GAS TURBINE ENGINE

Abstract

A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes: a fan adjacent the engine air intake, including a plurality of fan blades; downstream of the fan, an engine core including a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine and compressor; an engine core housing at least partly encasing the core; a fan case surrounding the fan and defining at least part of a bypass duct radially outside the core; a plurality of outlet guide vanes extending between the engine core housing and an outlet guide vane support region of the case, adjacent an upstream end of the bypass duct; one or more supports extending from the case to the engine core housing, wherein: a first end of the supports fixes to the case at the outlet guide vane support region; a second end of the supports fixes to the engine core housing adjacent an engine core exhaust.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprising: a fan located adjacent an air intake of the engine, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades; downstream of the fan, an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; an engine core housing at least partly encasing the engine core; a fan case surrounding the fan and defining at least a part of a bypass duct radially outside the engine core; a plurality of outlet guide vanes extending between the engine core housing and an outlet guide vane support region of the fan case, adjacent an upstream end of the bypass duct; one or more supports extending from the fan case to the engine core housing, wherein: a first end of the one or more supports is fixed to the fan case at the outlet guide vane support region; and a second end of the one or more supports is fixed to the engine core housing adjacent an exhaust of the engine core.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the engine includes one or more bearings for mounting the core shaft to a support structure of the engine.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 2, including an exhaust bearing provided adjacent an exhaust of the engine core, wherein: the engine core housing includes an exhaust bearing housing encasing the exhaust bearing; and the second end of the one or more supports is fixed to the exhaust bearing housing.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 3, including a front bearing provided adjacent the fan, wherein the engine core housing includes a front bearing portion encasing the front bearing; radially inner ends of the outlet guide vanes are coupled to the engine core by torque boxes; and the torque boxes extend between the front bearing housing and a portion of the engine core housing between the front bearing housing and the rear bearing housing.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 4, wherein the torque box extends between the front bearing housing, and a housing encasing a further bearing between the front bearing and exhaust bearing.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, at least one of the one or more supports comprises an A-frame having first and second struts, wherein the first and second struts meet at an apex at one end of the of the support, and are spaced from each other at the other end of the support.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein the apex is formed at the first end of the support.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein: the gas turbine engine has a principal axis of rotation; and the engine core and fan case are formed around the principal axis of rotation and airflow through the engine core and bypass duct extends substantially along the principal axis.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more supports has an axis of symmetry extending radially from the principal axis of rotation.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 8, having a pair of supports, wherein the pair of supports are arranged in diametrically opposed positions, around the principal axis of rotation.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, including: a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft.

12. The gas turbine engine according to claim 1, wherein: the turbine is a first turbine, the compressor is a first compressor, and the core shaft is a first core shaft; the engine core further comprises a second turbine upstream from the first turbine, a second compressor downstream from the first compressor, and a second core shaft connecting the second turbine to the second compressor; and the second turbine, second compressor, and second core shaft are arranged to rotate at a higher rotational speed than the first core shaft.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the one or more supports form a virtual torque box between the engine core and the fan case.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the supports are arranged to expand when heated, and wherein the expansion of the supports when heated matches or substantially match thermal expansion of the engine core.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein heated air or fluid from the engine core is directed through the supports, to cause the supports to expand.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 14, wherein the supports are formed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient arranged to match or substantially match thermal expansion of the engine core.

17. A gas turbine engine comprising a fan; an engine core and a bypass duct parallel to and radially outside the engine core, wherein the gas turbine engine further includes: a fan case surrounding the fan and at least partially defining the bypass duct; one or more outlet guide vanes extending from the fan case; an exhaust bearing housing encasing portion an exhaust of the engine core; and one or more A-frame supports extending between the fan case and the exhaust bearing housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a gas turbine engine;

[0048] FIG. 2 is a close up sectional side view of an upstream portion of a gas turbine engine;

[0049] FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away view of a gearbox for a gas turbine engine;

[0050] FIG. 4A is a schematic sectional side view of a gas turbine engine according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0051] FIG. 4B is a schematic front view of the gas turbine engine of FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0052] FIG. 1 illustrates a gas turbine engine 10 having a principal rotational axis 9. The engine 10 comprises an air intake 12 and a propulsive fan 23 having a plurality of blades 25. The fan 23 generates two airflows: a core airflow A and a bypass airflow B. The gas turbine engine 10 comprises a core 11 that receives the core airflow A. The engine core 11 comprises, in axial flow series, a low pressure compressor 14, a high-pressure compressor 15, combustion equipment 16, a high-pressure turbine 17, a low pressure turbine 19 and a core exhaust nozzle 20. A nacelle 21 surrounds the gas turbine engine 10 and defines a bypass duct 22 and a bypass exhaust nozzle 18. The bypass airflow B flows through the bypass duct 22. The fan 23 is attached to and driven by the low pressure turbine 19 via a shaft 26 and an epicyclic gearbox 30.

[0053] In use, the core airflow A is accelerated and compressed by the low pressure compressor 14 and directed into the high pressure compressor 15 where further compression takes place. The compressed air exhausted from the high pressure compressor 15 is directed into the combustion equipment 16 where it is mixed with fuel and the mixture is combusted. The resultant hot combustion products then expand through, and thereby drive, the high pressure and low pressure turbines 17, 19 before being exhausted through the nozzle 20 to provide some propulsive thrust. The high pressure turbine 17 drives the high pressure compressor 15 by a suitable interconnecting shaft 27. The fan 23 generally provides the majority of the propulsive thrust. The epicyclic gearbox 30 is a reduction gearbox.

[0054] An exemplary arrangement for a geared fan gas turbine engine 10 is shown in FIG. 2. The low pressure turbine 19 (see FIG. 1) drives the shaft 26, which is coupled to a sun wheel, or sun gear, 28 of the epicyclic gear arrangement 30. Radially outwardly of the sun gear 28 and intermeshing therewith is a plurality of planet gears 32 that are coupled together by a planet carrier 34. The planet carrier 34 constrains the planet gears 32 to precess around the sun gear 28 in synchronicity whilst enabling each planet gear 32 to rotate about its own axis. The planet carrier 34 is coupled via linkages 36 to the fan 23 in order to drive its rotation about the engine axis 9. Radially outwardly of the planet gears 32 and intermeshing therewith is an annulus or ring gear 38 that is coupled, via linkages 40, to a stationary supporting structure 24.

[0055] Note that the terms low pressure turbine and low pressure compressor as used herein may be taken to mean the lowest pressure turbine stages and lowest pressure compressor stages (i.e. not including the fan 23) respectively and/or the turbine and compressor stages that are connected together by the interconnecting shaft 26 with the lowest rotational speed in the engine (i.e. not including the gearbox output shaft that drives the fan 23). In some literature, the low pressure turbine and low pressure compressor referred to herein may alternatively be known as the intermediate pressure turbine and intermediate pressure compressor. Where such alternative nomenclature is used, the fan 23 may be referred to as a first, or lowest pressure, compression stage.

[0056] The epicyclic gearbox 30 is shown by way of example in greater detail in FIG. 3. Each of the sun gear 28, planet gears 32 and ring gear 38 comprise teeth about their periphery to intermesh with the other gears. However, for clarity only exemplary portions of the teeth are illustrated in FIG. 3. There are four planet gears 32 illustrated, although it will be apparent to the skilled reader that more or fewer planet gears 32 may be provided within the scope of the claimed invention. Practical applications of a planetary epicyclic gearbox 30 generally comprise at least three planet gears 32.

[0057] The epicyclic gearbox 30 illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 2 and 3 is of the planetary type, in that the planet carrier 34 is coupled to an output shaft via linkages 36, with the ring gear 38 fixed. However, any other suitable type of epicyclic gearbox 30 may be used. By way of further example, the epicyclic gearbox 30 may be a star arrangement, in which the planet carrier 34 is held fixed, with the ring (or annulus) gear 38 allowed to rotate. In such an arrangement the fan 23 is driven by the ring gear 38. By way of further alternative example, the gearbox 30 may be a differential gearbox in which the ring gear 38 and the planet carrier 34 are both allowed to rotate.

[0058] It will be appreciated that the arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is by way of example only, and various alternatives are within the scope of the present disclosure. Purely by way of example, any suitable arrangement may be used for locating the gearbox 30 in the engine 10 and/or for connecting the gearbox 30 to the engine 10. By way of further example, the connections (such as the linkages 36, 40 in the FIG. 2 example) between the gearbox 30 and other parts of the engine 10 (such as the input shaft 26, the output shaft and the fixed structure 24) may have any desired degree of stiffness or flexibility. By way of further example, any suitable arrangement of the bearings between rotating and stationary parts of the engine (for example between the input and output shafts from the gearbox and the fixed structures, such as the gearbox casing) may be used, and the disclosure is not limited to the exemplary arrangement of FIG. 2. For example, where the gearbox 30 has a star arrangement (described above), the skilled person would readily understand that the arrangement of output and support linkages and bearing locations would typically be different to that shown by way of example in FIG. 2.

[0059] Accordingly, the present disclosure extends to a gas turbine engine having any arrangement of gearbox styles (for example star or planetary), support structures, input and output shaft arrangement, and bearing locations.

[0060] Optionally, the gearbox may drive additional and/or alternative components (e.g. the intermediate pressure compressor and/or a booster compressor).

[0061] Other gas turbine engines to which the present disclosure may be applied may have alternative configurations. For example, such engines may have an alternative number of compressors and/or turbines and/or an alternative number of interconnecting shafts. By way of further example, the gas turbine engine shown in FIG. 1 has a split flow nozzle 20, 22 meaning that the flow through the bypass duct 22 has its own nozzle that is separate to and radially outside the engine core nozzle 20. However, this is not limiting, and any aspect of the present disclosure may also apply to engines in which the flow through the bypass duct 22 and the flow through the core 11 are mixed, or combined, before (or upstream of) a single nozzle, which may be referred to as a mixed flow nozzle. One or both nozzles (whether mixed or split flow) may have a fixed or variable area. Whilst the described example relates to a turbofan engine, the disclosure may apply, for example, to any type of gas turbine engine, such as an open rotor (in which the fan stage is not surrounded by a nacelle) or turboprop engine, for example. In some arrangements, the gas turbine engine 10 may not comprise a gearbox 30.

[0062] The geometry of the gas turbine engine 10, and components thereof, is defined by a conventional axis system, comprising an axial direction (which is aligned with the rotational axis 9), a radial direction (in the bottom-to-top direction in FIG. 1), and a circumferential direction (perpendicular to the page in the FIG. 1 view). The axial, radial and circumferential directions are mutually perpendicular.

[0063] FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically show certain elements of a gas turbine engine 10 in more detail, in order to demonstrate an example arrangement of supports 50 that can be used to provide structural rigidity to the engine 10.

[0064] The shafts 26, 27 of the engine 10 are secured to the stationary supporting structure of the engine 10 by bearings. A first (front) bearing (not shown) is provided at first end 60 of the engine core 11, and a second (exhaust) bearing (not shown) is provided at a second end 62 of the engine core 11, opposite the first end 60 and downstream of the first end 60.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 4A, the engine core 11 is encased in a housing 52. In the illustrated example, the housing 52 has three or more separate portions 54, 56, 58, although it will be appreciated that the housing 52 may comprise any number of portions. A front bearing housing 54 encases the front bearing, adjacent the first end 60 of the engine core 11, and an exhaust bearing housing 58 encases the exhaust bearing, adjacent the second end 62 of the engine core 11. An inter-case 56 portion of the core engine housing 52 extends between the front bearing housing 54 and exhaust bearing housing 58.

[0066] It will be appreciated that further bearings may be provided between the first end 60 and the second end 62 of the engine core 11. Each bearing may have an associated bearing housing region. It will also be appreciated that the bearing housings do not necessarily directly encase the bearings. Further parts of the engine may be provided radially between the bearings and the bearing housing.

[0067] The fan 23 is mounted upstream of the engine core 11, and includes a nose cone or spinner fairing 64 to guide air drawn through the fan blades 25. Downstream of the fan 23, the bypass duct 22 is provided with a plurality of outlet guide vanes 66 arranged around the circumference of the bypass duct 22.

[0068] The tips of the fan blades 25 are surrounded by a fan case 72. The fan case 72 extends circumferentially around the fan 23, and rearwards in a direction towards the second end 62 of the engine core 11. Each outlet guide vane 66 extends between the engine core 11 and an axially rear portion 74 of the fan case 72, whilst the fan is received within an axially forward portion of the fan case 72.

[0069] The outlet guide vanes 66 are in the form of aerofoils having a radial extent extending across the bypass duct 22, and an axial extent extend along the bypass duct 22. Air passing through the bypass duct 22 passes over the surfaces of the outlet guide vanes 66, in gaps between adjacent outlet guide vanes 66. The outlet guide vanes 66 thus help control the flow of air through the bypass duct 22.

[0070] A front portion of the radially outer surface of the bypass duct 22 is defined by the fan case 72. Axially rearward of the fan case, the nacelle 21 of the engine 10 includes an inner wall 68, which defines the radially outer surface of the rest of the bypass duct 22. The nacelle may also extend forward, around the fan case 72, in some examples. The radially inner surface of the bypass duct 22 is formed by the engine core housing 52.

[0071] The fan case 72, or the portion of the nacelle 21 around the fan case 72, is strengthened compared to the inner wall 68, to contain a released fan blade 25 in the event it detaches from the fan 23. The fan case 72 may also include a liner or other material that protects the inner wall 68 from wear as the fan 23 rotates and the blades 25 expand and contact the wall 68.

[0072] Since the outlet guide vanes 66 are mechanically coupled to the engine core 11 torsional loads may be passed along the outlet guide vanes 66. To help manage these loads, radially inner ends of the outlet guide vanes 66 are coupled to the engine core by torque boxes 67. A front end of each toque box 67 is secured to the front bearing housing, whilst a rear end is secured to the inter case 56. In examples with intermediate bearings, the rear end of the torque box may be secured to the intermediate bearing housings.

[0073] In addition, to further help accommodate torsional loads, supports 50 are provided in the engine 10. A first end 76 of the support 50 is secured to the rear portion 74 of the fan case 72, in the same region as the outlet guide vanes 66. A second end 78 of the support 50, opposite the first end 76, is secured to the exhaust bearing housing 58. A number of such supports 50 may be provided around the circumference of the bypass duct 22.

[0074] FIG. 4B shows an end-on view of the engine 10, with the fan blades 25 and outlet guide vanes 66 omitted so that the supports 50 can be better seen.

[0075] Each support 50 includes a pair of struts 80, 82. At the first end 76 of the support 50, the ends of the struts 80, 82 meet at an apex 84 which is fixed to the rear portion 74 of the fan case 72. From the apex 84, the struts 80, 82 separate to downstream ends 86 at the second end 78 of the support 80. The downstream ends 86 of the struts 80, 82 are fixed to the exhaust bearing housing 58 at circumferentially spaced positions.

[0076] When viewed in the plane perpendicular to the principal axis 9 of the engine 10 (as in FIG. 4B), the circumferential position of the apex 84 is central between the circumferential position of the downstream ends 86 of the struts 80, 82. Thus, each support 50 forms an A-frame.

[0077] In the example shown in FIG. 4B, a first support 50 is provided with the apex 84 of the support 50 in a position at 90 degrees from the vertical, around the principal axis 9 of rotation, such that that the apex 84 of the first support is on one side of the engine 10. A second support 50 is provided with its apex 84 in a diametrically opposed position to the apex 84 of the first support 50 around the principal axis 9. Therefore, the angle measured between the apexes 84, around the principal axis 9, is 180 degrees.

[0078] The angle 90 between the struts 80, 82 at the apex 84 is the same for each support 50. Therefore, the downstream end 86 of the first strut 80 (i.e. the strut that extends in a clockwise direction from the apex 84) of the first support 50 is also diametrically opposed to the downstream end 86 of the first strut 82 (i.e. the strut that extends in a clockwise direction from the apex 84) of the second support 50. The second struts 82 (i.e. the struts that extend anticlockwise from the apex 84) of the two supports 50 are similarly diametrically opposed. As such, when viewed in cross-section perpendicular to the principal axis 9, the supports 50 are symmetric about an axis of symmetry 88 extending radially from the principal axis (and through the apex 84).

[0079] The supports 50 and outlet guide vanes 66 combine to form a virtual torque box that can provide structural rigidity to the engine 10 around the principal axis, helping to manage the torsional loads in the engine 10, and prevent distortion of the engine from a circular shape.

[0080] In the example discussed above, the first end 76 of the support 50 is fixed to the rear portion 74 of the fan case 72. It will be appreciated that this may be by way of example only. Where an engine 10 is provided with an alternative structure to secure the outlet guide vanes 66 to the nacelle 21 or fan case 72, such as a mounting ring, the first end 76 of the supports 50 may be secured to this. Therefore, the first end 76 of the supports 50 may be secured to any support structure of the outlet guide vanes 66. No separate rear fan case is required.

[0081] The torque box 67 at the radially inner ends of the outlet guide vanes 66 is given by way of example only. The outlet guide vanes 66 may be mounted to the engine core 11 in any suitable manner.

[0082] The supports 50 should be formed of a suitable material to provide the structural rigidity to the engine 10. In some, but not all examples, the supports 50 may be made from a material with high thermal expansion co-efficient, such that thermal expansion of the core engine 11, if any, is matched by the supports. Alternatively, to accommodate any thermal expansion in the core engine 11, the supports may be hollow, or include passages. The supports are then provided with hot air or fluid using heat taken from the compressor stages, or lubricating oil in the gearbox or bearing chambers. This ensures that the supports expand with the engine core 11, if the engine core 11 expands.

[0083] The supports 50 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B are by way of example only. The angle 90 at the apex 84 may be varied. Furthermore, in some examples, the support 50 need not be symmetric about a radially extending axis of symmetry.

[0084] Any suitable support may be used. In the example discussed above, a pair of struts 80, 82 are provided, each extending in axial, radial and circumferential direction. In other examples, the support 50 may contain a single strut 80 extending axially and radially only, or axially, radially and circumferentially as discussed above.

[0085] In further examples, the support 50 may include three or more struts 80, 82, extending axially, radially and optionally circumferentially. Where three or more struts are provided, they may meet at a single apex 84, or adjacent struts may meet at different apexes, for example at alternating ends to form a trellis type arrangement.

[0086] In some examples, braces (not shown) may be provided between struts. The braces may extend circumferentially, and may also extend radially and/or axially as well. The braces are only coupled to the struts 80, 82, and not to the engine core housing 52 or nacelle inner wall 68 or fan case 72.

[0087] In the example discussed above, a pair of supports 50 is provided in diametrically opposed positions. It will be appreciated that any number of supports 50 maybe provided, and the supports 50 may be provided at any positions around the circumference of the engine 10, with any possible spacing between adjacent supports 50. Furthermore, although the example discussed above includes two identical supports 50, this need not be the case, and the supports 50 may be different.

[0088] The arrangement of the core housing 52 discussed above is also given by way of example only. Any housing arrangement enclosing part or all of the engine core 11 may be provided. The core housing 52 should enclose at least an exhaust region, of the core, where the support 50 is secured.

[0089] It will be appreciated that the supports 50 may be used in any gas turbine engine 10, including, geared and non-geared engines of any size.

[0090] It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above-described and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concepts described herein. Except where mutually exclusive, any of the features may be employed separately or in combination with any other features and the disclosure extends to and includes all combinations and sub-combinations of one or more features described herein.