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US 12,742,400 B2Granted
Joint arrangement for impeller containment
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorMichael Fryer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compressor assembly of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes an impeller configured to rotate about an engine central longitudinal axis, and a diffuser positioned at a compressor outlet fluidly downstream of the impeller. One or more support structures are secured to the diffuser via a plurality of support fasteners. The plurality of support fasteners are configured to be frangible when torsional loads from the diffuser on the one or more support structures exceed a predetermined limit, thereby isolating the impeller and the diffuser from the one or more support structures.
Claims14
A compressor assembly of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, comprising:
- an impeller configured to rotate about an engine central longitudinal axis;
- a diffuser disposed at a compressor outlet fluidly downstream of the impeller, the diffuser including:
- a forward diffuser;
- and
- a rear diffuser coupled to the forward diffuser by a plurality of diffuser bolts extending through the rear diffuser and into the forward diffuser;
- and
- one or more support structures secured to the diffuser via a plurality of support fasteners;
- wherein the plurality of support fasteners are configured to be frangible when torsional loads from the diffuser on the one or more support structures exceed a predetermined limit, thereby isolating the impeller and the diffuser from the one or more support structures;
- wherein a first support structure of the one or more support structures is a compressor scroll disposed radially outboard of the diffuser;
- and
- further comprising a containment flange secured to the compressor scroll via a plurality of scroll flange bolts and secured to the rear diffuser via a plurality of diffuser flange bolts, wherein the plurality of diffuser flange bolts are support fasteners;
- wherein the rear diffuser includes an axially-extending diffuser flange that radially abuts an axially-extending scroll flange of the compressor scroll;
- wherein the plurality of diffuser flange bolts extend through the containment flange and at least partially into the axially-extending diffuser flange;
- wherein the plurality of scroll flange bolts extend through the containment flange and at least partially into the axially-extending scroll flange;
- and
- wherein the axially-extending diffuser flange and the axially-extending scroll flange terminate at a same axial position along the engine central longitudinal axis.
13 more elements
A gas turbine engine of an aircraft, comprising:
- a combustor;
- a turbine driven about an engine central longitudinal axis by a flow of combustion products from the combustor;
- and
- a compressor assembly including:
- an impeller configured to rotate about the engine central longitudinal axis by rotation of the turbine;
- a diffuser disposed at a compressor outlet fluidly downstream of the impeller, the diffuser including:
- a forward diffuser;
- and
- a rear diffuser coupled to the forward diffuser by a plurality of diffuser bolts extending through the rear diffuser and into the forward diffuser;
- and
- one or more support structures secured to the diffuser via a plurality of support fasteners;
- wherein the plurality of support fasteners are configured to be frangible when torsional loads from the diffuser on the one or more support structures exceed a predetermined limit, thereby isolating the impeller and the diffuser from the one or more support structures;
- wherein a first support structure of the one or more support structures is a compressor scroll disposed radially outboard of the diffuser;
- and
- further comprising a containment flange secured to the compressor scroll via a plurality of scroll flange bolts and secured to the rear diffuser via a plurality of diffuser flange bolts, wherein the plurality of diffuser flange bolts are support fasteners;
- wherein the rear diffuser includes an axially-extending diffuser flange that radially abuts an axially-extending scroll flange of the compressor scroll;
- wherein the plurality of diffuser flange bolts extend through the containment flange and at least partially into the axially-extending diffuser flange;
- wherein the plurality of scroll flange bolts extend through the containment flange and at least partially into the axially-extending scroll flange;
- and
- wherein the axially-extending diffuser flange and the axially-extending scroll flange terminate at a same axial position along the engine central longitudinal axis.
17 more elements
A propeller and engine system of an aircraft, comprising:
- a propeller assembly including:
- a hub;
- and
- a plurality of propeller blades operably connected to the hub;
- and
- a gas turbine engine operably connected to the propeller assembly and configured to drive the propeller assembly, the gas turbine engine including a compressor assembly including:
- an impeller configured to rotate about an engine central longitudinal axis;
- a diffuser disposed at a compressor outlet fluidly downstream of the impeller, the diffuser including:
- a forward diffuser;
- and
- a rear diffuser coupled to the forward diffuser by a plurality of diffuser bolts extending through the rear diffuser and into the forward diffuser;
- and
- one or more support structures secured to the diffuser via a plurality of support fasteners;
- wherein the plurality of support fasteners are configured to be frangible when torsional loads from the diffuser on the one or more support structures exceed a predetermined limit, thereby isolating the impeller and the diffuser from the one or more support structures;
- wherein a first support structure of the one or more support structures is a compressor scroll disposed radially outboard of the diffuser;
- and
- further comprising a containment flange secured to the compressor scroll via a plurality of scroll flange bolts and secured to the rear diffuser via a plurality of diffuser flange bolts, wherein the plurality of diffuser flange bolts are support fasteners;
- wherein the rear diffuser includes an axially-extending diffuser flange that radially abuts an axially-extending scroll flange of the compressor scroll;
- wherein the plurality of diffuser flange bolts extend through the containment flange and at least partially into the axially-extending diffuser flange;
- wherein the plurality of scroll flange bolts extend through the containment flange and at least partially into the axially-extending scroll flange;
- and
- wherein the axially-extending diffuser flange and the axially-extending scroll flange terminate at a same axial position along the engine central longitudinal axis.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.