Turboshaft shaft end lock assembly and gas turbine engine

Abstract

The application aims to provide a turbine shaft end locking assembly and a gas turbine engine, wherein the turbine shaft end locking assembly comprises an outer threaded part and an inner threaded part arranged at the turbine shaft end respectively, a first locking part, a second locking part and a joint locking ring. The outer threaded part and the inner threaded part have opposite screw rotation directions, the first locking part and the second locking part are threadedly connected with the outer threaded part and the inner threaded part respectively, the first locking part has a first anti-rotation groove, the second locking part has a second anti-rotation groove, and the joint locking ring has an inner clamping jaw and an outer clamping jaw. An annular space is formed between the first locking part and the second locking part, and after the joint locking ring is arranged in the annular space, the inner clamping jaw is connected in the second anti-rotation groove, and the outer clamping jaw is connected in the first anti-rotation groove. The turbine shaft end locking assembly can lock the shaft end part, and can save machining and assembly costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aero-engines, and more particularly to a turbine shaft end locking assembly and a gas turbine engine. Background Technology

[0002] The turbine shaft is supported by bearings, which are the main supporting components of the engine rotor; therefore, anti-loosening measures must be considered in the design. For example... Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the existing turbine shaft end is shown. Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the existing turbine shaft end is shown. The diagram shows the turbine shaft 91, bearing 92, outer clamping nut 93, outer nut locking ring 94, sealing raceway 95, inner clamping nut 96, inner nut locking ring 97, and retaining ring 98. To ensure reliable connection and safe operation of the rear support bearing, evenly distributed anti-rotation grooves 900 are provided on the outer clamping nut 93, turbine shaft 91, and inner clamping nut 96. The outer nut locking ring 94 has inner and outer claws, which are located within the anti-rotation grooves 900 on both the outer clamping nut and the turbine shaft 91. The anti-loosening locking method of the inner clamping nut 96 is the same as that of the outer clamping nut 94.

[0003] The inventors discovered that while this anti-loosening measure effectively prevents the clamping nuts from loosening, the structure is relatively cumbersome. It requires an anti-rotation groove on the turbine shaft, which necessitates that the end face of the turbine shaft be higher than the rear end faces of the inner and outer clamping nuts. This necessitates increasing the turbine shaft length to ensure proper locking of the inner and outer nuts. Furthermore, the turbine shaft is made of a high-temperature alloy, making it difficult to machine and resulting in a long machining cycle. The turbine shaft also has a large and irregular shape, making the positioning and machining of the anti-rotation groove challenging. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a turbine shaft end locking assembly, which facilitates the locking of shaft end components and saves processing and assembly costs.

[0005] A turbine shaft end locking assembly for achieving the aforementioned purpose is used to lock the bearing and the sealing raceway at the turbine shaft end, respectively. The turbine shaft end locking assembly includes:

[0006] The external thread portion is provided on the outer circumferential side of the turbine shaft end;

[0007] An internal thread portion is provided on the inner circumferential side of the turbine shaft end, and the external thread portion has a thread direction opposite to that of the internal thread portion;

[0008] The first locking member is threadedly connected to the external threaded portion and has a first anti-rotation groove. In the threaded connection state, the first locking member presses the bearing onto the turbine shaft, and at least a portion of the first anti-rotation groove is higher than the end face of the turbine shaft end.

[0009] The second locking member, threadedly connected to the internal thread portion, has a second anti-rotation groove. In the threaded connection state, the second locking member presses the sealed runway into the turbine shaft, and at least a portion of the second anti-rotation groove is higher than the end face of the turbine shaft end; and

[0010] The combined locking ring has an inner locking claw and an outer locking claw;

[0011] An annular space is formed between the first locking member and the second locking member. After the combined locking ring is disposed in the annular space, the inner claw is connected to the second anti-rotation groove, and the outer claw is connected to the first anti-rotation groove.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the first anti-rotation groove is multiple and / or the second anti-rotation groove is two or more.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the number of the first anti-rotation groove and the second anti-rotation groove is an even number, the first anti-rotation groove is evenly distributed on the first locking member, and the second anti-rotation groove is evenly distributed on the second locking member.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, in the installed state, the center of mass of the combined locking ring is located on the axis of the turbine shaft.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the number of inner locking claws and outer locking claws is even, with the inner locking claws evenly distributed along the inner circumference of the combined locking ring and the outer locking claws evenly distributed along the outer circumference of the combined locking ring.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the inner locking claws are a pair disposed on the inner circumference of the combined locking ring, and the outer locking claws are a pair disposed on the outer circumference of the combined locking ring, with the inner locking claws and the outer locking claws arranged alternately along the circumference of the combined locking ring.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the inner circumference of the first locking member and / or the outer circumference of the second locking member are provided with mounting grooves, and the turbine shaft end locking assembly further includes a retaining ring disposed in the mounting groove and restricting the combined locking ring from disengaging from the annular space along the axial direction of the turbine shaft.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, an adjusting shim is provided between the retaining ring and the combined locking ring.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, the retaining ring is an elastic retaining ring.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a gas turbine engine comprising a turbine shaft end locking assembly as described above for locking the turbine shaft end components.

[0021] The gain effect of the present invention is as follows:

[0022] This turbine shaft end locking assembly eliminates the need for the anti-rotation groove on the turbine shaft end, a traditional method. This not only reduces the turbine shaft length but also simplifies its machining and tightening. Furthermore, unlike traditional locking assemblies that require a pair of locking rings to prevent loosening of the inner and outer nuts, this assembly uses only a single combined locking ring to prevent loosening of both the inner and outer locking components, reducing the number of parts and thus saving costs.

[0023] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the existing turbine shaft end is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the existing turbine shaft end is shown;

[0027] Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 A perspective view of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0029] Figure 5 A top view schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown;

[0030] Figure 6 An exploded schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0033] To address the problems of high machining difficulty and high cost in existing turbine shaft end locking assemblies, this application provides a turbine shaft end locking assembly with a novel configuration, based on some embodiments. Please refer to... Figures 3 to 6 , Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Figure 4 A perspective schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Figure 5 A top view schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Figure 6 An exploded schematic diagram of a turbine shaft end locking assembly according to some embodiments of this application is shown.

[0034] It is understood that one or more embodiments described below employ a reference numeral system independent of the background art.

[0035] The turbine shaft end locking assembly locks the bearing 2 and the sealing raceway 3 at the end of the turbine shaft 1. It includes an external thread portion located on the outer circumferential side 10 of the turbine shaft end and an internal thread portion located on the inner circumferential side 11 of the turbine shaft end. The external thread portion on the outer circumferential side 10 and the internal thread portion on the inner circumferential side 11 have opposite thread directions; they are configured as opposite threads. That is, when the external thread portion is a left-hand thread, the internal thread portion is a right-hand thread, and vice versa. This configuration ensures that when threaded connections are required with the external and internal thread portions respectively, opposite thread directions must be used for tightening.

[0036] The turbine shaft end locking assembly also includes a first locking member 4, a second locking member 5, and a combined locking ring 6. The first locking member 4 is threadedly connected to the external threaded portion of the outer peripheral side 10 of the turbine shaft and has a first anti-rotation groove 40. In the threaded connection state, the first locking member 4 presses the bearing 2 onto the turbine shaft 1, and at least a portion of the first anti-rotation groove 40 is higher than the end face 12 of the turbine shaft 1. The second locking member 5 is threadedly connected to the internal threaded portion located on the inner peripheral side 11 of the turbine shaft and has a second anti-rotation groove 50. In the threaded connection state, the second locking member 5 presses the sealing raceway 3 into the turbine shaft 1, and at least a portion of the second anti-rotation groove 50 is higher than the end face 12 of the turbine shaft 1. The combined locking ring 6 has an inner pawl 61 and an outer pawl 62.

[0037] An annular space 13 is formed between the first locking member 4 and the second locking member 5. Since at least a portion of the first anti-rotation groove 40 and at least a portion of the second anti-rotation groove 50 are respectively higher than the end face 12 of the turbine shaft end, the annular space 13 is connected to the first anti-rotation groove 40 and the second anti-rotation groove 50 respectively. Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 In the locked state shown, the combined locking ring 6 is disposed within the annular space 13, the inner claw 61 is connected to the second anti-rotation groove 50, and the outer claw 62 is connected to the first anti-rotation groove 40. The inner claw 61 engages with the second anti-rotation groove 50 to restrict relative rotation between the second locking member 5 and the combined locking ring 6, while the outer claw 62 engages with the first anti-rotation groove 40 to restrict relative rotation between the first locking member 4 and the combined locking ring 6.

[0038] Because the external thread on the outer circumference 10 of the turbine shaft and the internal thread on the inner circumference 11 of the turbine shaft have opposite thread directions, the first locking member 4 and the second locking member 5 are tightened onto the turbine shaft 1 by opposite directions of rotation. That is, if the first locking member 4 is locked counterclockwise, the second locking member 5 is locked clockwise, and vice versa. After the first locking member 4 and the second locking member 5 are locked respectively, the locking relationship between the first locking member 4 and the second locking member 5 is established by the joint locking ring 6. Assuming that when the first locking member 4 is loosened, the joint locking ring 6 tends to rotate with the first locking member 4 and pushes the second locking member 5 to rotate in the tightening direction. Due to the axial obstruction of the sealing runway 3, the second locking member 5 has no axial movement space and cannot rotate, thus realizing the joint locking of the inner and outer locking members. Conversely, assuming that the second locking member 5 is loosened, the combined locking ring 6 follows the second locking member 5 and has a tendency to rotate, thereby pushing the first locking member 4 to rotate in the tightening direction. Due to the axial obstruction of the bearing 2, the first locking member 4 also has no axial movement space and cannot rotate, thus realizing the combined locking of the inner and outer locking members.

[0039] This turbine shaft end locking assembly eliminates the need for the anti-rotation groove on the turbine shaft end, a traditional method. This not only reduces the length of the turbine shaft 1 but also simplifies its machining and tightening. Furthermore, compared to traditional locking assemblies that require a pair of locking rings to prevent loosening of the inner and outer nuts, this turbine shaft end locking assembly only needs a single combined locking ring 6 to prevent loosening of both the inner and outer locking components, reducing the number of parts and thus saving costs.

[0040] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features.

[0041] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0042] According to some embodiments of this application, there are two or more first anti-rotation grooves 40 and / or second anti-rotation grooves 50. By setting two or more anti-rotation grooves, it is convenient to cooperate with the combined locking ring 6 to prevent rotation during assembly. At the same time, multiple anti-rotation grooves can also serve as the part that connects the first locking member 4 and / or the second locking member 5 to the tightening wrench for force transmission.

[0043] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0044] According to some embodiments of this application, the number of first anti-rotation grooves 40 and second anti-rotation grooves 50 is even. The first anti-rotation grooves 40 are evenly distributed on the first locking member 4, and the second anti-rotation grooves 50 are evenly distributed on the second locking member 5. By setting an even number of evenly distributed first anti-rotation grooves 40 and second anti-rotation grooves 50, the uniformity of mass distribution can be ensured, thereby preventing the introduction of rotor imbalance and reducing the difficulty of subsequent rotor dynamic balancing.

[0045] According to some embodiments of this application, in the installed state, the center of mass of the combined locking ring 6 is located on the axis of the turbine shaft 1, so that in the locked state, setting the combined locking ring 6 will not introduce rotor imbalance, reducing the difficulty of subsequent rotor dynamic balancing.

[0046] According to some embodiments of this application, the number of inner claws 61 and outer claws 62 are even, and the inner claws 61 are evenly distributed along the inner circumference of the combined locking ring 6, while the outer claws 62 are evenly distributed along the outer circumference of the combined locking ring. This arrangement can ensure the symmetry of the shape of the combined locking ring 6, guarantee the uniformity of mass distribution, and also ensure that the combined locking ring 6 will not introduce rotor imbalance in the locked state, thus reducing the difficulty of subsequent rotor dynamic balancing.

[0047] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of this application, the inner claws 61 are a pair disposed on the inner periphery of the combined locking ring 6, and the outer claws 62 are a pair disposed on the outer periphery of the combined locking ring 6. The inner claws 61 and the outer claws 62 are staggered along the circumference of the combined locking ring, thereby ensuring the symmetry of the shape of the combined locking ring 6.

[0048] According to some embodiments of this application, the inner circumference of the first locking member 4 and / or the outer circumference of the second locking member 5 are provided with mounting grooves 40, and the turbine shaft 1 shaft end locking assembly also includes a retaining ring 7, which is disposed in the mounting groove 40 and restricts the combined locking ring 6 from disengaging from the annular space along the axial direction of the turbine shaft.

[0049] In one specific embodiment, the mounting groove 40 is disposed on the inner circumference of the first locking member 4, so that when the engine is working, the turbine rotor rotates at high speed and is subjected to centrifugal force, the retaining ring 7 assembled in the mounting groove 40 expands outward and is aligned with the direction of the mounting groove 40, which can effectively ensure that the combined locking ring 6 will not come out, thereby ensuring the safety of rotor operation.

[0050] In some other embodiments different from those shown in the figure, the combined locking ring 6 may also be directly engaged in the first anti-rotation groove 40 and the second anti-rotation groove 50 by means of a slot, thereby preventing it from detaching from the turbine shaft axially.

[0051] According to some embodiments of this application, the retaining ring 7 is an elastic retaining ring, which can be elastically deformed during installation to snap into the mounting groove 40. In other suitable embodiments, the retaining ring 7 can also be a retaining ring structure with a notch, which can change the outer diameter of the retaining ring 7 by applying force at the notch, thereby enabling it to snap into the mounting groove 40.

[0052] According to some embodiments of this application, an adjusting shim 8 is provided between the retaining ring 7 and the combined locking ring 6. In order to reduce the impact of part processing and the impact of thermal deformation on the shape of the part during engine operation, an adjusting shim 8 is provided between the retaining ring 7 and the combined locking ring 6. Adjusting shims 8 of different thicknesses can be selected according to the actual installation dimensions of each part to meet the installation compactness of the combined locking ring 6, the adjusting shim 8 and the retaining ring 7, so that there is only a small amount of axial movement among the three, avoiding the risk of separation.

[0053] According to some embodiments of this application, the first locking member 4 and the second locking member 5 are clamping threads, the clamping nut has a regular shape and a profile smaller than the turbine shaft, which makes positioning convenient and machining easy. This effectively avoids machining anti-rotation features on the turbine shaft, thereby reducing the machining difficulty, cycle and cost of the turbine shaft.

[0054] During assembly, firstly, within the specified tightening torque range, ensure that the anti-rotation grooves of the first locking member 4 and the second locking member 5 meet the installation requirements of the combined locking ring 6. Specifically, the second locking member 5 can be installed first, ensuring it is within the specified tightening torque range. Then, based on the position of the claws of the combined locking ring 6, further process the external thread portion so that when the first locking member 4 is within the specified tightening torque range, the claws of the combined locking ring 6 can engage in the first anti-rotation groove 40.

[0055] Subsequently, the combined locking ring 6 is installed into both the first anti-rotation groove 40 and the second anti-rotation groove 50, and then the adjusting shim 8 is installed.

[0056] Finally, the retaining ring 7 is installed to ensure a tight fit between the locking ring 6, the adjusting shim 8, and the retaining ring 7.

[0057] On the other hand, according to some embodiments of this application, a gas turbine engine is also provided, which uses a turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in one or more of the foregoing embodiments to lock the turbine shaft end components.

[0058] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship of the connecting components in the connected state. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0059] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0060] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A turbine shaft end locking assembly, used to lock the bearing and the sealing raceway at the turbine shaft end respectively, characterized in that, The turbine shaft end locking assembly includes: The external thread portion is provided on the outer circumferential side of the turbine shaft end; An internal thread portion is provided on the inner circumferential side of the turbine shaft end, and the external thread portion has a thread direction opposite to that of the internal thread portion; The first locking member is threadedly connected to the external threaded portion and has a first anti-rotation groove. In the threaded connection state, the first locking member presses the bearing onto the turbine shaft, and at least a portion of the first anti-rotation groove is higher than the end face of the turbine shaft end. The second locking member, threadedly connected to the internal thread portion, has a second anti-rotation groove. In the threaded connection state, the second locking member presses the sealed runway into the turbine shaft, and at least a portion of the second anti-rotation groove is higher than the end face of the turbine shaft end; and The combined locking ring has an inner and an outer locking claw and is a planar structure. In the installed state, the center of mass of the combined locking ring is located on the axis of the turbine shaft. An annular space is formed between the first locking member and the second locking member. After the combined locking ring is disposed in the annular space, the inner claw is connected to the second anti-rotation groove, and the outer claw is connected to the first anti-rotation groove.

2. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first anti-rotation groove is multiple and / or the second anti-rotation groove is multiple.

3. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The number of the first anti-rotation groove and the second anti-rotation groove is an even number. The first anti-rotation groove is evenly distributed on the first locking member, and the second anti-rotation groove is evenly distributed on the second locking member.

4. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The number of inner and outer locking claws is even, with the inner locking claws evenly distributed along the inner circumference of the combined locking ring and the outer locking claws evenly distributed along the outer circumference of the combined locking ring.

5. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The inner locking claws are a pair disposed on the inner circumference of the combined locking ring, and the outer locking claws are a pair disposed on the outer circumference of the combined locking ring. The inner locking claws and the outer locking claws are arranged alternately along the circumference of the combined locking ring.

6. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inner circumference of the first locking member and / or the outer circumference of the second locking member are provided with mounting grooves. The turbine shaft end locking assembly also includes a retaining ring, which is disposed in the mounting groove and restricts the combined locking ring from disengaging from the annular space along the axial direction of the turbine shaft.

7. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that, An adjusting shim is provided between the retaining ring and the combined locking ring.

8. The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The retaining ring is an elastic retaining ring.

9. A gas turbine engine, characterized in that, The turbine shaft end locking assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 is used to lock the turbine shaft end components.

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