Rotary Shaft Support Structure for High Load Gas Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tilting bearings in gas turbines fail to perform effectively under high loads, as they do not adequately support the rotary shaft, leading to potential mechanical issues and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rotary shaft support structure comprising a main body, a pad member, a pivot housing, and a spring member, which collectively support the circumferential surface of the rotary shaft, allowing for load absorption and rotational support, with the spring member biasing the pivot housing against the pad member to maintain stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If tilting bearings are used to support the rotary shaft, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the bearing cannot perform effectively under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing is divided into multiple pads (first pad, second pad, third pad, fourth pad) that can independently tilt and rotate around pivot points. Each pad segment handles a portion of the load, allowing the overall structure to support high loads while maintaining simplicity of individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing pads are designed to be dynamically adjustable through pivoting motion around fixed points. The pads can tilt and rotate to adapt to varying load conditions, enabling the bearing to maintain effectiveness under high loads while keeping the structural design relatively simple.
2Reliability
If a complex bearing structure is designed to handle high loads, then the load bearing capacity increases, but the manufacturing and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing is segmented into multiple independent pads with pivot points, allowing each component to be manufactured separately using standard machining processes. This segmentation enables high load-bearing capacity through multiple load paths while keeping individual manufacturing steps simple and reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing structure automatically adjusts itself under load through the natural pivoting motion of the pads. The pads self-align and distribute loads without requiring complex control systems or precise pre-adjustment, improving reliability while simplifying installation and manufacturing.
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 rotary shaft support structure effectively absorbs high loads and maintains rotational stability, enhancing the performance of the gas turbine by ensuring reliable support of the rotary shaft at both ends of the compressor and turbine casings.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member (1440) seated in the mounting groove to bias the pivot housing (1430) against the pivot protrusion (1420a) of the pad member (1420)
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary shaft support structure supports each of both ends of a rotary shaft passing through a center of a gas turbine and includes a main body arranged around a circumference of the rotary shaft and mounted to each of a compressor casing and a turbine casing of the gas turbine; a pad member disposed between the main body and the circumferential surface of the rotary shaft and biased against the circumferential surface of the rotary shaft for supporting the rotary shaft; a pivot protrusion protruding from the pad member toward the main body; and a pivot housing for receiving the pivot protrusion to rotatably support the pad member. The mechanical bias is supplied by a spring member seated in the mounting groove to bias the pivot housing against the pivot protrusion. The rotary shaft support structure exhibits performance as a bearing by absorbing some of an applied load.