing. The bearing assembly also includes a stationary bearing race positioned within the bearing housing. The bearing assembly also includes a rotating bearing race spaced apart from the stationary bearing race and configured to be attached to a rotating component. A bearing element is disposed between the stationary bearing race and the bearing housing. A fluid compartment is defined by the space between the bearing housing and the stationary race and is configured to receive the fluid from the second conduit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bearing damping system comprising:
a pump configured to pump a fluid through the system;
a variable position valve connected to the pump by a first conduit and having a plurality of open positions each configured to generate a different flow of the fluid downstream from the variable position valve; and
a bearing assembly connected to the variable position valve by a second conduit and comprising:
a bearing housing having an outer surface and an inner surface, the bearing housing configured to be attached to a stationary structure;
a stationary bearing race having an outer surface and an inner surface and positioned within the bearing housing;
a rotating bearing race having an outer surface and an inner surface spaced apart from the stationary bearing race and configured to be attached to a rotating component;
a bearing element disposed between the inner surface of the stationary bearing race and the outer surface of the rotating bearing race; and
a fluid compartment defined by the space between the inner surface of the bearing housing and the outer surface of the stationary race and configured to receive the fluid from the second conduit.

2. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , wherein the variable position valve comprises:
a pressure regulating valve having an adjustable diaphragm disposed between the first conduit and the second conduit.

3. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , wherein the variable position valve comprises:
a plate movably disposed within the variable position valve to generate a plurality of flow areas through the variable position valve.

4. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , wherein the variable position valve comprises:
a sleeve disposed in the first conduit wherein the sleeve has a plurality of orifices; and
a poppet movably disposed within the sleeve and configured to decrease a flow area though the sleeve by blocking at least one orifice.

5. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , wherein the variable position valve is configured to restrict a flow of the fluid into the fluid compartment when a fluid pressure into the compartment exceeds a threshold pressure.

6. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , wherein the variable position valve is configured to increase a flow of the fluid into the fluid compartment when the fluid pressure into the compartment falls below a threshold pressure.

7. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a controller configured to monitor a parameter and actuate the variable position valve to maintain an optimum fluid pressure into the fluid compartment, wherein the parameter monitored by the controller is selected from the group consisting of: a stationary structure vibration rate, a component rotation rate, a fluid pressure in the first conduit, a fluid pressure in the second conduit, a fluid pressure in the fluid compartment, a fluid viscosity in the first conduit, a fluid viscosity in the second conduit, a fluid viscosity in the fluid compartment, a fluid temperature in the fluid compartment, a fluid temperature in the first conduit, a fluid temperature in the second conduit, and combinations thereof.

8. The bearing damping system of claim 1 , and further comprising:
an accelerometer disposed on the stationary structure configured to measure the stationary structure vibration rate.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a stationary section;
a rotating section joined to a shaft;
a bearing housing having a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface and attached to the stationary section of the gas turbine engine;
a stationary bearing race having a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface and spaced radially inward from the bearing housing;
a rotating bearing race having a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface and spaced radially inward from the stationary bearing race and attached to the shaft;
a bearing element disposed between the radially inner surface of the stationary bearing race and the radially outer surface of the rotating bearing race;
a fluid compartment defined by the space between the radially inner surface of the bearing housing and the radially outer surface of the stationary race;
a pump configured to pump a fluid into the fluid compartment; and
a variable position valve having a plurality of open positions configured to generate a plurality of fluid flows into the fluid compartment.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the variable position valve is disposed between the fluid compartment and the pump.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , and further comprising:
a controller that actuates the variable position valve based on a parameter selected from the group consisting of: a stationary structure vibration rate, a shaft rotation rate, a fluid pressure between the pump and the variable position valve, a fluid pressure between the variable position pump and the fluid compartment, a fluid pressure in the fluid compartment, a fluid viscosity, a fluid temperature, and combinations thereof.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the stationary structure vibration rate is measured by an accelerometer.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the bearing element is a ball or a roller.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the variable position valve regulates a flow of the fluid by increasing or decreasing a size of a valve flow area.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the variable position is configured to increase the size of the valve flow area when a fluid pressure into the fluid compartment falls below a threshold pressure.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the variable position valve is configured to decrease the size of the valve flow area when a fluid pressure into the fluid compartment exceeds a threshold pressure.

17. A method of adjusting a stiffness of a fluid damped bearing, the method comprising:
pumping a fluid through a variable position valve having a plurality of open positions;
sensing a parameter relating to a vibration rate of a rotating component;
actuating a variable positon valve in response to the sensed parameter to control a flow of a fluid; and
routing the fluid from the variable position valve to a fluid compartment formed between a bearing housing and a stationary race of the fluid damped bearing.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of: a stationary structure vibration rate, a component rate of rotation, a fluid viscosity, a fluid temperature, a fluid pressure, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 , and further comprising the step of: reducing a flow of the fluid into the fluid damped bearing when a fluid pressure into the compartment exceeds a threshold pressure.

20. The method of claim 17 , and further comprising the step of: increasing the flow of the fluid when a fluid pressure into the compartment falls below a threshold pressure.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Parnin Francis

Classifications

• F05D2240/90

  Mounting on supporting structures or systems · CPC title

• F16C19/06

  with a single row or balls · CPC title

• F16C35/042

  Housings for rolling element bearings for rotary movement · CPC title

• F16C19/527

  related to vibration and noise · CPC title

• F05D2260/96

  Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise · CPC title