US 2013/0280042 A1Published application

Journal bearing with dual pass cooling for air machine

AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation

InventorsCraig M. Beers, Darryl A. Colson, Christopher McAuliffe

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Abstract

A compressor rotor compresses air and delivers the compressed air to a downstream inlet and across a turbine rotor. A shaft rotates with the turbine rotor and the compressor rotor. The shaft is hollow with an inner bore and an outer periphery. At least one journal bearing supports a portion of the shaft, and has an inner bore spaced from the outer periphery of the shaft. A cooling air path is provided between the shaft outer periphery and the bearing inner periphery, and along a length of the bearing to at least one connection hole. The connection hole provides cooling air from an outer periphery of the shaft to the inner bore of the shaft. In a separate feature, a shaft for use in an air supply machine includes a hollow interior, with such a connection hole.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An air supply machine comprising:

a compressor rotor for compressing air and delivering compressed air to a downstream inlet, air from said downstream inlet passing across a turbine rotor to drive said turbine rotor to rotate, and said turbine rotor being connected to said compressor rotor such that rotation of said turbine rotor drives said compressor rotor to rotate and compress the air;
a shaft connected to rotate with said turbine rotor and said compressor rotor, said shaft being hollow with an inner bore and an outer periphery, and a journal bearing positioned to support a portion of said shaft, and to have an inner bore with an inner periphery spaced from said outer periphery of said shaft;
and
a cooling air path to provide cooling air between said outer periphery of said shaft and said inner periphery of said journal bearing, and along a length of said journal bearing to at least one connection hole, said at least one connection hole providing cooling air from said outer periphery of said shaft to said inner bore of said shaft, the cooling air path then passing through said inner bore of said shaft and along a length of said journal bearing.

1 more element

An air machine comprising:

a compressor rotor for compressing air and delivering compressed air to a downstream inlet, air from said downstream inlet passing across a turbine rotor to drive said turbine rotor to rotate, and said turbine rotor being connected to said compressor rotor such that rotation of said turbine rotor drives said compressor rotor to rotate and compress the air;
a shaft connected to rotate with said turbine rotor and said compressor rotor, said shaft being hollow with an inner bore, and an outer periphery, and at least two journal bearings positioned to support a portion of said shaft, and to each have an inner bore with an inner periphery spaced from said outer periphery of said shaft;
and
a cooling air path to provide cooling air between said outer periphery of said shaft and said inner periphery of each said journal bearing, and along a length of one of said journal bearings to at least one connection hole, said at least one connection hole providing cooling air from said outer periphery of said shaft to said inner bore of said shaft, said cooling air then passing through said inner bore of said shaft and along a length of each of said journal bearings;
the cooling air path passing along said outer periphery of said shaft in a first direction for a first of said journal bearings, and in a second direction for a second of said journal bearings, but the cooling air path within said inner bore of said shaft for both said first and second journal bearing being in a same direction, the air passing along said inner bore of said shaft extending across said shaft to said at least one connection hole at an end of said first journal bearing, and then passing along a length of both of said first and second journal bearings, the cooling air passing to said second journal bearing extending to an exit downstream of the length of said second journal bearing, and the cooling air passing within the inner bore of the shaft also leaving said air machine through the same exit;
and
said air machine supplying air to a downstream use on an aircraft.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/923,661Filed 21 Jun 2013
Priority: 22 Mar 2010
Published: 24 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

F04D 29/58
Details, component parts, or accessories: cooling ; Heating; Diminishing heat transfer
F04D 29/584
Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps: cooling or heating the machine
B64D 13/06
Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space: the air being conditioned
F01D 25/125
Cooling: of bearings

Family

Application12/728,306Division · filed 22 Mar 2010
Application13/923,661Division
US 2011/0229351 A1Published application
US 8,496,533 B2Related patent
US 2013/0280042 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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