Gas turbine engine shaft architecture and associated method of disassembly
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsGuy LEFEBVRE, John PIETROBON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-spool gas turbine engine comprises a low pressure (LP) spool and a high pressure (HP) spool independently rotatable about a central axis. The LP pressure spool has an LP compressor and an LP turbine. The HP spool has an HP turbine and an HP compressor. An accessory gear box (AGB) is drivingly connected to the HP spool. The LP compressor is disposed axially between the HP compressor and the AGB. A gear train drivingly couples the LP compressor to the LP turbine. The gear train is integrated to the AGB.
Claims19
A boosted reverse flow gas turbine engine comprising:
- a low pressure (LP) spool and a high pressure (HP) spool rotatable independently of one another about an engine axis;
- the LP spool comprising an LP turbine, an LP compressor disposed aft of the LP turbine relative to a direction of travel of the engine, an LP compressor drive shaft drivingly connecting the LP turbine to the LP compressor, and a hollow LP turbine shaft projecting axially forward from the LP turbine and drivingly connected thereto for driving a rotatable load;
- the LP compressor drive shaft being coaxial to the LP turbine shaft and axially removable through the hollow LP turbine shaft.
A turboprop engine comprising:
- a propeller shaft rotatable about an engine axis;
- a low pressure (LP) turbine shaft rotatable about the engine axis and drivingly coupled to the propeller shaft;
- an LP turbine drivingly connected to the LP turbine shaft;
- an LP compressor drive shaft rotatable about the engine axis and drivingly coupled to the LP turbine;
- and
- an LP compressor drivingly coupled to the LP compressor drive shaft, the LP turbine disposed axially between the propeller shaft and the LP compressor;
- the LP compressor drive shaft being removable from the engine through a central passage extending axially through the propeller shaft and the LP turbine shaft.
A method of removing a shaft from a turboprop engine having a low pressure (LP) compressor drivingly coupled to an LP turbine via an LP compressor drive shaft, the LP turbine drivingly coupled to a propeller shaft of a propeller, the method comprising:
- removing the propeller from the propeller shaft, the propeller shaft defining an axially extending passage providing access to the LP compressor drive shaft, axially unlocking the LP compressor drive shaft, and axially extracting the low pressure compressor drive shaft through the axially extending passage of the propeller shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.