Flexible Coupling Shaft Damping for Engine Vibration Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Turbine engines face challenges in reducing vibrations and oscillations in flexible coupling shafts due to high-speed revolutions, leading to wear and fretting issues in components like bushings, which affect efficiency and performance.

Innovation Solution

A damper system is implemented at the free end of the flexible coupling shaft, utilizing an oil system to provide pressurized oil and reduce vibrations, allowing for axial and radial deformation while maintaining connection to the engine core and gearbox, thereby minimizing oscillations and wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible coupling shaft is used to connect the engine core and gearbox, then the shaft can accommodate misalignments and deformations, but vibrations and oscillations increase during high-speed operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemisalignment accommodationVSAvoidvibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A damper system is introduced as an intermediary component between the flexible coupling shaft and the gearbox. This damper system absorbs and dissipates vibrations and oscillations generated during high-speed operation, while allowing the flexible coupling shaft to maintain its ability to accommodate misalignments and deformations. The damper acts as a mediator that filters harmful vibrations without restricting the shaft's flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper system utilizes hydraulic principles by employing a viscous fluid damping mechanism. The damper contains a piston moving through a viscous fluid, creating hydraulic resistance that dissipates vibrational energy. This hydraulic damping approach effectively reduces vibrations and oscillations in the flexible coupling shaft during high-speed engine operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the shaft is made flexible to allow deformation, then connection adaptability improves, but wear and fretting issues occur in supporting components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection flexibilityVSAvoidcomponent wear

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The damper system serves as a protective intermediary between the flexible shaft and the supporting bushings. By absorbing vibrations and oscillations, the damper prevents these dynamic loads from being transmitted to the bushings, thereby reducing wear and fretting issues in the supporting components while maintaining the shaft's flexibility for connection adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The damper system provides beforehand cushioning by preemptively absorbing and dissipating vibrational energy before it can cause wear and damage to the supporting components. This protective cushioning effect occurs continuously during operation, preventing fretting and wear in the bushings that support the flexible coupling shaft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If a damper system is added to reduce vibrations, then component reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration reductionVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The damper system employs a relatively simple hydraulic damping mechanism using a viscous fluid and piston arrangement. This approach achieves effective vibration reduction without requiring complex mechanical structures, electronic controls, or multiple components. The hydraulic principle allows for a compact and straightforward implementation that minimizes added complexity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The damper system effectively limits shaft vibrations and oscillations during engine operation, reducing wear on components and enhancing the longevity and efficiency of the turbine engine by allowing flexibility and misalignment adjustments.

Implementation Method 1

A damper system is implemented at the free end of the flexible coupling shaft, utilizing an oil system to provide pressurized oil and reduce vibrations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

utilizing an oil system to provide pressurized oil and reduce vibrations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS11982201B2Damper system for an engine shaft

Publication Date: 2024.05.14 GE AVIO SRL

AI summary

An engine assembly defining an axial direction (A) and including a gearbox, an engine core including at least one rotor, and a flexible coupling shaft having a first end and a second end along the axial direction (A). The first end of the flexible coupling shaft is connected to the engine core and the second end of the flexible coupling shaft is connected to the gearbox. A damper system is positioned at the second end of the flexible coupling shaft. The damper system is configured to reduce vibrations to the flexible coupling shaft during operation of the engine assembly.