Flexible Gearbox Mounting for Turbine Gear Misalignment Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The dynamic loading of gas turbine engines induces relative movements among gearbox components, leading to misalignments and premature failure of gears due to non-uniform torque distribution and eccentric loading, which is exacerbated by increasing thrust and power demands.
Innovation Solution
A mounting assembly for the gearbox assembly, comprising a flex coupling, flex mount, and fan frame, designed to manage lateral, bending, and torsional stiffness and damping, using a split sun gear and single piece ring gear configuration to enhance structural integrity and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rigid mounting is used for gearbox assembly, then structural stability is maintained, but dynamic loading causes misalignments and non-uniform torque distribution leading to gear failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from rigid mounting to flexible mounting components (flex coupling and flex mount) that can dynamically adjust their stiffness characteristics. This allows the mounting system to accommodate dynamic loading variations while maintaining proper gear alignment, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability under dynamic loads and alignment stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements dynamics by using flexible mounting components that can adapt their configuration in response to dynamic engine loads. The flex coupling and flex mount enable the gearbox assembly to dynamically adjust to varying operational conditions, preventing misalignments and non-uniform torque distribution that lead to gear failure.
2Power
If increasing thrust and power demands are met with larger gearbox components, then power transmission capacity is improved, but stress concentrations and eccentric loading increase leading to premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flex coupling and flex mount as intermediary elements between the engine and gearbox components. These intermediaries absorb and distribute dynamic loads more uniformly, reducing stress concentrations and eccentric loading on individual gearbox components while maintaining the required power transmission capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the stiffness parameters of the mounting system to optimize the balance between power transmission and stress distribution. By adjusting the flexibility characteristics of the mounting components, the system can handle increased thrust and power demands while distributing loads more evenly across gearbox components.
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 solution improves gearbox durability and extends component life by minimizing misalignments and eccentric loading, ensuring uniform load distribution and reducing stress concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
A mounting assembly for a gearbox assembly, comprising a flex coupling configured to mount a first gear of the gearbox assembly to a rotating shaft of the gas turbine engine, a flex mount configured to mount a second gear of the gearbox assembly to an engine static structure
Implementation Method 2
Each of the flex coupling and the flex mount is characterized by a lateral impedance parameter ratio, a bending impedance parameter ratio, and a torsional impedance parameter ratio
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting assembly for a gearbox assembly of a gas turbine engine includes at least one mounting member configured to mount a gear of the gearbox assembly to a component of the gas turbine engine, the at least one mounting member characterized by a lateral impedance parameter, a bending impedance parameter, and a torsional impedance parameter. A gas turbine engine includes the mounting assembly. The at least one mounting member may be a flex mount, a fan frame, or a flex coupling. The gear includes a first gear that is a split sun gear including a forward sun gear and an aft sun gear separate from the forward sun gear. The forward sun gear and the aft sun gear are each rotationally coupled to a rotating shaft of the gas turbine engine.