V-Shaped Gas Turbine Engine Support Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional support structures for attaching gas turbine engines to aircraft pylons face challenges such as aero-performance penalties and impaired maintenance access when the front mount is moved forward, leading to core casing distortions and reduced engine performance.

Innovation Solution

A support structure with V-shaped connection formations that extend forwardly without requiring an extended upper bifurcation or local blister fairings, allowing for efficient transfer of loads and torques while maintaining the engine-to-pylon disconnect point rearwards of fixed fairings for improved access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the front mount is moved forward to the base of fan outlet guide vanes, then core casing distortions are reduced and core tip clearances are improved, but the pylon must be extended forwards requiring an extended upper bifurcation or local blister fairing which produces an aero-performance penalty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecore casing distortionVSAvoidaero-performance penalty

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure utilizes a three-dimensional V-shaped configuration with connection members extending forwardly from vertices positioned above and on lateral sides of the engine core. This spatial arrangement allows the front mount to be located at the base of FOGVs for optimal core casing support while the connection members route loads backward to the pylon attachment point, eliminating the need for extended upper bifurcation or blister fairings that would disrupt aerodynamic flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The V-shaped connection formations concentrate structural support at specific critical locations: the vertex above the engine core and the vertices on lateral sides at the base of FOGVs. This localized reinforcement provides the necessary core casing distortion reduction only where needed, without requiring comprehensive structural extensions that would create aerodynamic penalties across the entire engine-pylon interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If the front mount is moved forward ahead of the hinged thrust reverser unit, then core casing distortions are reduced, but access to the engine for installation and removal tasks is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecore casing distortionVSAvoidmaintenance access

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure separates the core casing support function (achieved by V-shaped connection formations at the base of FOGVs) from the engine attachment and detachment operations. The engine-to-pylon disconnect point is positioned rearwards of fixed fairings, allowing maintenance personnel to access and disconnect the engine without removing fixed fairings or dealing with forward-mounted structural elements that would obstruct access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of positioning the disconnect point forward to achieve core casing support, the invention inverts the approach by positioning the disconnect point rearwards of fixed fairings for improved maintenance access, while achieving core casing support through the V-shaped connection formations that extend forwardly from rearward positions to connect to the core casing at optimal locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional support structures are used with forward-mounted front mount, then core tip clearances are improved, but radial loads are introduced at sensitive positions of the core casing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecore tip clearanceVSAvoidradial loads on core casing

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The V-shaped connection formations create an asymmetric load path where connection members extend forwardly from vertices positioned above and on lateral sides of the engine core. This asymmetric geometry converts radial loads that would act directly on the core casing into tangential load components that follow the V-shaped connection member paths, reducing radial stress concentrations at sensitive core casing positions while maintaining core tip clearance benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS12012216B2Support structure for attaching a gas turbine engine to an aircraft pylon

Publication Date: 2024.06.18 ROLLS ROYCE PLC

AI summary

A gas turbine engine includes a support structure for attaching the engine to an aircraft pylon. The support structure includes: an engine-side interface member, a pylon-side interface member interfacing to the engine-side interface member, and a top V-shaped connection formation above the engine core and pair of side V-shaped connection formations on opposite lateral sides of the engine core, each V-shaped connection formation being formed by a pair of connection members meeting at a vertex, the vertex of the top V-shaped connection formation joining to the top of the engine-side interface member, the vertices of the side V-shaped connection formations respectively joining to the bottom ends of the engine-side interface member, and the connection members extending forwardly from their respective vertices to join to front fixation points at the core casing.