Turbomachine Gear Assembly with Nested Planetary Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear assemblies in turbomachines, particularly open rotor engines, face challenges in providing adequate gear ratios, accommodating multiple input shafts and counter-rotating shafts, and fitting within size constraints, leading to inefficient operation and compatibility issues with interdigitated compressor and turbine structures.
Innovation Solution
A gear assembly design that includes a first and second power input component, a power output component, and a static component, with a gear assembly configuration that allows for axial transmission of power through separated interfaces, enabling suitable gear ratios and arrangements within the constraints of turbomachine dimensions, and accommodating counter-rotating shafts, using additive manufacturing techniques for complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If known gear assemblies are scaled to provide adequate gear ratios, then the gear ratio is improved, but the size and weight of the gear assembly increases beyond desired engine constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a planetary gear configuration where planet gears are nested around a sun gear, and the entire planetary assembly is contained within a compact housing. This nesting arrangement allows multiple gears to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, achieving high gear ratios (up to 14:1) without proportionally increasing the overall gear assembly dimensions or weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional linear gear train arrangements to a three-dimensional planetary configuration. By utilizing radial and axial dimensions simultaneously, the gear assembly achieves compact packaging with high gear reduction ratios, fitting within the constrained engine footprint while maintaining adequate speed reduction.
2Device complexity
If traditional gear assemblies are used, then the structure is simple, but they cannot accommodate multiple input shafts and counter-rotating shafts required for interdigitated compressor and turbine structures
Solution Approach 1:
The planetary gear assembly is designed with universal adaptability to receive multiple input shafts (including counter-rotating shafts) through a common planetary carrier structure. The same basic planetary configuration can accommodate various input arrangements, making it compatible with interdigitated compressor-turbine structures without requiring fundamentally different gear designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The gear assembly is segmented into modular components including the sun gear, planet gears, planet carrier, and ring gear, allowing independent configuration of input shaft connections. This segmentation enables flexible coupling to multiple input sources while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
3Speed
If larger gear ratios are implemented, then fan rotational speed is reduced for efficiency, but the gear assembly size exceeds desired engine dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The planetary gears are nested within a compact arrangement where the planet gears rotate on carriers that orbit the sun gear. This nested configuration achieves high gear reduction ratios (up to 14:1) to reduce fan rotational speed while keeping the overall gear assembly length and diameter within desired engine dimensional constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement of gears, employing radial and axial dimensions to achieve compact packaging. This allows high gear reduction ratios to be achieved without proportionally increasing the gear assembly length, enabling efficient low-speed fan operation within constrained engine dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbomachine engine and gear assembly is provided. The engine includes a first power input component rotatable along a first direction relative to the engine centerline axis, a second power input component rotatable along a second direction relative to the engine centerline axis, a power output component rotatable relative to the engine centerline axis, a static component fixed relative to a circumferential direction relative to a gear assembly centerline axis, and a gear assembly. The gear assembly includes a first rotatable gear operably coupled to the first power input component at a first interface. The first rotatable gear is operably coupled to the static component at a static component interface. The static component interface is configured to react against the first rotatable gear to rotate the first rotatable gear relative to the gear assembly centerline axis. The power output component is operably coupled to the first rotatable gear.