Generator Ball Bearing Support Plate Structural Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ball bearing support plates for high-speed generator applications, particularly in gas turbine engines, face structural challenges due to their truncated cylindrical shape, which affects their ability to securely support rotating components and maintain stability under high-speed conditions.
Innovation Solution
A radially enlarged flange with a first cylindrical portion and a radially inner second cylindrical portion, featuring radially enlarged and thinner portions, along with circumferentially aligned bolt holes, provides enhanced structural support and stability for the ball bearing outer race, addressing the structural limitations of the prior art by optimizing the bearing support plate's geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the ball bearing support plate has a truncated cylindrical shape to accommodate adjacent structure, then space utilization is improved, but structural integrity and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate features radially enlarged portions at specific locations (where bolt holes are positioned) and radially thinner portions at other locations. This local variation in thickness provides structural reinforcement exactly where needed to maintain integrity, while allowing truncation elsewhere to accommodate adjacent structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The support plate is segmented into regions of different radial thicknesses - enlarged portions for structural support and thinner portions for space accommodation. This segmentation allows the plate to simultaneously achieve both structural integrity and space utilization by dividing the structure into functionally distinct zones.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ball bearing support plate is truncated to accommodate adjacent structure, then adaptability is improved, but stability under high-speed conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate has radially enlarged portions positioned to provide enhanced stability and rigidity at critical locations, while thinner portions allow adaptation to surrounding structures. This localized quality differentiation enables the plate to maintain stability under high-speed rotation while adapting to the truncated configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If the support plate has radially thinner portions with bolt holes, then ease of assembly is improved, but stress concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate features radially enlarged portions specifically positioned to provide structural reinforcement at locations where bolt holes are present. This local enlargement counteracts the stress concentration that would otherwise occur at the bolt hole locations in thinner portions, allowing easy assembly without compromising structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A bearing support plate for use in a generator has a radially enlarged flange with a first cylindrical portion extending from the flange in one direction which will provide a bearing support for an outer race of a ball bearing, and a radially inner cylindrical portion extending in an opposed direction that will be away from the ball bearing relative to the flange. The flange is generally cylindrical but has a truncated portion over a circumferential extent. The first cylindrical portion is formed with radially enlarged portions with intermediate radially thinner portions. The flange includes bolt holes circumferentially aligned with the radially thinner portions.