Gas distribution labyrinth for bearing pad
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBugra Han Ertas, Joshua Tyler Mook, Jason Joseph Bellardi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine. The bearing assembly includes a bearing housing and a bearing pad for supporting a rotary component of the gas turbine engine. The bearing pad includes at least one gas inlet and a plurality of gas outlets configured on an inner surface thereof. The gas inlet is in fluid communication with the plurality of gas outlets via a gas distribution labyrinth. Further, the gas distribution labyrinth includes a plurality of passageways configured to evenly distribute pressurized gas entering the gas inlet to an interface between the inner surface of the bearing pad and an outer diameter of the rotary component.
Claims17
A bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine, the bearing assembly comprising:
- a bearing housing;
- and
- a bearing pad for supporting a rotary component of the gas turbine engine, the bearing pad comprising at least one gas inlet configured on an outer surface of the bearing pad and a plurality of gas outlets configured on an inner surface the bearing pad, the gas inlet in fluid communication with the plurality of gas outlets via a gas distribution labyrinth, the gas distribution labyrinth comprising a plurality of passageways configured to evenly distribute pressurized gas entering the gas inlet to an interface between the inner surface of the bearing pad and an outer diameter of the rotary component,
- wherein the bearing housing comprises a column extending towards the bearing pad and defining an axially inner channel for providing the gas inlet of the bearing pad with the pressurized gas and an axially outer channel concentric with the axially inner channel.
A bearing pad for a bearing assembly of a gas turbine engine, the bearing pad comprising:
- at least one gas inlet configured on an outer surface of the bearing pad and in fluid communication with a column defining an axially inner channel for providing the gas inlet of the bearing pad with a pressurized gas and an axially outer channel concentric with the axially inner channel;
- a plurality of gas outlets configured on an inner surface of the bearing pad;
- and
- a gas distribution labyrinth having a zig-zag pattern, the gas inlet in fluid communication with the plurality of gas outlets via the gas distribution labyrinth, the gas distribution labyrinth comprising a plurality of passageways configured to evenly distribute pressurized gas entering the gas inlet to an interface between the inner surface of the bearing pad and an outer diameter of the rotary component.
A gas turbine engine assembly, comprising:
- a rotary component;
- a bearing housing;
- a bearing pad for supporting the rotary component, the beating pad comprising at least one gas inlet configured on an outer surface of the bearing pad and a plurality of gas outlets configured on an inner surface the bearing pad, the gas inlet in fluid communication with the plurality of gas outlets via a gas distribution labyrinth having a zigzag pattern, the gas distribution labyrinth comprising a plurality of passageways configured to evenly distribute pressurized gas entering the gas inlet to an interface between the inner surface of the bearing pad and an outer diameter of the rotary component;
- and
- an external gas delivery source configured to deliver the pressurized gas to the gas inlet, wherein the bearing housing comprises a column extending towards the bearing pad and defining an axially inner channel for providing the gas inlet of the bearing pad with the pressurized gas and an axially outer channel concentric with the axially inner channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.