Gas turbine engine, machine and self-aligning foil bearing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9657594-B2
Application number	US-201314141399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2013
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique machine. A further embodiment is a unique self-aligning foil bearing system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for machines and self-aligning foil bearing systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor;
a turbine;
a static structure having a bearing pilot feature configured to pilot a bearing system; and
a self-aligning foil bearing system operative to transmit rotor loads from at least one of the compressor and the turbine to the static structure, wherein the foil bearing system includes:
a foil bearing;
a housing configured to receive the foil bearing and configured to be at least partially received within the bearing pilot feature;
a fulcrum extending outward from the housing toward the bearing pilot feature; and
an axial spring configured to impart an axial load on the housing and to generate a predetermined radial frictional damping characteristic of the housing,
wherein the self-aligning foil bearing system is operative to align the foil bearing with an axis of rotation of the at least one of the compressor and the turbine.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the fulcrum is positioned in a central portion of the housing.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the fulcrum is configured to offset the housing from the bearing pilot feature a predetermined distance.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined distance is selected to limit an angular position change of the housing.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein the angular position change of the housing is limited by contact of the housing with the bearing pilot feature.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined radial frictional damping characteristic is selected to limit a dynamic excursion of the housing.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the fulcrum is configured to form a pivot for the housing for pivoting the housing relative to the bearing pilot feature.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the axial spring is configured to prevent angular motion until predetermined frictional forces are exceeded.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the bearing pilot feature is a cylindrical opening in the static structure.

10. A machine, comprising:
a rotor;
a component having a bearing pilot feature;
a self-aligning foil bearing system operative to transmit rotor loads from the rotor to the component, wherein the foil bearing system includes:
a foil bearing;
a housing configured to receive the foil bearing and configured to be at least partially received within the bearing pilot feature;
a fulcrum disposed between the housing and the bearing pilot feature;
a first spring configured to impart a load on the housing and to generate a predetermined frictional damping characteristic of the housing; and
a second spring configured to act on the housing oppositely to the first spring,
wherein the self-aligning foil bearing system is operative to align the foil bearing with an axis of rotation of the rotor and the second spring is spaced apart from the first spring to locate the fulcrum between the first spring and the second spring.

11. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the housing has a first face and a second face; and wherein the first spring acts against the first face and the second spring acts against the second face.

12. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the foil bearing is a radial bearing.

13. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the fulcrum is configured to offset the housing from the bearing pilot feature a predetermined distance selected to limit an angular position change of the housing.

14. The machine of claim 13 , wherein the angular position change of the housing is limited by contact of the housing with the bearing pilot feature.

15. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined radial frictional damping characteristic is selected to limit a dynamic excursion of the housing.

16. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the fulcrum is configured to form a pivot for the housing for pivoting the housing relative to the bearing pilot feature.

17. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the spring is configured to prevent angular motion until predetermined frictional forces are exceeded.

18. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a compressor;
a turbine;
a static structure having a bearing pilot feature configured to pilot a bearing system; and
a self-aligning foil bearing system operative to transmit rotor loads from at least one of the compressor and the turbine to the static structure, wherein the foil bearing system includes:
a foil bearing;
a housing configured to receive the foil bearing and configured to be at least partially received within the bearing pilot feature;
a first axial spring configured to impart an axial load on the housing and to generate a predetermined radial frictional damping characteristic of the housing; and
a fulcrum disposed between the housing and the bearing pilot feature, wherein the fulcrum is configured to pivot relative to the static structure to cause the housing to pivot relative to the static structure.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , further comprising a second axial spring configured to act on the housing oppositely to the first axial spring and the second axial spring is spaced apart from the first axial spring to locate the fulcrum between the first axial spring and the second axial spring.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein the fulcrum extends outward from the housing toward the static structure.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Klusman Steven A

Classifications

• F16C17/024

  with flexible leaves to create hydrodynamic wedge, e.g. radial foil bearings · CPC title

• F04D29/057

  hydrostatic; hydrodynamic · CPC title

• F01D25/164 Primary

  Flexible supports; Vibration damping means associated with the bearing · CPC title

• F16C2360/23

  Gas turbine engines · CPC title

• F16C23/04

  self-adjusting · CPC title