Honeywell International Inc.

Mohsiul Alam

Doug K Spencer

Walter Lee Meacham

Gerald Duane Larue

Kostandin Gjika

Mingfong Hwang

Paul B Talbert

Jack Moy

Douglas Spencer

Thomas P Swadener

James E Franks

Jeffrey W McMurray

Simeon A Ning

Griff Kinsinger

Scott J Freestone

A rotating assembly for a turbocharger can include a center housing that includes a through bore having a central axis; a bearing cartridge positioned in the through bore where the bearing cartridge includes an outer race, an inner race and rolling elements disposed between the inner race and the outer race; an anisotropic member positioned in the through bore between the outer race of the bearing cartridge and a surface of the center housing where the surface defines at least part of the through bore of the center housing; and a shaft rotatably supported in the center housing by the bearing cartridge where the inner race is mounted on the shaft and the shaft is connected at one end to a compressor wheel and at another end to a turbine wheel.

Anisotropic bearing supports for turbochargers

An exemplary anisotropic member supports a semi-floating bearing in a bore and can reduce non-synchronous vibration of the bearing in the bore. An anisotropic member can include an annular body configured to receive a semi-floating bearing and to space the bearing a distance from a bore surface and can be configured to impart anisotropic stiffness and damping terms to the semi-floating bearing when positioned in the bore. Such a member is suitable for use in a rotating assembly for a turbocharger where the bearing may be a semi-floating bearing. Various exemplary members, bearings, housings, assemblies, etc., are disclosed.

Damping systems and engines including the damping systems are provided. In one embodiment, and by way of example only, the damping system includes a rotor, a bearing assembly mounted to the rotor, a spring cage disposed around the bearing assembly, an axially-extending housing surrounding the spring cage, a first squeeze film damper formed between the bearing assembly and the spring cage, and a second squeeze film damper formed between the spring cage and the axially-extending housing.

Damping systems for use in engines

A sequential stiffness support is provided for a bearing assembly to improve vibration characteristics of a gas turbine engine and to provide a variable structural stiffness to the support to minimize unbalance load transmissibility. In one embodiment, and by way of example only, the sequential stiffness support includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and means for coupling the inner ring and the outer ring. The sequential stiffness support is configured to provide a first stiffness support at a first engine speed and a second stiffness support at speeds greater than the first engine speed. Methods of manufacturing the sequential stiffness support are also provided.

Sequential stiffness support for bearing assemblies and method of fabrication

An exemplary anisotropic member () supports a bearing in a bore and can reduce non-synchronous vibration (NSV) of the bearing in the bore. An exemplary anisotropic member includes an annular body configured to receive a bearing and to space the bearing a distance from a bore surface and is configured to impart anisotropic stiffness and damping terms to the bearing when positioned in the bore. Such a member is suitable for use in a rotating assembly for a turbocharger where the bearing may be a floating bearing, a semi-floating bearing or a ball bearing. Various exemplary members, bearings, housings, assemblies, etc., are disclosed.

A seal is provided for sealing a hollow shaft, where the hollow shaft has an inner surface that may be uneven due to shot peening. The seal includes an axially extending ring section having a first end, a second end, an inner surface, and a disk section disposed substantially perpendicular to the ring section inner surface between the ring section first and second ends. The seal conforms to the shaft inner surface to stop oil leakage.

Sealed systems and methods for sealing a shaft

A support damper is provided for a bearing assembly to improve the damping capabilities of an uncentered squeeze film damper and to provide a support structure stiffness to minimize rotor to structure unbalance response. In one embodiment, and by way of example only, the support damper includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and U-shaped beams. The inner ring is configured to be disposed around the bearing assembly and to extend axially along a portion thereof. The outer ring is spaced apart from the inner ring and extends radially outwardly relative thereto. The U-shaped beams couple the inner ring to the outer ring. Methods of manufacturing the support damper are also provided.

Support dampers for bearing assemblies and methods of manufacture

A squeeze film damper is provided that includes a fluid source, a shaft, a bearing assembly, a static bearing support, and a dam. The shaft includes openings formed therein and an annular channel in communication therewith that is configured to receive fluid from the fluid source. The bearing assembly is disposed concentric to the shaft and includes an inner race coupled to the shaft, an outer race disposed concentric to the inner race, and a rolling element disposed between the inner and outer races. Each of the inner and outer races includes openings configured to receive fluid from the shaft opening. The static bearing support housing is spaced apart from the outer race to define a clearance therebetween. The dam is disposed adjacent the bearing assembly and extends radially inwardly relative to the bearing support housing defining a shelf for receiving the fluid from the race openings and directing the fluid into the clearance.

Squeeze film damper using low pressure oil

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for balancing stacked components of rotating machinery, such as in a gas turbine engine. Unlike conventional processes and devices for balancing stacked components, the present invention may use a single non-parallel spacer for obtaining an acceptable and repeatable component group balance. The non-parallel spacer may be used to compensate for rotor bow and the associated imbalance of the rotor group. By indexing a spacer with non-parallel faces, situated terminally at the end of the stack adjacent to the nut, rotor balance can be achieved without disassembly of the rotor group and clocking of its individual components. A spacer may also be disposed at any one or more of the interfaces between various components in the stack.

Non-parallel spacer for improved rotor group balance

A shaft oil purge system comprises an entrance seal, an exit seal and a buffer air flow. The entrance seal comprises a circumferential carbon seal running on an inner shaft and another carbon seal running on an outer shaft. The exit seal comprises a labyrinth seal positioned on the inner shaft and towards the exit end of the annulus between the shafts. An abradable material filled groove positioned radially outward from the exit seal allows the inner shaft to rub without compromising the integrity of the outer shaft. The buffer air flow enters the annulus from a cavity at the entrance seal, purges oil from the annulus and improves the efficiency of the seals.

Shaft oil purge system

An apparatus and method that provides a flexible anisotropic support, which may accommodate open, closed, or re-circulating squeeze film damper in parallel, has improved internal rolling element clearances, limits maneuver and blade loss responses by limiting rotor excursion, and has a rotor centering feature. This is accomplished through the combination of beam and ring arrangement, which provides support anisotropy that produces beneficial cross-coupling stiffness for the support to control synchronous and non-synchronous vibration.

Growing community of inventors

Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Mohsiul Alam