Method and apparatus for supporting rotor assembly bearings
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPeter Carl Ommundson, Robert Burton Brown, Scott Albert Tardanico
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine including a bearing assembly and a damper sub-assembly that facilitate reducing dynamic motion to the rotor assembly is described. The bearing assembly includes rolling elements positioned between a paired race. The rotor assembly includes a rotor shaft supported by the bearing assembly. The damper sub-assembly is radially outward from the bearing assembly adjacent a sump housing, and includes a damper insert. A predetermined preload force is applied to the rolling elements. An outer race of the bearing assembly distorts to substantially match a distortion pattern of the damper insert.
Claims20
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine rotor assembly to facilitate reducing dynamic loading of the rotor assembly, the rotor assembly including a rotor shaft, a sump housing, a damper sub-assembly, and a bearing assembly including an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of rolling elements, a plurality of springs, the rolling elements between the inner and outer races, the damper sub-assembly including an annular damper insert, said method comprising the steps of:
- supporting the rotor shaft on the mounting frame with the bearing assembly;
- coupling the bearing assembly outer race to the sump housing with the plurality of springs;
- and
- coupling the damper sub-assembly within the engine such that the bearing assembly outer race deflects during engine operation to substantially match a distortion pattern of the damper insert.
Apparatus for a gas turbine engine rotor, said apparatus comprising:
- a bearing assembly comprising an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of rolling elements between said inner and outer races, and configured to support the rotor, and a plurality of springs extending from said outer race to secure said bearing assembly within the gas turbine engine;
- and
- a damper sub-assembly configured to dampen dynamic motion of the engine rotor, said damper sub-assembly comprising an annular damper insert, said damper sub-assembly coupled to said bearing assembly outer race such that said bearing assembly outer race configured to deflect during engine operation to substantially match a distortion pattern of said damper insert.
A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine, said rotor assembly comprising:
- a rotor shaft;
- a bearing assembly configured to support said rotor shaft on a mounting frame such that dynamic motion of said rotor assembly is reduced, said bearing assembly comprising an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of rolling elements, and a plurality of springs, said rolling elements between said inner and outer races;
- and
- a damper sub-assembly coupled to said bearing assembly outer race and comprising an annular damper insert, said bearing assembly outer race configured to deflect during engine operation to substantially match a distortion pattern of said damper insert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.