US 12,297,779 B2 · Geared gas turbine engine

Abstract

Gas turbine engine for aircraft includes: an engine core including a turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the core; a gearbox; and a gearbox support arranged to at least partially support the gearbox. The fan has a mass in a range of 150 kg to 1200 kg. A moment of inertia of the fan is greater than or equal to 7.40×107 kgmm2. A radial bending stiffness to moment of inertia ratio of: the ⁢ radial ⁢ bending ⁢ stiffness ⁢ of ⁢ at ⁢ least ⁢ one ⁢ of ⁢ the ⁢ fan ⁢ shaft ⁢ at ⁢ the ⁢ output ⁢ of ⁢ the ⁢ gearbox ⁢ and ⁢ the ⁢ gearbox ⁢ support the ⁢ moment ⁢ of ⁢ inertia ⁢ of ⁢ the ⁢ fan may be greater than or equal to 2.5×10−2 Nkg−1m−1mm−2. A tilt stiffness to moment of inertia ratio of: the ⁢ tilt ⁢ stiffness ⁢ of ⁢ at ⁢ least ⁢ one ⁢ of ⁢ the ⁢ fan ⁢ shaft ⁢ at ⁢ the ⁢ output ⁢ of ⁢ the ⁢ gearbox ⁢ and ⁢ the ⁢ gearbox ⁢ support the ⁢ moment ⁢ of ⁢ inertia ⁢ of ⁢ the ⁢ fan may be greater than or equal to 4.0×10−4 Nmrad−1kg−1mm−2.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprising:

an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor;
a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
a gearbox that is configured to receive an input from the core shaft, and output drive to a fan shaft via an output of the gearbox so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, the gearbox being an epicyclic gearbox comprising a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a ring gear, and a planet carrier arranged to have the plurality of planet gears mounted thereon;
and
a gearbox support arranged to at least partially support the gearbox within the engine,
wherein:
a moment of inertia of the fan is in a range from 7.40×107 kgmm2 to 9.00×108 kgmm2;
at least one radial bending stiffness to moment of inertia ratio selected from the group consisting of:
a first ratio of:
a
⁢
radial
⁢
bending
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
⁢
shaft
⁢
at
⁢
the
⁢
output
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
,
and
a second ratio of:
a
⁢
radial
⁢
bending
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
⁢
support
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
is in a range from 2.5×10−2 Nkg−1m−1mm−2 to 6.0 Nkg−1m−1mm−2, and
the fan has a mass in a range of 150 kg to 1200 kg.

79 more elements

A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprising:

an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor;
a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
a gearbox that is configured to receive an input from the core shaft, and output drive to a fan shaft via an output of the gearbox so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, the gearbox being an epicyclic gearbox comprising a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a ring gear, and a planet carrier arranged to have the plurality of planet gears mounted thereon;
and
a gearbox support arranged to at least partially support the gearbox within the engine,
wherein:
a moment of inertia of the fan is in a range from 7.40×107 kgmm2 to 9.00×108 kgmm2;
and
at least one tilt stiffness to moment of inertia ratio selected from the group consisting of:
a first ratio of:
a
⁢
tilt
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
⁢
shaft
⁢
at
⁢
the
⁢
output
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
,
and
a second ratio of:
a
⁢
tilt
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
⁢
support
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
is in a range from 4.0×104 Nmrad−1kg−1mm−2 to 2.7×10−1 Nmrad−1kg−1mm2.

75 more elements

A method of operating a gas turbine engine for an aircraft, the gas turbine engine comprising:

an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor;
a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades, the fan having a moment of inertia in a range from 7.40×107 kgmm2 to 9.00×108 kgmm2;
a gearbox that is configured to receive an input from the core shaft, and output drive to a fan shaft via an output of the gearbox so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, the gearbox being an epicyclic gearbox comprising a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a ring gear, and a planet carrier arranged to have the plurality of planet gears mounted thereon;
and
a gearbox support arranged to at least partially support the gearbox within the engine,
wherein:
a) at least one radial bending stiffness to moment of inertia ratio selected from the group consisting of:
i) a first ratio of:
a
⁢
radial
⁢
bending
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
⁢
shaft
⁢
at
⁢
the
⁢
output
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
,
and
ii) a second ratio of:
a
⁢
radial
⁢
bending
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
⁢
shaft
⁢
at
⁢
the
⁢
output
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
,
and
is in a range from 2.5×10−2 Nkg−1m−1mm−2 to 6.0 Nkg−1m−1mm−2;
and/or
b) at least one tilt stiffness to moment of inertia ratio selected from the group consisting of:
i) a first ratio of:
a
⁢
tilt
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
⁢
shaft
⁢
at
⁢
the
⁢
output
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
,
and
ii) a second ratio of:
a
⁢
tilt
⁢
stiffness
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
gearbox
⁢
support
the
⁢
moment
⁢
of
⁢
inertia
⁢
of
⁢
the
⁢
fan
is in a range from 4.0×104 Nmrad−1kg−1mm−2 to 2.7×101 Nmrad−1kg−1mm−2,
the method comprising operating the gas turbine engine to provide propulsion for the aircraft under cruise conditions.

163 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Geared gas turbine engine

Life of this patent

Geared gas turbine engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20