Fan assembly support system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorAlbert F. Storace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
High in-flight vibrations in turbofan gas turbine engines are prevented at windmilling speeds after a blade-out induced structural decoupling of the fan assembly by providing a fan assembly support system with a damper assembly that dissipates vibration energy and retunes the natural frequency of the fan assembly to be above windmilling speeds. The support system includes primary and secondary bearing supports separately secured to the fan frame and a bearing disposed between the primary bearing support and the fan assembly. The damper assembly includes a journal formed on the primary bearing support and a bumper ring attached to the secondary bearing support in surrounding relationship with the journal.
Claims23
A support system for rotatively supporting a fan assembly on a fan frame, said support system comprising:
- a primary bearing support secured to said fan frame;
- a bearing disposed between said primary bearing support and said fan assembly;
- a secondary bearing support secured to said fan frame;
- and
- a damper assembly disposed between said primary bearing support and said secondary bearing support, said damper assembly comprising a journal formed on said primary bearing support and a bumper ring attached to said secondary bearing support in surrounding relationship with said journal.
A support system for rotatively supporting a fan assembly on a fan frame, said support system comprising:
- a primary bearing support comprising a conical portion and a cylindrical portion joined together at their respective forward ends, said conical portion having a frangible flange formed on its aft end, said frangible flange being secured to said fan frame;
- a bearing disposed between said primary bearing support and said fan assembly;
- a secondary bearing support comprising a conical body situated inside of said conical portion of said primary bearing support and having a forward end and an aft end, said aft end of said secondary bearing support being secured to said fan frame;
- and
- a damper assembly disposed between said primary bearing support and said secondary bearing support, said damper assembly comprising a journal formed on said cylindrical portion of said primary bearing support and a bumper ring having an elliptical inner surface attached to said forward end of said secondary bearing support in surrounding relationship with said journal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.