Turbomachine Rotor Balancing Arrangement and Oil Expulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotors for turbomachines face challenges in balancing and oil accumulation, requiring effective balancing solutions that minimize wear and maintenance, especially at high speeds, while preventing oil contamination of cabin air flows.
Innovation Solution
A rotor stage design featuring a rotor base body with at least two rotor arms and a balancing arrangement, where the downstream rotor arm has a balancing arrangement between its axial end and the rotor disk, allowing for efficient balancing and oil expulsion through a centrifugal opening, reducing the need for additional balancing arrangements and minimizing oil accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple balancing arrangements are provided on rotor arms, then balancing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the balancing function from multiple distributed balancing arrangements and concentrates it into a single balancing arrangement located on one rotor arm. This single arrangement includes a balancing cavity with adjustable balancing elements that can compensate for imbalances throughout the entire rotor stage, thereby achieving precise balancing while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for multiple balancing arrangements across different rotor arms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If rotor arms are designed with cavities for balancing, then balancing adjustability is improved, but oil accumulation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potential harm of cavities (which can trap oil) into a benefit by designing the balancing cavity with a specific configuration that includes drainage features. The balancing cavity is positioned and shaped such that it allows oil to drain out through designated openings while still providing space for balancing elements. This converts the harmful oil trapping effect into a functional design where oil management is integrated into the balancing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces drainage openings and positioning features as intermediary elements between the balancing cavity and the rotor arm structure. These intermediaries allow the cavity to serve its balancing function while preventing oil accumulation by providing escape paths for oil through the rotor arm wall, thus mediating between the need for balancing adjustability and the need to prevent oil trapping.
3Reliability
If balancing arrangements are placed on upstream rotor arms, then balancing effectiveness is improved, but oil cavity formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the spatial dimension of the balancing arrangement by positioning it on the downstream rotor arm rather than the upstream rotor arm. This dimensional repositioning in the axial direction of the rotor stage allows the balancing cavity to be located in a region where oil accumulation is less problematic, as the downstream position is further from the oil supply sources and has better drainage characteristics, thereby maintaining balancing effectiveness while reducing oil cavity formation.
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
This design simplifies unbalance compensation, reduces rotor vibrations, and prevents oil contamination by efficiently expelling bearing oil, achieving cost-effective and reproducible balancing results while maintaining low wear and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
possible oil accumulations in cavities in the rotor interior, for example of bearing oil accumulations, should be able to flow out of the rotor interior
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a rotor stage (200) for a turbomachine, comprising several rotor blades (9), a rotor body (7) with at least two rotor arms (3), and a balancing arrangement (1) for balancing the rotor stage (200). The rotor arm (3), located downstream of the rotor body (7), includes the balancing arrangement (1). The balancing arrangement (1) is arranged between the axial end region of the rotor arm (3) and the rotor disk (27) of the rotor body (7). The present invention further relates to a rotor drum (17, 18) for a turbomachine and a rotor (1000) for a turbomachine.