Air cycle machine air bearing shaft
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsSeth E. Rosen, Craig M. Beers, Robert M. Pragluski, Michael P. Rowley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air cycle machine includes a shaft formed from end sections attached to a center section. The center section includes a first diameter that is supported on bearings within the air cycle machine and a second diameter that forms a part of an interface with a corresponding end section. The second diameter is less than the first diameter and extends an axial distance from an end of the center section and provides for the weld beam to be directed normal to the interface location such that weld quality and manufacturing efficiencies are improved.
Claims22
An air bearing shaft comprising:
- a center shaft section including an axially facing surface;
- and
- an end cap including an axially facing end abutted against and welded to the axially facing surface of the center shaft section, wherein the end cap includes an outer diameter and the center shaft section including a first diameter and a second diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter, the second diameter is disposed at an interface between the axially facing surface of the center shaft section and the axially facing end of the end cap and the first diameter is greater than the second diameter and is spaced axially apart from the second diameter.
An air cycle machine (ACM) comprising:
- a shaft formed from a center shaft section and first and second end cap sections attached to each end of the center shaft section, an interface between the center shaft section and each of the first and second end cap sections includes a second diameter at an interface between axially facing surface and the axially facing end and a first diameter greater than the second diameter that is spaced axially apart from the second diameter;
- a first turbine mounted on said shaft;
- a second turbine mounted on said shaft;
- and
- a compressor mounted on said shaft between said first turbine and said second turbine.
A method of manufacturing an air bearing shaft for an air cycle machine, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a center shaft section including a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter at each end, wherein the second outer diameter is smaller than the first outer diameter;
- holding an axial surface of a first end cap against a first axial surface at an end of the center shaft section;
- holding an axial surface of a second end cap against a second axial surface an another end of the center shaft section, wherein each of the first and second end caps include an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the second outer diameter of the center shaft;
- forming a weld between abutted axial surfaces of the first end cap and the center shaft section;
- forming a weld between abutted axial surfaces of the second end cap and the center shaft section;
- and
- removing the shaft from a fixture after completion of welding operations on the first end cap and the second end cap.
A method of installing an air bearing shaft into an air cycle machine (ACM), the method comprising the steps of:
- removing at least a portion of a housing of the ACM such that a first air bearing shaft is removable from the ACM;
- removing the first air bearing shaft from the ACM;
- installing a second air bearing shaft into the space of the ACM in which the first air bearing shaft was removed, the second air bearing shaft including end caps attached to a center section where the center section includes a first diameter that is larger than a second diameter, with the second diameter disposed at ends of the center section to which the end caps are attached;
- and
- reinstalling that portion of the housing of the ACM removed to provide for removal of the first air bearing shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.