Gas Turbine Rotor Impeller Assembly Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine engines, the bolted joint location for the rotor impeller assembly is not optimal for receiving bleed air at the desired pressure and temperature, leading to increased assembly time, weight, and disk wear.
Innovation Solution
A rotor assembly design featuring a mounting arm with radially inward extension and a carrier with radially outward bleed tubes configured to receive bleed air, eliminating the need for bolts and bolt holes by using a coupling nut for securement, allowing for improved positioning and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a bolted joint is used to couple the rotor impeller assembly to the rotor, then the assembly can be secured, but the joint is not located at the desired position to receive bleed air at the desired pressure and temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the impeller assembly with the rotor disk by integrating the impeller into a recess in the rotor disk, eliminating the need for separate bolted joints. This integration allows the bleed air extraction ports to be positioned directly in the rotor disk at the optimal location for receiving bleed air at the desired pressure and temperature, while simplifying the overall assembly structure.
2Reliability
If a bolted joint is used to secure the rotor impeller assembly, then the assembly can be coupled together, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller assembly is merged with the rotor disk structure, eliminating the need for separate bolted joints. The impeller is received within a recess in the rotor disk and secured through integration rather than separate fastening operations, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining secure coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The impeller assembly is pre-positioned within the rotor disk recess during manufacturing, and the entire assembly is secured as a unit. This preliminary integration eliminates the need for separate bolt installation steps during final assembly, reducing overall assembly time while ensuring reliable coupling.
3Reliability
If a bolted joint is used for the rotor impeller assembly, then the assembly can be secured, but the overall weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller assembly is merged with the rotor disk structure, eliminating the need for separate bolted joints and associated hardware. This integration removes the weight of bolts, nut plates, and associated fastening components while maintaining secure coupling through the integrated design.
4Reliability
If a bolted joint is used to secure the rotor impeller assembly, then the assembly can be coupled together, but disk wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller assembly is merged with the rotor disk structure, eliminating repeated bolted joints that cause wear. The integrated design removes stress concentration points at bolt holes and eliminates the mechanical wear associated with bolted connections, thereby extending disk service life.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of assembling a gas turbine engine that includes providing a rotor assembly including a rotor shaft, an air duct, and a rotor disk that includes a mounting arm, wherein the mounting arm extends radially inward from the rotor disk towards the rotor shaft and coupling a rotor impeller assembly to the mounting arm, wherein the rotor impeller assembly includes a carrier and a plurality of bleed tubes that each extend outwardly from the carrier and are configured to receive bleed air.