United Technologies Corporation

Carrier Corporation

Other

Keshava Basavapatna Kumar

Nagendra Somanath

James William Bush

William Arthur Sowa

Christopher Marc Dye

Harry E Eaton

Clark VanTine Cooper

Philip H McCluskey

Hussein Ezzat Khalifa

Reng Rong Lin

Ronald T Drost

Hong Du

Paula R DeBlois, Legal Representative

Steven Wayne Burd

Thomas J Praisner

Shankar S Magge

Raymond L DeBlois

Joseph James Sedor

Eunice Allen-Bradley

Aldo A Peracchio

Mark E Marler

Paula R DeBlois

Joseph Ewing

Somanath Nagendra

Raymond Deblois

A turbine section of a gas turbine engine includes a first turbine supported for rotation about an axis, a second turbine spaced axially aft of the for first turbine section for rotation about the axis, and a mid-turbine frame disposed between the first turbine and the second turbine defining a passage between the first turbine and the second turbine. A first case surrounds the first turbine and a second case surrounding the second turbine and attached to the first case. The mid-turbine frame is disposed between the first turbine section and the second turbine section and includes at least one support structure extending through an interface between the first turbine case and the second turbine case.

Mid-turbine frame rod and turbine case flange

An expandable mid-turbine frame assembly includes a first bearing cone, a second bearing cone and a mid-turbine frame. The mid-turbine frame assembly connects to a gas turbine engine casing and transfers a first load from a first bearing and a second load from a second bearing towards the engine casing. The first bearing cone transfers the first load from the first bearing. The second bearing cone transfers the second load from the second bearing. The mid-turbine frame is connected to the first and second bearing cones and includes segments. Each segment includes a pre-stressed support for equilibrating the first and second loads.

Tailorable design configuration topologies for aircraft engine mid-turbine frames

A gas turbine engine is provided that includes a low pressure spool, a high pressure spool, a stationary support frame, and at least one support arch. The low pressure spool extends between a low pressure compressor and a low pressure turbine. The high pressure spool extends between a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine. The spools are rotatable about a center axis of the engine. The support arch has a stationary support mount disposed between a low spool mount and a high spool mount. The support arch is disposed relative to the spools and the stationary support frame so that a load from each spool caused by the rotation of that spool can be transferred to the stationary support frame through the support arch. The support arch can freely rotate about the center axis of the engine relative to the spools and the stationary structural frame.

Spool support structure for a multi-spool gas turbine engine

A method for varying the geometry of a mid-turbine frame includes detecting a strain in a mid-turbine frame with a piezoelectric material; applying a deformation voltage to the piezoelectric material as a function of the detected strain; deforming the piezoelectric material to actuate an actuation plate; and repositioning an engine casing through the actuation of the actuation plate.

Method for varying the geometry of a mid-turbine frame

A bearing like surface on a stationary component reduces deflection of an adjacent rotating component. The stationary component is generally parallel to and offset from a rotational component. The rotational component rotates about a central axis. Protrusions located on the stationary component are in contact with the rotational component to prevent deflection of the rotational component while reducing the friction between the rotational and stationary component. The protrusions have a generally flat surface that may be used to affix the protrusions to the stationary component. An arced surface of the protrusions is in contact with the rotating component. The number, size and the shape of the protrusions are determined by the requirements of the application.

Bearing-like structure to control deflections of a rotating component

A mid-turbine frame connected to at least one mount of a gas turbine engine transfers a first load from a first bearing and a second load from a second bearing to the mount. The mid-turbine frame includes a single point load shell structure and a plurality of struts. The single point load shell structure combines the first load and the second load into a combined load. The plurality of struts is connected to the single point load structure and transfers the combined load from the single point load shell structure to the mount.

Mid-turbine frame

A single point load structure transfers a first load from a first bearing cone and a second load from a second bearing cone of a gas turbine engine to a plurality of struts. The single point load structure includes a stem, a branch connected to the stem and a torque box connected to the plurality of struts for absorbing the first and second loads from the stem and the branch. The stem has a concave surface that opens in a radially outward direction with respect to a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine.

Mid-turbine frame torque box having a concave surface

A mid-turbine frame assembly includes a mid-turbine frame, a ring structure and a plurality of actuated struts. The ring structure surrounds the mid-turbine frame, and has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The actuated struts connect the ring structure to the mid-turbine frame. The actuated struts are strain actuated so that the actuated struts reposition the ring structure in response to a strain.

Actuated variable geometry mid-turbine frame design

An airfoil with turning flow comprises a first surface, a second surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The first and second surfaces extend from the leading edge to a trailing edge. A chord extends from a midpoint of the leading edge to a midpoint of the trailing edge, defining a duct angle of at least fifteen degrees with respect to a turbine axis. An axial length of the chord defines an aspect ratio of at most one with respect to an average radial span of the leading and trailing edges. In a region of the trailing edge, an axial angle is at most four degrees and a circumferential angle is at most ten degrees, where the circumferential angle is defined in a direction opposite the turning flow.

Turbine vane airfoil with turning flow and axial/circumferential trailing edge configuration

The turbine engine assembly has a frame and a turbine engine spool. A strut couples the frame to the spool and an actuator couples the strut to the frame. The actuator has a spring.

Turbine engine frame having an actuated equilibrating case

A guide vane for a gas turbine aircraft engine includes an aerodynamic shell for turning a flow of working fluid and an internal spar spaced from the aerodynamic shell by an air gap and reinforced by stiffeners.

Guide vane for a gas turbine engine

A mid-turbine frame is connected to at least one mount of a gas turbine engine for transferring a first load from a first bearing and a second load from a second bearing to the mount. The mid-turbine frame includes a first load structure, a second load structure, and a plurality of struts. The first load structure combines the first load and the second load into a combined load. The second load structure transfers the combined load to the mount. The struts are connected between the first load structure and the second load structure and transfers the combined load from the first load structure to the second load structure.

Double U design for mid-turbine frame struts

A mid-turbine frame connected to at least one mount of a gas turbine engine transfers a first load from a first bearing and a second load from a second bearing to the mount. The mid-turbine frame includes a single point load structure and a plurality of struts. The single point load structure combines the first load and the second load into a combined load. The plurality of struts is connected to the single point load structure and transfers the combined load from the single point load structure to the mount.

Integrated strut design for mid-turbine frames with U-base

A mid-turbine frame connected to at least one mount of a gas turbine engine transfers a first load from a first bearing and a second load from a second bearing to the mount. The mid-turbine frame includes a load transfer unit, a torque box rotatably positioned within the load transfer unit, and a plurality of struts. The load transfer unit has a first locking element and combines the first load and the second load into a combined load. The torque box has a second locking element that is engagable with the first locking element of the load transfer unit. The plurality of struts are connected between the torque box and the mount, and transfer the combined load from the torque box to the mount. The first locking element and the second locking element are at least one of a rib or a groove.

Rotatable integrated segmented mid-turbine frames

A mid-turbine frame connected to at least one mount of a gas turbine engine transfers a first load from a first bearing and a second load from a second bearing to the mount. The mid-turbine frame includes a plurality of inverted panels and a plurality of struts. The inverted panels convert the first and second loads to a shear flow. The struts are connected to the inverted panels and transfer the shear flow to the mount.

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South Windsor, CT, United States of America

Keshava Basavapatna Kumar