Counter-rotating turbine engine and method of assembling same
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJorge Francisco Seda, Thomas Ory Moniz, Lawrence Butler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine that includes providing a low-pressure turbine inner rotor configured to rotate in a first direction, providing a low-pressure turbine outer rotor configured to rotate in a second direction that is opposite the first rotational direction, and coupling at least one foil bearing to at least one of the inner and outer rotors to facilitate improving clearance control between a first rotating component and at least one of a second rotating component and a non-rotating component.
Claims20
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine, said method comprising:
- providing a low-pressure turbine outer rotor configured to rotate in a second direction that is opposite the first rotational direction;
- providing a low-pressure turbine inner rotor configured to rotate in a first direction;
- coupling the inner rotor radially inward of the outer rotor;
- coupling at least one foil bearing radially outward of said outer rotor to facilitate improving clearance control between a first rotating component and at least one of a second rotating component and a non-rotating component.
A rotor assembly comprising:
- an inner rotor configured to rotate in a first rotational direction;
- an outer rotor configured to rotate in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction;
- and
- at least one foil bearing configured to support at least one of said inner and outer rotors, said inner rotor is coupled radially inward of said outer rotor, said foil bearing is coupled radially outward of said outer rotor.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a low-pressure counter-rotating turbine comprising an inner rotor configured to rotate in a first rotational direction, and an outer rotor configured to rotate in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction, said inner rotor is coupled radially inward of said outer rotor;
- and
- at least one foil bearing configured to support at least one of said inner and outer rotors, said foil bearing is coupled radially outward of said outer rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.