An engine air intake plenum

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of aero-engine technology and discloses an engine intake casing, including a casing body. The casing body includes a first cylindrical section and a second cylindrical section. One inner wall of the second cylindrical section coincides with one inner wall of the first cylindrical section. A bearing seat is provided at one end of the first cylindrical section. An air inlet is located at the first end of the second cylindrical section, and an air outlet is located at the second end of the second cylindrical section. The air inlet communicates with the aircraft air intake duct, and the air outlet communicates with the engine compressor. The outer wall of the first cylindrical section and the inner wall of the second cylindrical section form an airflow channel. One end of the airflow channel forms the air inlet, and the other end forms the air outlet. The air outlet's outlet direction is coaxial with the bearing seat, and the air inlet's inlet direction is angled with the bearing seat. This invention reduces installation difficulty and aerodynamic losses.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aero-engine technology, and more specifically to an engine intake casing. Background Technology

[0002] The air intake casing of an aircraft engine generally needs to perform functions such as guiding the air intake of the engine, supporting the front of the rotor, and mounting the engine. It often adopts a multi-module combination form, with multiple functions implemented in sections. The modules need to be connected by flanges to transmit force, and various pipe joints are used to connect the lubricating oil or air pipelines. There are many connecting parts, making assembly cumbersome, and the interface control and sealing between parts are complex.

[0003] Existing integrated air intake casings are mostly axial intake types, using simple support plates to connect the outer flow channel and the central bearing housing. The front annular air intake channel requires a section of irregularly shaped transition section to connect to the aircraft air intake, resulting in large aerodynamic losses during installation and the inability to separate foreign objects from the air intake channel, which can easily damage the engine blades. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides an engine intake casing to solve the problems of large aerodynamic losses and complex component assembly in the prior art for lateral intake installation.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an engine intake casing, including a casing body, the casing body including a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion, one inner wall of the second cylindrical portion being disposed overlapping one inner wall of the first cylindrical portion, a bearing seat being disposed at one end of the first cylindrical portion, an air inlet being disposed at the first end of the second cylindrical portion, and an air outlet being disposed at the second end of the second cylindrical portion, the air inlet being used to communicate with an aircraft air intake duct, the air outlet being used to communicate with an engine compressor, the outer wall of the first cylindrical portion and the inner wall of the second cylindrical portion forming an airflow channel, one end of the airflow channel forming an air inlet, the other end of the airflow channel forming an air outlet, the air outlet direction being coaxially disposed with the bearing seat, and the air inlet direction being disposed at an angle with the bearing seat.

[0006] Beneficial effects: The first cylindrical section's interior supports the bearing housing, while its outer wall serves as the inner wall of the airflow channel; the inner wall of the second cylindrical section serves as the outer wall of the airflow channel. The airflow channel and bearing housing are completely separated, decoupling the aerodynamic flow path from the rotor support structure. Aerodynamic design, structural strength, lubrication, and sealing can be independently optimized without interference. The airflow channel's intake direction is angled to the bearing housing axis, while the exhaust direction is coaxial with the bearing housing. This satisfies the engine rotor support coaxiality requirements while allowing for flexible adjustment of the intake direction, better adapting to the aircraft's intake installation position and angle. It eliminates the need for irregularly shaped transition sections, reducing installation difficulty and aerodynamic losses. Furthermore, the forced airflow deflection within the airflow channel utilizes density differences to achieve inertial separation of foreign objects such as sand, water droplets, and ice crystals. These foreign objects are thrown towards the bypass wall, significantly reducing blade impact damage and improving engine safety and reliability.

[0007] In one optional embodiment, a first mounting edge is provided at the air inlet, the side of the first mounting edge near the air outlet is inclined, and the first mounting edge is connected to the aircraft air inlet with bypass to form a bifurcated air inlet.

[0008] In one optional embodiment, a second mounting edge is provided at the air outlet, and a third mounting edge is provided at one end of the first cylinder. The third mounting edge is arranged opposite to the second mounting edge. The third mounting edge is used to connect to the engine front reducer or engine compartment, and the second mounting edge is used to connect to the engine compressor. A cavity structure is formed inside the third mounting edge.

[0009] In one optional embodiment, a plurality of support plates are provided between the outer wall of the first cylindrical part and the inner wall of the second cylindrical part. The plurality of support plates are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the first cylindrical part. One end of each support plate is connected to the outer wall of the first cylindrical part and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the second cylindrical part. The plurality of support plates are located at the air outlet.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, a cavity pipe and an oil return pipe are provided in part of the support plate, and the engine intake casing also includes a lubricating oil pipe, which is connected to the inner cavity of the bearing housing, the cavity pipe, and the oil return pipe.

[0011] In one optional embodiment, the lubricating oil pipeline includes a first oil supply pipe and a second oil supply pipe, which are arranged along the outer circumferential surface of the second cylinder. The second oil supply pipe is provided with an oil inlet and an oil return port, and the first oil supply pipe is provided with a bearing housing oil inlet. The first oil supply pipe and the second oil supply pipe are connected in communication. The plurality of support plates include at least four first support plates and one second support plate. The at least four first support plates are provided with cavity pipelines, which are arranged along the circumference of the first support plates. The second support plate is provided with an oil return pipeline, and the oil return port is located on one side of the second support plate. The oil return pipeline is connected to the oil return port, and the bearing housing oil inlet is connected to the oil return pipeline.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment, the plurality of support plates further includes a third support plate, which has a sensor mounting hole that communicates with the bearing housing. In one optional embodiment, the engine intake casing further includes a mounting base assembly, which includes: a first mounting base disposed on the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion near the intake port, communicating with an airflow channel, and housing a first sensor for measuring intake air temperature; a second mounting base disposed on the outer surface of a first or second oil supply pipe, communicating with a lubricating oil line, and housing a second sensor for measuring lubricating oil temperature; a third mounting base disposed on the outer surface of the casing and communicating with a sensor mounting hole, housing a third sensor for measuring engine rotor speed; and a fourth mounting base disposed on the outer surface of the first cylindrical portion away from the bearing housing, communicating with a cavity structure, and housing a fourth sensor for measuring output shaft speed.

[0013] In one optional embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the bearing housing is provided with a first mating mounting surface, a second mating mounting surface and a third mating mounting surface spaced apart along the axial direction of the bearing housing, and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing near the air outlet end is provided with a plurality of countersunk holes spaced apart for supporting the lower rotating shaft of the adjustable guide vane.

[0014] In one alternative embodiment, the third mounting edge and / or the second mounting edge includes an annular flange with a plurality of spaced mounting holes. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an engine intake casing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of an engine intake casing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an engine intake casing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an engine intake casing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an engine intake casing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an engine intake casing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10. Casing body; 11. First cylindrical section; 111. Third mounting edge; 1111. Annular flange; 1112. Mounting hole; 12. Second cylindrical section; 121. Air inlet; 122. Air outlet; 123. First mounting edge; 124. Second mounting edge; 20. Bearing housing; 21. First mating mounting surface; 22. Second mating mounting surface; 23. Third mating mounting surface; 24. Countersunk hole; 30. Airflow channel; 40. Support plate; 41. Cavity pipeline; 42. Oil return pipeline; 43. First support plate; 44. Second support plate; 45. Third support plate; 46. Sensor mounting hole; 50. Lubricating oil pipeline; 51. First oil supply pipe; 52. Second oil supply pipe; 53. Oil inlet; 54. Oil return port; 55. Bearing housing oil inlet; 60. Mounting bracket assembly; 61. First mounting bracket; 62. Second mounting bracket; 63. Third mounting bracket; 64. Fourth mounting bracket; Detailed Implementation It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0018] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0019] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such terms can be used interchangeably where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0020] Exemplary embodiments according to this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application is thorough and complete, and that the concept of these exemplary embodiments is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, for clarity, the thickness of layers and regions may be exaggerated, and the same reference numerals are used to denote the same devices, and therefore their description will be omitted.

[0021] The following is combined Figures 1 to 6 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an engine intake casing is provided, including a casing body 10. The casing body 10 includes a first cylindrical portion 11 and a second cylindrical portion 12. One inner wall of the second cylindrical portion 12 is arranged to overlap with one inner wall of the first cylindrical portion 11. A bearing seat 20 is provided at one end of the first cylindrical portion 11. An air inlet 121 is provided at the first end of the second cylindrical portion 12, and an air outlet 122 is provided at the second end of the second cylindrical portion 12. The air inlet 121 is used to communicate with an aircraft air intake duct, and the air outlet 122 is used to communicate with an engine compressor. An airflow channel 30 is formed by the outer wall of the first cylindrical portion 11 and the inner wall of the second cylindrical portion 12. One end of the airflow channel 30 forms the air inlet 121, and the other end of the airflow channel 30 forms the air outlet 122. The air outlet 122 is coaxially arranged with the bearing seat 20, and the air inlet 121 is arranged at an angle with the bearing seat 20.

[0023] In this embodiment, the interior of the first cylindrical section 11 supports the bearing housing 20, and its outer wall serves as the inner wall of the airflow channel 30. The inner wall of the second cylindrical section 12 serves as the outer wall of the airflow channel 30. The airflow channel 30 and the bearing housing 20 are completely separated, and the aerodynamic flow channel and rotor support structure are functionally decoupled. Aerodynamic design, structural strength, lubrication, and sealing can be independently optimized without interference. The air intake direction of the airflow channel 30 is arranged at an angle to the axis of the bearing housing 20, and the air outlet direction is arranged coaxially with the bearing housing 20. While meeting the coaxiality requirements of the engine rotor support, the air intake direction is flexibly adjustable, which can better adapt to the installation position and angle of the aircraft air intake. No irregular transition section is required, reducing installation difficulty and aerodynamic losses. Furthermore, the airflow is forcibly turned within the airflow channel 30, and the density difference is used to achieve inertial separation of foreign objects such as sand, water droplets, and ice crystals. The foreign objects are thrown towards the wall, significantly reducing blade impact damage and improving engine safety and reliability.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, a first mounting edge 123 is provided at the air inlet 121. The first mounting edge 123 is inclined on the side near the air outlet 122. The first mounting edge 123 is connected to the aircraft air inlet with bypass to form a bifurcated air inlet.

[0025] When a traditional axial intake casing is connected to an aircraft intake, the installation position, angle, and cross-sectional shape are mismatched, so an irregularly shaped transition section must be added. This causes the airflow to suddenly expand, suddenly contract, and make sharp turns, which can easily generate flow separation, eddies, and local low-pressure areas, resulting in a decrease in the total pressure recovery coefficient and an increase in flow loss.

[0026] This structure, through its inclined first mounting edge 123, can directly match the outlet angle and position of the aircraft's bypass air intake, eliminating the need for an irregularly shaped transition section. This allows airflow to enter the internal flow channel of the casing more smoothly and naturally, significantly reducing flow separation and local losses, improving engine intake efficiency, and enhancing overall thrust and fuel economy. After the bypass air intake is connected to the inclined mounting edge, a bifurcated structure of main intake channel + bypass intake channel is formed. The main airflow enters the engine core and participates in combustion; the bypass airflow can be used for the inertial separation of foreign objects such as sand, water droplets, and ice crystals. This structure allows the engine to flexibly distribute intake flow under different operating conditions, improving operational adaptability, widening the stable operating boundary, and reducing the risk of surge and stall.

[0027] In one optional embodiment, the inclined mounting edge can directly mate with the aircraft's air intake flange without adjusting the overall attitude of the casing, reducing the difficulty of installation and positioning. Simultaneously, the standardized mounting edge structure facilitates rapid engine disassembly, maintenance, and replacement, improving the logistical support of the power plant.

[0028] In an optional embodiment, a second mounting edge 124 is provided at the air outlet 122, and a third mounting edge 111 is provided at one end of the first cylindrical body 11. The third mounting edge 111 is arranged opposite to the second mounting edge 124. The third mounting edge 111 is used to connect to the engine front reducer or engine compartment, and the second mounting edge 124 is used to connect to the engine compressor. A cavity structure is formed inside the third mounting edge 111.

[0029] The second mounting edge 124 connects to the engine combustion chamber, and the third mounting edge 111 connects to the reducer / engine compartment, allowing the intake casing to simultaneously participate in the load-bearing capacity of the engine core and the external mounting section, forming a stable front and rear double-support structure. The coaxial arrangement of the two mounting edges provides high rigidity, effectively reducing installation deformation and ensuring the coaxiality accuracy of the rotor system, combustion chamber, and reducer, thus lowering vibration, misalignment wear, and additional bending moments. The cavity structure of the third mounting edge 111 simultaneously provides space for the engine output shaft, a collection and return channel for bearing sealing gas, a lubricating oil return collection space, and space for sensor leads and wires. This design integrates all functional spaces that were originally dispersed externally into the mounting edge, eliminating external pipes, brackets, and wiring harnesses, making the overall structure simpler, more compact, and more reliable. The third mounting edge 111 adopts a thickened structure with an internal cavity, significantly improving bending, torsional, and vibration resistance compared to traditional thin-plate mounting edges. This effectively suppresses the vibration transmission generated during reducer and engine operation, improves overall NVH performance, and reduces the risk of structural fatigue failure. The intake casing completes pneumatic docking and load-bearing docking through the second mounting edge 124 and the third mounting edge 111 respectively, realizing the integration of "intake, support, installation, transmission and sealing", making the front section of the engine a highly modular unit, which facilitates segmented assembly, segmented testing and segmented maintenance.

[0030] In an optional embodiment, a plurality of support plates 40 are provided between the outer wall of the first cylindrical part 11 and the inner wall of the second cylindrical part 12. The plurality of support plates 40 are arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the first cylindrical part 11. One end of each support plate 40 is connected to the outer wall of the first cylindrical part 11 and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the second cylindrical part 12. The plurality of support plates 40 are located at the air outlet 122 and adopt a three-dimensional irregular shape design, which can guide the airflow to complete the turning and diversion.

[0031] Both the inner and outer cylinders are thin-walled rotary structures with limited bending and torsional stiffness, making them prone to deformation and out-of-roundness under aerodynamic, vibration, and installation loads. The support plate 40 rigidly connects the inner and outer cylinders, forming a spatial frame-like reinforced structure. This significantly increases the overall stiffness of the casing, effectively suppressing cylinder deformation, vibration, and resonance, ensuring stable flow channel shape and rotor alignment. The outlet 122, adjacent to the compressor / combustion chamber, is the area with large pressure fluctuations, concentrated aerodynamic loads, and the strongest vibration excitation, making it the most sensitive area to coaxiality. The support plates 40 are concentrated here, specifically improving local stiffness, preventing outlet expansion, contraction, and elliptic deformation, ensuring airflow enters downstream components in a uniform axisymmetric state, and improving engine operating stability. The circumferentially distributed support plates 40 guide, streamline, and suppress swirling airflow, eliminating circumferential flow deviation within the channel, making the outlet airflow closer to pure axial intake, which is beneficial for uniform work at the compressor inlet, reducing flow losses and blade vibration.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, a cavity pipe 41 and an oil return pipe 42 are provided in part of the support plate 40, and the engine intake casing also includes a lubricating oil pipe 50, which is configured to communicate with the inner cavity of the bearing housing 20, the cavity pipe 41, and the oil return pipe 42.

[0033] Traditional support plates serve only a supporting function, with a single purpose. This structure hollows out the inside of the support plate to create a closed oil passage, allowing a single support plate to simultaneously bear the load of connecting the inner and outer cylinders, guide airflow, supply lubricating oil, return lubricating oil, and conduct and dissipate heat. This significantly improves component integration, reduces external piping, joints, welding, and sealing points, and lowers weight, cost, and leakage risk.

[0034] Traditional external oil lines are susceptible to damage from external impacts, vibrations, and high-temperature radiation, leading to aging, cracking, loosening, and leakage. This structure completely encloses the oil lines within the support plate 40, providing sealing, heat insulation, vibration resistance, and impact protection. This significantly reduces the risks of oil leakage, fire, and oil supply interruption, thereby improving engine safety.

[0035] Furthermore, the lubricating oil is directly supplied into the bearing housing through the cavity pipe 41, resulting in a short supply path, stable pressure, and uniform flow. The high-temperature lubricating oil after friction is quickly discharged through a dedicated return oil pipe 42, promptly removing heat and preventing overheating, oxidation, and foaming of the lubricating oil. This ensures the bearing operates in a stable temperature and clean environment, significantly improving bearing life and rotor system reliability. When the lubricating oil flows inside the support plate 40, it can heat the outer wall of the support plate, preventing water vapor in cold air from condensing into ice, which would adversely affect airflow efficiency and rotor blade safety.

[0036] In an optional embodiment, the lubricating oil pipeline 50 includes a first oil supply pipe 51 and a second oil supply pipe 52. The first oil supply pipe 51 and the second oil supply pipe 52 are arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the second cylinder portion 12. The second oil supply pipe 52 is provided with an oil inlet 53 and an oil return port 54. The first oil supply pipe 51 is provided with a bearing housing oil inlet 55. The first oil supply pipe 51 and the second oil supply pipe 52 are arranged in communication. The plurality of support plates 40 include at least four first support plates 43 and one second support plate 44. The at least four first support plates 43 are provided with a cavity pipeline 41. The cavity pipeline 41 is arranged along the circumference of the first support plate 43. The second support plate 44 is provided with a return oil pipeline 42. The oil return port 54 is located on one side of the second support plate 44. The return oil pipeline 42 is arranged in communication with the return oil port 54. The bearing housing oil inlet 55 is arranged in communication with the return oil pipeline 42.

[0037] The first oil supply pipe 51 and the second oil supply pipe 52 are arranged along the outer circumference of the second cylinder section 12, without occupying the internal airflow channel and without interfering with aerodynamic performance. Simultaneously, the external piping facilitates assembly, welding, leak detection, maintenance, and replacement, achieving integration while maintaining good maintainability. The oil supply pipes attached to the outside of the cylinder can also utilize the heat of the lubricating oil to heat the flow channel wall, preventing icing in cold weather, protecting engine safety, and reducing lubricating oil temperature, thus reducing radiator load. The two-stage oil supply pipes are interconnected, stabilizing oil pressure, reducing flow fluctuations, and making lubricating oil delivery smoother. The first oil supply pipe 51 supplies oil directly to the bearing housing area through the bearing housing inlet, with a short supply path, clear target, and low pressure loss, ensuring a continuous and sufficient supply of lubricating oil to the bearing under high speed and high load, improving lubrication and cooling effects, and reducing the risk of bearing wear and failure.

[0038] Multiple first support plates 43 are distributed circumferentially, and their internal cavity pipes 41 synchronously supply oil to the bearing housing. This enables balanced oil supply to multiple circumferential positions, avoiding insufficient lubrication and uneven temperature in certain areas of the bearing. This ensures more thorough lubrication and more uniform heat dissipation throughout the bearing, significantly improving the working stability and service life of the high-speed rotor bearing. The cavity pipes 41 extend circumferentially along the first support plates, effectively increasing the oil flow cross-section and heat exchange area. While increasing the oil flow rate, this enhances the heat dissipation effect on the support plates, cylinder, and bearing area, reducing thermal deformation and thermal stress under high-temperature conditions and improving structural reliability. A dedicated second support plate 44 is used as the oil return channel. The oil supply and return paths are independent, unmixed, and uninterrupted, preventing mutual influence between oil supply and return pressures, ensuring smooth oil circulation, and improving the overall efficiency of the lubrication system. The oil return port 54 is located on one side of the second support plate 44, and the oil return pipe 42 is directly connected to the oil return port 54. This minimizes the oil return path and reduces flow resistance, allowing for rapid discharge of high-temperature oil from the bearing housing. This prevents oil accumulation, overheating, oxidation, or foaming within the bearing cavity, further ensuring the bearing operates within a safe temperature range. The oil supply, bearing lubrication, and return flow form a closed, continuous, and stable oil circulation system. The entire process of oil supply, heat dissipation, and return is controllable, with no risk of short circuits or flow interruptions, constituting a highly reliable bearing lubrication and cooling system.

[0039] The first support plate 43 and the second support plate 44 serve as load-bearing components for both the inner and outer cylinders, and also have built-in lubricating oil channels, achieving the dual functions of structural load-bearing and lubricating oil delivery. This eliminates a large number of external lubricating oil pipes, joints, and supports, reducing the number of parts and leakage points, lowering the overall weight, and improving system reliability and compactness.

[0040] In an optional embodiment, the plurality of support plates 40 further includes a third support plate 45, which has a sensor mounting hole 46 that communicates with the bearing seat 20. Traditional support plates only serve the basic functions of connecting the inner and outer cylinders and guiding airflow. In this embodiment, a sensor mounting hole 46 is added inside the third support plate 45, allowing a single support plate to simultaneously perform the core functions of structural load-bearing and sensor base. This eliminates the need for additional holes in the casing and the installation of independent sensor brackets, significantly reducing non-standard parts, welding joints, and assembly processes, improving the overall integration of the casing, and effectively reducing structural weight. The sensor mounting hole 46 directly communicates with the inner cavity of the bearing seat 20, allowing the sensor probe to be placed close to the engine rotor and bearing operating area without the need for indirect signal transmission. This enables precise acquisition of core operating parameters such as rotor speed and vibration amplitude, completely avoiding signal attenuation and interference issues caused by long-distance measurement, and providing reliable monitoring data for the engine control system. The sensor is embedded in the mounting hole of the third support plate, completely avoiding external airflow scouring, oil erosion, foreign object impact, and strong engine vibration interference. This ensures the smoothness of the airflow channel is not disrupted, avoids aerodynamic losses, and prevents sensor probe damage and short circuits due to aging wiring. It is particularly suitable for the harsh operating conditions of high temperature, high speed, and high vibration in aero engines, significantly reducing the probability of sensor failure and improving the long-term reliability of the monitoring system. The third support plate 45, as a rigid load-bearing component of the casing, is fixed in relative position to the bearing housing 20 and the rotor axis. During machining, precise coaxiality and alignment accuracy between the sensor mounting hole 46 and the rotor are ensured, avoiding monitoring errors caused by sensor misalignment and ensuring the consistency and stability of rotor speed, vibration, and other parameter acquisition.

[0041] In an optional embodiment, the engine intake casing further includes a mounting bracket assembly 60, which includes a first mounting bracket 61, a second mounting bracket 62, a third mounting bracket 63, and a fourth mounting bracket 64.

[0042] The first mounting base 61 is disposed on the outer surface of the second cylinder 12 near the air inlet 121. The first mounting base 61 is connected to the airflow channel 30. A first sensor is disposed inside the first mounting base 61. The first sensor is used to measure the air inlet temperature or pressure.

[0043] The second mounting base 62 is disposed on the outer surface of the first oil supply pipe 51 or the second oil supply pipe 52. The second mounting base 62 is connected to the lubricating oil pipeline 50. A second sensor is disposed inside the second mounting base 62. The second sensor is used to measure the lubricating oil temperature or pressure.

[0044] The third mounting base 63 is disposed on the outer surface of the casing 10, and the third mounting base 63 is disposed in communication with the sensor mounting hole 46. A third sensor is disposed in the third mounting base 63 and the sensor mounting hole 46. The third sensor is used to measure the engine rotor speed.

[0045] The fourth mounting base 64 is disposed on the outer surface of the end of the first cylindrical part 11 away from the bearing seat 20. The fourth mounting base 64 is connected to the cavity structure. A fourth sensor is disposed inside the fourth mounting base 64. The fourth sensor is used to measure the output shaft speed or the cavity pressure.

[0046] The first mounting base 61 is closely attached to the outside of the second cylinder 12 near the air inlet 121 and directly communicates with the airflow channel 30. This allows the first sensor to collect the total intake air temperature at close range, avoiding temperature attenuation errors from remote measurements, and providing accurate intake condition data for engine fuel supply, anti-icing control, and surge boundary judgment. Furthermore, the external wall through-type design does not protrude from the inner wall of the airflow channel or add any turbulence structures, thus completely preserving the smoothness of the intake airflow field and eliminating aerodynamic losses. At the same time, the external mounting base facilitates sensor disassembly, calibration, and replacement, allowing maintenance to be completed without disassembling the casing.

[0047] The second mounting bracket 62 is attached to the outer wall of the lubricating oil supply pipe and connected to the inside of the pipe. It can directly monitor the real-time temperature of the circulating lubricating oil, accurately reflect the lubrication and cooling effect of friction pairs such as bearings and gears, and provide early warning in case of overheating of lubricating oil or abnormal oil supply, so as to avoid serious failures such as bearing burnout and lubricating oil oxidation and deterioration. The mounting bracket is fixed by the oil supply pipe, without the need for additional brackets, which simplifies the structure and allows it to be close to the core area of ​​the oil circuit. The temperature measurement data is far superior to that of external indirect measurement. Moreover, it does not damage the sealing of the lubricating oil pipeline and has no risk of oil leakage.

[0048] The third mounting base 63 and the sensor mounting hole 46 of the third support plate 45 are precisely aligned. The third sensor is fixed by relying on the rigid structure of the casing body, ensuring that the probe is coaxially aligned with the engine rotor and the gap is constant. This completely solves the problem of speed signal jumps and large errors caused by loose or misaligned external sensors. The sensor signal is transmitted through the internal channel and is not affected by external vibration or airflow. It can accurately collect the rotor speed under high speed conditions, provide core speed parameters for the engine control system, and ensure stable power output. The fourth mounting base 64 is located at the end of the first cylindrical part 11 away from the bearing seat 20. It connects to the internal cavity to directly monitor the output shaft speed and can provide real-time feedback on the engine power output status. It can achieve dual parameter comparison between the rotor speed and the output shaft speed, forming a closed-loop monitoring of the transmission system and promptly troubleshooting faults such as transmission jamming and speed imbalance. This position is far away from the intake air passage and high-temperature oil passage, so it does not interfere with other components and the cavity has strong protection, resulting in a longer sensor lifespan.

[0049] Furthermore, all sensors are mounted on dedicated mounting bases on the casing and fuel line body, eliminating redundant parts such as external brackets, clamps, and adapters, reducing assembly steps and potential failure points. The casing has no extra protruding structures, reducing aerodynamic drag and minimizing the overall space occupied, achieving a dual improvement in lightweighting and compactness. Each mounting base adopts a pre-designed integrated structure, allowing for precise positioning during machining and eliminating the need for repeated alignment during assembly, significantly reducing installation errors. Sensors are independently deployed at their respective workstations, allowing for individual component replacement in case of failure without affecting other monitoring units, making subsequent maintenance, calibration, and repair more convenient. Each sensor corresponds to a dedicated monitoring station, ensuring optimal measurement location and shortest signal transmission path, avoiding interference from multiple parameters, and achieving high data accuracy. This provides reliable input to the engine control system, optimizes variable operating condition adjustments, and improves overall engine stability and fuel economy. The mounting base isolates the sensor probe from the harsh external environment, resisting vibration, oil stains, and impacts from foreign objects. At the same time, it does not encroach on the core space of the internal airflow channel, lubrication line, and bearing cavity, balancing the monitoring function with the core performance of the casing in terms of pneumatics, lubrication, and load-bearing capacity, and is suitable for various installation conditions.

[0050] In an optional embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the bearing housing 20 is provided with a first mating mounting surface 21, a second mating mounting surface 22 and a third mating mounting surface 23 spaced apart along the axial direction of the bearing housing 20, and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing 20 near the air outlet 122 is provided with a plurality of countersunk holes 24 spaced apart for supporting the lower rotating shaft of the adjustable guide vane.

[0051] The bearing housing 20 has a first mating mounting surface 21, a second mating mounting surface 22, and a third mating mounting surface 23 axially arranged on its inner circumference. These surfaces allow for the separate mounting of multiple bearings, seals, or locating rings, forming multi-point axial support and providing multi-positional constraint on the engine rotor. This effectively limits radial runout and axial movement, resulting in smoother high-speed rotor operation with less vibration, significantly improving the stability and operational accuracy of the rotor system. The three mating mounting surfaces can be machined in a single clamping operation, achieving extremely high coaxiality accuracy. This ensures concentric mounting of multiple bearings, preventing additional bending moments and eccentric wear caused by bearing misalignment or displacement. This significantly reduces the risk of bearing overheating, seizing, and failure, effectively extending the service life of both the bearings and the rotor. The mating mounting surfaces can also be used to install oil seals, gas seals, and other sealing structures, forming a closed lubrication cavity with the bearing. This prevents oil leakage and blocks external airflow and impurities from entering the bearing area, ensuring a clean lubrication environment and further improving bearing reliability.

[0052] A countersunk hole 24 is provided on the outer periphery of the bearing housing 20 near the outlet, directly serving as the support and positioning structure for the lower shaft of the adjustable guide vane. This allows the bearing housing to simultaneously bear the dual functions of rotor support and guide vane support, eliminating the need for separate guide vane support rings, brackets, and other additional parts, significantly reducing the number of components, simplifying assembly processes, and lowering the overall weight. The countersunk hole provides precise radial positioning and axial limiting for the lower shaft of the adjustable guide vane, ensuring flexible, unhindered, and uniform guide vane rotation. This allows for more precise guide vane angle adjustment, thereby optimizing the intake aerodynamic performance of the engine under different operating conditions and improving efficiency and surge margin under varying operating conditions. The use of a countersunk hole instead of a boss or bracket structure prevents the formation of protrusions in the airflow channel, preserving the smoothness of the outlet flow field and avoiding aerodynamic losses such as eddies and airflow separation, thus ensuring engine intake efficiency. The bearing housing itself is a high-strength, rigid structure. By supporting the guide vane through the countersunk hole, it can effectively withstand the aerodynamic load during guide vane operation, preventing deformation and vibration of the support structure, ensuring stable operation of the adjustable guide vane under high-speed airflow, and extending the guide vane's service life.

[0053] In an optional embodiment, the third mounting edge 111 and / or the second mounting edge 124 includes an annular flange 1111, on which a plurality of spaced mounting holes 1112 are provided.

[0054] The third mounting edge 111 and the second mounting edge 124 adopt an annular flange 1111, which significantly enhances the bending, torsional, and vibration deformation resistance compared to ordinary flat mounting edges. It can effectively withstand aerodynamic loads, installation preload, vibration loads, and thrust loads during engine operation, reducing the risk of mounting edge warping, deformation, and cracking, and improving the overall structural reliability and safety margin of the casing. The annular flange structure has a higher flatness retention capability, maintaining a flat and tight fit at the mating end face even under heavy load and strong vibration conditions. This ensures reliable sealing, no air leakage, and no loosening after docking with the combustion chamber, reducer, or engine compartment, improving the overall airtightness and operational stability of the engine.

[0055] Multiple evenly spaced mounting holes 1112 are provided along the circumferential direction of the annular flange 1111, so that the connecting bolts are subjected to uniform force in the circumferential direction, avoiding local stress concentration, reducing the possibility of bolt loosening, shearing, and breakage, improving the fatigue life of the connection structure, and ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the engine under long-term alternating loads.

[0056] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0057] In addition to the above, it should be noted that the terms "one embodiment," "another embodiment," and "embodiment" used in this specification refer to specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment, which are included in at least one embodiment described in the general description of this application. The appearance of the same expression in multiple places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, the intention is to suggest that implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments also falls within the scope of this invention.

[0058] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0059] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An engine intake casing, characterized in that, include: The casing (10) includes a first cylindrical part (11) and a second cylindrical part (12). One inner wall of the second cylindrical part (12) overlaps with one inner wall of the first cylindrical part (11). A bearing seat (20) is provided at one end of the first cylindrical part (11). The first end of the second cylindrical part (12) has an air inlet (121), and the second end of the second cylindrical part (12) has an air outlet (122). The air inlet (121) is used to communicate with the aircraft's air intake. The air outlet (122) is used to communicate with the engine compressor. The outer wall of the first cylinder part (11) and the inner wall of the second cylinder part (12) form an airflow channel (30). One end of the airflow channel (30) forms the air inlet (121), and the other end of the airflow channel (30) forms the air outlet (122). The air outlet (122) is coaxially arranged with the bearing seat (20), and the air inlet (121) is angled with the bearing seat (20).

2. The engine intake casing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first mounting edge (123) is provided at the air inlet (121). The first mounting edge (123) is inclined on the side near the air outlet (122). The first mounting edge (123) is connected to the aircraft air inlet with bypass to form a bifurcated air inlet.

3. The engine intake casing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The air outlet (122) is provided with a second mounting edge (124), and one end of the first cylinder part (11) is provided with a third mounting edge (111). The third mounting edge (111) is arranged opposite to the second mounting edge (124). The third mounting edge (111) is used to connect the engine front reducer or engine compartment, and the second mounting edge (124) is used to connect the engine compressor. A cavity structure is formed inside the third mounting edge (111).

4. The engine intake casing according to claim 3, characterized in that, A plurality of support plates (40) are provided between the outer wall of the first cylindrical part (11) and the inner wall of the second cylindrical part (12). The plurality of support plates (40) are arranged at intervals along the outer periphery of the first cylindrical part (11). One end of each support plate (40) is connected to the outer wall of the first cylindrical part (11) and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the second cylindrical part (12). The plurality of support plates (40) are located at the air outlet (122).

5. The engine intake casing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support plate (40) is provided with a cavity pipe (41) and an oil return pipe (42). The engine intake casing also includes a lubricating oil pipe (50). The lubricating oil pipe (50) is connected to the inner cavity of the bearing seat (20), the cavity pipe (41), and the oil return pipe (42).

6. The engine intake casing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The lubricating oil pipeline (50) includes a first oil supply pipe (51) and a second oil supply pipe (52). The first oil supply pipe (51) and the second oil supply pipe (52) are arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the second cylinder part (12). The second oil supply pipe (52) is provided with an oil inlet (53) and an oil return port (54). The first oil supply pipe (51) is provided with a bearing seat oil inlet (55). The first oil supply pipe (51) and the second oil supply pipe (52) are arranged in communication. The plurality of support plates (40) include at least four first support plates (43) and one second support plate (44). The cavity pipe (41) is provided in the at least four first support plates (43). The cavity pipe (41) is arranged along the circumference of the first support plate (43). The oil return pipe (42) is provided in the second support plate (44). The oil return port (54) is located on one side of the second support plate (44). The oil return pipe (42) is connected to the oil return port (54). The bearing seat oil inlet (55) is connected to the oil return pipe (42).

7. The engine intake casing according to claim 6, characterized in that, The plurality of support plates (40) also include a third support plate (45), wherein a sensor mounting hole (46) is provided in the third support plate (45), and the sensor mounting hole (46) is connected to the bearing seat (20).

8. The engine intake casing according to claim 7, characterized in that, The engine intake casing also includes a mounting base assembly (60), which includes: The first mounting base (61) is disposed on the outer surface of the second cylinder part (12) near the air inlet (121). The first mounting base (61) is connected to the airflow channel (30). A first sensor is disposed inside the first mounting base (61). The first sensor is used to measure the air intake temperature or pressure. The second mounting base (62) is disposed on the outer surface of the first oil supply pipe (51) or the second oil supply pipe (52). The second mounting base (62) is connected to the lubricating oil pipeline (50). A second sensor is disposed inside the second mounting base (62). The second sensor is used to measure the lubricating oil temperature or pressure. The third mounting base (63) is disposed on the outer surface of the casing (10) and is disposed in communication with the sensor mounting hole (46). A third sensor is disposed in the third mounting base (63) and the sensor mounting hole (46), and the third sensor is used to measure the engine rotor speed. The fourth mounting base (64) is disposed on the outer surface of the first cylindrical part (11). The fourth mounting base (64) is connected to the cavity structure. A fourth sensor is disposed inside the fourth mounting base (64). The fourth sensor is used to measure the output shaft speed or cavity pressure.

9. The engine intake casing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner circumferential surface of the bearing housing (20) is provided with a first mating mounting surface (21), a second mating mounting surface (22) and a third mating mounting surface (23) spaced apart along the axial direction of the bearing housing (20). The outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing (20) near the air outlet (122) is provided with a plurality of countersunk holes (24) spaced apart for supporting the lower rotating shaft of the adjustable guide vane.

10. The engine intake casing according to claim 3, characterized in that, The third mounting edge (111) and / or the second mounting edge (124) include an annular flange (1111), on which a plurality of spaced mounting holes (1112) are provided.

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