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US 9,028,200 B2Granted
Counter rotating low pressure turbine with splitter gear system
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsGabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry, Michael E. McCune, Shankar S. Magge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas turbine engine includes a shaft defining an axis of rotation. An outer turbine rotor directly drives the shaft and includes an outer set of blades. An inner turbine rotor has an inner set of blades interspersed with the outer set of blades. The inner turbine rotor is configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the outer turbine rotor. A splitter gear system couples the inner turbine rotor to the shaft and is configured to rotate the inner set of blades at a faster speed than the outer set of blades.
Claims21
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a shaft defining an axis of rotation;
- an outer turbine rotor including an outer set of blades;
- an inner turbine rotor having an inner set of blades interspersed with the outer set of blades, the inner turbine rotor configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the outer turbine rotor;
- and
- a splitter gear system coupling the inner and outer turbine rotors to the shaft and configured to rotate the inner set of blades at a faster speed than the outer set of blades.
2 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a shaft defining an axis of rotation;
- an outer turbine rotor including an outer set of blades;
- an inner turbine rotor having an inner set of blades interspersed with the outer set of blades, the inner turbine rotor configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the outer turbine rotor;
- and
- a splitter gear system coupling the inner and outer turbine rotor to the shaft and configured to rotate the inner set of blades at a faster speed than the outer set of blades, wherein the splitter gear system includes a sun gear coupled to the inner turbine rotor, a plurality of splitter gears in meshing engagement with the sun gear, and a ring gear in meshing engagement with the splitter gears, wherein a fore end of the outer turbine rotor is coupled to the ring gear, the fore end supported on a mid-turbine frame by a first bearing, and an aft end of the outer turbine rotor supported on the shaft by a second bearing.
2 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a shaft defining an axis of rotation;
- an outer turbine rotor including an outer set of blades;
- an inner turbine rotor having an inner set of blades interspersed with the outer set of blades, the inner turbine rotor configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the outer turbine rotor;
- and
- a splitter gear system coupling the inner and outer turbine rotor to the shaft and configured to rotate the inner set of blades at a faster speed than the outer set of blades, includes a first bearing supporting a fore end of the inner turbine rotor for rotation relative to the shaft and a second bearing supporting an aft end of the inner turbine rotor for rotation relative to the shaft.
2 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a core flow path;
- a shaft coupled to a compressor section and a turbine section arranged within the core flow path;
- and
- wherein the turbine section includes a counter rotating low pressure turbine comprising
- an outer rotor including an outer set of blades,
- an inner rotor having an inner set of blades interspersed with the outer set of blades, the inner rotor configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the outer rotor, and
- a splitter gear system coupling the inner and outer rotors to the shaft and configured to rotate the inner set of blades at a faster speed than the outer set of blades.
4 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a core flow path;
- a shaft coupled to a compressor section and a turbine section arranged within the core flow path;
- and
- wherein the turbine section includes a counter rotating low pressure turbine comprising
- an outer rotor including an outer set of blades,
- an inner rotor having an inner set of blades interspersed with the outer set of blades, the inner rotor configured to rotate in an opposite direction about the axis of rotation from the outer rotor, and
- a splitter gear system coupling the inner and outer rotors to the shaft and configured to rotate the inner set of blades at a faster speed than the outer set of blades, wherein the splitter gear system includes a sun gear coupled to the inner rotor, a plurality of splitter gears in meshing engagement with the sun gear, and a ring gear in meshing engagement with the splitter gears, wherein the sun gear is fixed for rotation with a fore end of the inner rotor, the splitter gears are supported by a carrier that is fixed to the shaft, and a fore end of the outer rotor is coupled to the ring gear.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.