A bearing housing for a vertical working aeroengine
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202610937060.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-06-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-20
AI Technical Summary
(1)在后轴承座设置集油腔,收集发动机滑油,建立发动机垂直工作状态下的滑油循环。可有效解决轴承腔内滑油在重力作用下于轴承附近过量聚集,对轴承产生润滑状态异常、搅动阻力增大、气蚀损伤、污染物堆积等问题。
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of aero-engine technology, and in particular relates to a bearing housing for a vertically operating aero-engine. Background Technology
[0002] The bearing housing is a core component in aero-engines that supports the bearings, transmits loads, and ensures stable rotor operation. Its main functions include supporting the rotor, maintaining rotational accuracy, transmitting loads, distributing stress, sealing and preventing leakage, protecting the internal media, providing heat insulation and heat dissipation, and ensuring the bearing's working environment.
[0003] When a conventional aero engine is operating, its axis is parallel to the sea level. Under the influence of gravity, the lubricating oil in the bearing housing circulates through the oil passages to lubricate and cool the bearings. When the engine operates at a perpendicular angle to the sea level, the lubricating oil in the bearing cavity accumulates excessively near the bearing under the influence of gravity, causing adverse effects such as abnormal lubrication, increased churning resistance, cavitation damage, and contaminant accumulation.
[0004] Therefore, it is indeed necessary to improve the existing technology to address its shortcomings. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to find an effective solution to the adverse effects of slippage oil on bearings in a vertical working environment of an engine.
[0006] This application provides a bearing housing for a vertically operating aircraft engine, the bearing housing comprising a bearing housing, a cone, an air flow path, and a lubricating oil flow path; The bearing housing consists of a front bearing housing and a rear bearing housing with an oil collection cavity, which serves to fix and support the bearing and transmit the axial and radial loads of the engine. The cone is composed of several layers of cylindrical structure, which are fixedly connected to the front bearing housing and the rear bearing housing to form a bearing chamber and transmit axial load. The cone is equipped with lubricating oil channels. The airflow path consists of several layers of cavities formed by the connection between the cone, the front bearing housing, and the rear bearing housing, which serves to cool the bearing housing and provide sealing gas to the downstream chamber of the engine. The lubricating oil flow path consists of a supply flow path and a return flow path, and is connected to the bearing chamber.
[0007] Preferably, the rear bearing housing has a continuous closed cavity, and at least four circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed through grooves are connected to the aforementioned cavity for collecting lubricating oil in the bearing housing cavity. There are circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed air flow paths between the cavities to provide cooling and sealing gas of different temperatures and pressures to the downstream chamber of the bearing housing, and the aforementioned cavities and air flow paths are not interconnected.
[0008] Preferably, depending on the required flow area, the airflow path between the rear bearing housings is a through groove or through hole evenly distributed along the circumference.
[0009] Preferably, an anti-rotation groove is formed in the inner ring of the bearing housing, which cooperates with the anti-rotation boss structure on the bearing to limit the bearing circumferentially and reduce bearing wear.
[0010] Preferably, the oil supply route consists of an oil inlet pipe connected to the bearing housing, an oil inlet channel in the front bearing housing, and an oil spray ring mounted on the cone.
[0011] Preferably, the oil injection ring is located axially between the front and rear bearings, and has several circular holes in the circumferential direction. The lubricating oil injected from the holes provides lubrication for the front and rear bearings.
[0012] Preferably, the return oil flow route consists of the oil collection chamber and return oil channel in the rear bearing housing, the return oil channel in the cone, and the return oil channel and return oil pipe in the front bearing housing.
[0013] Preferably, the bearing housing has a circular ring structure.
[0014] The beneficial technical effects of this application are as follows: (1) An oil collection chamber is set in the rear bearing housing to collect engine lubricating oil and establish lubricating oil circulation under the vertical working state of the engine. This can effectively solve the problems of excessive accumulation of lubricating oil in the bearing cavity near the bearing under the action of gravity, which causes abnormal lubrication, increased agitation resistance, cavitation damage, and accumulation of contaminants in the bearing.
[0015] (2) The proposed bearing housing structure integrates functions such as supporting the rotor, transmitting load, sealing and preventing leakage, heat insulation and heat dissipation, and collecting lubricating oil within a confined space. The structure is simple and compact and has good manufacturability. Attached Figure Description
[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. The drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the bearing housing of the vertically working aero-engine of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The bearing housing shown is a cross-sectional view along AA. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rear bearing housing with an oil collection cavity in this invention; Figure 4 This is a rear view of the rear bearing housing with an oil collecting cavity in this invention; Figure 5 for Figure 4 The rear bearing housing with oil collection chamber shown is a cross-sectional view along EE. Figure 6 for Figure 5 The rear bearing housing with oil collection chamber shown is a cross-sectional view along FF. Figure 7 for Figure 4 The rear bearing housing with oil collection chamber shown is a cross-sectional view along line GG. Figure 8 for Figure 4 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the rear bearing housing with an oil collection chamber along the HH axis. Detailed Implementation
[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0019] The features and illustrative embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without requiring some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the invention by illustrating examples of the invention. The invention is by no means limited to any specific setups and methods set forth below, but covers any improvements, substitutions, and modifications to structures, methods, and devices without departing from the spirit of the invention. Well-known structures and techniques are not shown in the drawings and the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention.
[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing and simplifying the invention, and should not be construed as limiting the invention. Furthermore, the use of ordinal numbers (e.g., "first and second," etc.) is for distinguishing objects and is not limited to this order, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly, encompassing both direct connection and indirect connection via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.
[0022] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other, and the various embodiments can be referenced and cited in each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.
[0024] The present invention provides a bearing housing structure suitable for vertically operating engines, which is mainly used to support the rotor of aero engines, transmit loads, seal, dissipate heat and collect lubricating oil.
[0025] This application provides a bearing housing structure that establishes oil circulation during vertical engine operation by incorporating an oil collection chamber, oil supply, and oil return paths, thus preventing excessive oil accumulation near the bearing. Simultaneously, it achieves functions such as supporting the aero-engine rotor, transmitting loads, sealing, heat dissipation, and collecting oil within a confined space. This effectively solves the adverse effects of oil leakage on the bearing during vertical engine operation.
[0026] In this embodiment of the application, a bearing housing structure for a vertically operating aero-engine is provided, which consists of a bearing housing, a cone, an air flow path, and a lubricating oil flow path.
[0027] The bearing housing consists of a front bearing housing and a rear bearing housing with an oil collection chamber, forming a circular structure. It serves to fix and support the bearing and transmit the axial and radial loads of the engine.
[0028] The rear bearing housing has a continuous, closed cavity, and at least four circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed through slots communicate with the aforementioned cavity for collecting lubricating oil from the bearing housing cavity. There are circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed airflow paths between the cavities, which can provide cooling and sealing gases of different temperatures and pressures to the downstream chambers of the bearing housing. Furthermore, the aforementioned cavities and airflow paths are not interconnected.
[0029] Optionally, depending on the required flow area, the airflow path between the rear bearing housings can be a circumferentially distributed through groove or through hole.
[0030] As an alternative structure and supplementary design to the aforementioned bearing housing structure, an anti-rotation groove is provided in the inner ring of the bearing housing. This groove, in conjunction with the anti-rotation boss structure on the bearing, serves to limit the bearing's circumferential movement and reduce bearing wear.
[0031] The cone is composed of several layers of cylindrical structures, which are fixedly connected to the front and rear bearing housings to form a bearing chamber and transmit axial loads. In addition, lubricating oil channels are distributed inside the cone.
[0032] The airflow path consists of several layers of cavities formed by the connection of the cone with the front and rear bearing housings, which serves to cool the bearing housings and provide sealing gas to the downstream chambers of the engine.
[0033] The lubricating oil flow path consists of a supply oil flow path and a return oil flow path, and is connected to the bearing chamber. The supply oil flow path comprises an oil inlet pipe connected to the bearing housing, an oil inlet channel in the front bearing housing, and an oil spray ring mounted on the cone. The oil spray ring is located axially between the front and rear bearings, and has several circular holes in its circumference. The lubricating oil sprayed from these holes provides lubrication to both the front and rear bearings. The return oil flow path consists of an oil collection chamber and return channel in the rear bearing housing, a return channel in the cone, and a return channel and return pipe in the front bearing housing.
[0034] An oil collection chamber is installed in the rear bearing housing to collect engine lubricating oil and establish lubricating oil circulation under the vertical operating condition of the engine. This effectively solves the problems of excessive accumulation of lubricating oil in the bearing cavity near the bearing under the action of gravity, which can cause abnormal lubrication, increased agitation resistance, cavitation damage, and contaminant accumulation in the bearing.
[0035] The proposed bearing housing structure integrates functions such as rotor support, load transmission, sealing and leak prevention, heat insulation and heat dissipation, and lubricating oil collection within a confined space. It has a simple and compact structure and good manufacturability.
[0036] like Figures 1-2 As shown, a bearing housing structure for a vertically operating engine is provided, which consists of a bearing housing, a cone, an air flow path, and a lubricating oil flow path.
[0037] Multiple bearings can be installed inside the bearing housing. In this embodiment, only the case where the front bearing 7 and the rear bearing 8 are installed inside the bearing housing is given as an example.
[0038] The bearing housing consists of a front bearing housing 1 and a rear bearing housing 3 with an oil collection chamber and an air flow path, which serves to fix and support the bearing and transmit the axial and radial loads of the engine.
[0039] like Figures 3-8 The rear bearing housing with oil collection chamber and air flow path integrates a continuous closed cavity 9, and at least four circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed through grooves communicate with the aforementioned cavity for collecting lubricating oil from the front and rear bearings. Air flow paths 10-17 are discretely and uniformly distributed between the cavities to provide cooling and sealing air at different temperatures and pressures to the downstream chamber of the bearing housing. Furthermore, the aforementioned cavities and air flow paths are not interconnected.
[0040] Optionally, depending on the required flow area, the airflow path between the rear bearing housings can be a circumferentially distributed through groove or through hole.
[0041] The cone 2 is composed of several layers of plate-shaped cylindrical structures, which serve to connect the front bearing housing and the rear bearing housing, form a bearing chamber, provide a lubricating oil return channel, and transmit axial loads.
[0042] The airflow path consists of several layers of cavities formed by connecting the cone 2 with the front bearing housing 1 and the rear bearing housing 3, which serve to cool the bearing housing and provide sealing gas to the downstream chamber of the engine.
[0043] The lubricating oil flow path consists of a supply oil flow path and a return oil flow path, and is connected to the bearing cavity. The supply oil flow path comprises an oil supply pipe 4 connected to the front bearing housing 1, an oil inlet channel in the front bearing housing 1, and an oil injection ring 6. The oil injection ring 6 is located axially between the front and rear bearings, and has several straight holes in its circumferential direction. The lubricating oil injected from these holes provides lubrication for the front bearing 7 and the rear bearing 8. The return oil flow path comprises an oil collection cavity and return channel in the rear bearing housing 3, a return channel in the cone 2, a return channel in the front bearing housing 1, and a return oil pipe 5 connected to the front bearing housing 1.
[0044] The design principle and working process of this invention are as follows: This invention designs a bearing housing suitable for vertically operating aero engines. During engine operation, it serves to support the rotor, maintain rotational accuracy, transmit loads, distribute stress, seal and prevent leakage, protect the internal media, provide heat insulation and dissipation, and ensure a suitable working environment for the bearings.
[0045] To address the shortcomings of existing engine bearing housings operating in a vertical configuration, an oil collection chamber, supply oil path, and return oil path are incorporated into the bearing housing to establish a lubricating oil circulation system. When the engine operates at a vertical angle to the sea level, lubricating oil enters the bearing cavity via the supply oil pipe, lubricating and protecting the bearing that is fitted onto the high-speed rotating rotor shaft. Subsequently, the lubricating oil in the bearing cavity flows under gravity into the rear bearing housing, which includes an oil collection chamber. The oil is then guided out through the return oil path, which consists of oil channels and a return oil pipe located on the rear bearing housing, the cone bearing, and the front bearing housing. The oil is then pumped to the engine oil pan by the oil pump, thus establishing a lubricating oil circulation system in a vertical configuration and preventing excessive oil accumulation near the bearing.
[0046] The bearing housing is equipped with an airflow path, which consists of several layers of cavities formed by the connection of the cone and the bearing housing. This structure serves to cool the bearing housing and provide sealing gas to the downstream chambers of the engine.
[0047] The above detailed embodiments are a description of the present invention. It should not be considered that the specific embodiments of the present invention are limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, several simple deductions and substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all of these should be considered to fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A bearing housing for a vertically operating aero-engine, characterized in that, The bearing housing consists of a bearing seat, a cone, an air flow path, and a lubricating oil flow path; The bearing housing consists of a front bearing housing and a rear bearing housing with an oil collection cavity, which serves to fix and support the bearing and transmit the axial and radial loads of the engine. The cone is composed of several layers of cylindrical structure, which are fixedly connected to the front bearing housing and the rear bearing housing to form a bearing chamber and transmit axial load. The cone is equipped with lubricating oil channels. The airflow path consists of several layers of cavities formed by the connection between the cone, the front bearing housing, and the rear bearing housing, which serves to cool the bearing housing and provide sealing gas to the downstream chamber of the engine. The lubricating oil flow path consists of a supply flow path and a return flow path, and is connected to the bearing chamber.
2. The bearing housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear bearing housing has a continuous closed cavity, and at least four circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed through slots are connected to the aforementioned cavity for collecting lubricating oil in the bearing housing cavity. There are circumferentially discrete and uniformly distributed air flow paths between the cavities to provide cooling and sealing gas of different temperatures and pressures to the downstream chamber of the bearing housing, and the aforementioned cavities and air flow paths are not interconnected.
3. The bearing housing according to claim 2, characterized in that, Based on the required flow area, the airflow path between the rear bearing housings is a through groove or through hole evenly distributed along the circumference.
4. The bearing housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, An anti-rotation groove is provided on the inner ring of the bearing housing, which works in conjunction with the anti-rotation boss structure on the bearing to limit the bearing's circumferential movement and reduce bearing wear.
5. The bearing housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil supply route consists of the oil inlet pipe connected to the bearing housing, the oil inlet channel in the front bearing housing, and the oil spray ring installed on the cone.
6. The bearing housing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The oil injection ring is located axially between the front and rear bearings, and has several circular holes in the circumferential direction. The lubricating oil injected from the holes provides lubrication for the front and rear bearings.
7. The bearing housing according to claim 6, characterized in that, The return oil flow path consists of the oil collection chamber and return oil channel in the rear bearing housing, the return oil channel in the cone, and the return oil channel and return oil pipe in the front bearing housing.
8. The bearing housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing housing has a circular ring structure.