Bearing Support Cage Segmentation for Turbine Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bearing support systems for gas turbine engines face limitations in accommodating larger deflections and stress requirements, as increasing the length of squirrel cage beams to enhance flexibility results in increased size and weight, which may not be desirable.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a bearing support system featuring a fenestrated squirrel cage with circumferentially spaced beams and an inboard bearing support cage, which can be integral or separate, using materials like M50NiL and titanium, allowing for additional design flexibility through adjustable beam orientations and configurations such as axial or oblique beams, and fastener flanges for enhanced support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the length of squirrel cage beams is increased to enhance flexibility and accommodate larger deflections, then the flexibility is improved, but the size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the bearing support system into two separate cages: an outer squirrel cage and an inner bearing support cage. This segmentation allows each cage to be optimized independently - the outer cage can be designed for flexibility with shorter beams, while the inner cage provides additional support, eliminating the need for excessive beam length and reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner bearing support cage is nested within the outer squirrel cage structure. This nested configuration allows the inner cage to provide additional bearing support capability without increasing the external dimensions of the overall assembly, thereby maintaining compact size while enhancing flexibility and load capacity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the length of squirrel cage beams is increased to enhance flexibility and accommodate larger deflections, then the flexibility is improved, but the size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the support function into two separate cages, the invention eliminates the need for excessively long beams. The outer cage with shorter beams works in conjunction with the inner cage to provide the same flexibility, thereby reducing the overall size of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested configuration of the inner cage within the outer cage allows the system to achieve enhanced flexibility without increasing external dimensions. The inner cage utilizes the internal space of the outer cage, maintaining a compact overall size while providing additional deflection accommodation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing support includes a squirrel cage including a fenestrated portion with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart windows defined therethrough. A bearing support cage inboard of the squirrel cage defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart windows therethrough. The bearing support cage is operatively connected to the squirrel cage to support a bearing from within the squirrel cage.