Gas turbine engine assembly and method of assembling same

A turbine engine assembly comprising:

• a core gas turbine engine comprising a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high-pressure turbine coupled together in a serial flow relationship;
• a low-pressure turbine coupled to a drive shaft and located axially aft of said the core gas turbine engine;
• a fan assembly coupled axially forward of said core gas turbine engine;
• and
• a booster compressor coupled to said the low-pressure turbine via the drive shaft and a shaft extension;
• and
• the shaft extension having a forward end coupled to the booster compressor and a rear end coupled to the drive shaft by a plurality of splines;
• an epicyclic gearbox with an output and an input, the input being coupled to the shaft extension;
• a fan assembly coupled axially forward of the core gas turbine engine, the fan assembly being coupled to a the booster compressor via a the epicyclic gearbox and the shaft extension coupled to the drive shaft;
• a sump within which the epicyclic gearbox is located such that lubrication fluid in the sump lubricates at least portions of the epicyclic gearbox;
• a pair of labyrinth seals positioned between the booster compressor and the sump to facilitate sealing an upstream side of the booster compressor from the sump;
• a first thrust bearing assembly aft of the epicyclic gearbox, the first thrust bearing assembly being mounted between the shaft extension and a frame of the core gas turbine engine;
• a second thrust bearing assembly forward of the epicyclic gearbox, the second thrust bearing assembly being positioned between the fan assembly and the output of the epicyclic gearbox;
• and
• the first thrust bearing assembly further comprising an inner race radially positioned between the shaft extension and an outer race, the inner race being configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the turbine engine assembly and the outer race being coupled to the framesuch that,
• wherein the epicyclic gearbox is coupled between the shaft extension and the fan assembly, and upon rotation of said the drive shaft in a first rotational direction, said the booster compressor and said the low-pressure turbine rotate in the first rotational direction at a first rotational speed and said the fan assembly rotates in a second rotational direction at a second rotational speed, the first rotational direction different than the second rotational direction, the first rotational speed greater than the second rotational speed,
• wherein the shaft extension is coupled to the booster compressor forward of a forward end of the drive shaft.

A turbine engine assembly comprising:

• a core gas turbine engine comprising a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high-pressure turbine coupled together in a serial flow relationship;
• a low-pressure turbine coupled to a drive shaft and located axially aft of the core gas turbine engine, the low-pressure turbine having four stages;
• a fan assembly coupled to a frame and located axially forward of the core gas turbine engine;
• a booster compressor coupled to the low-pressure turbine via the drive shaft and a shaft extension, the booster compressor having less than four stages;
• the shaft extension having a forward end coupled to the booster compressor and a rear end coupled to the drive shaft by a plurality of splines, the shaft extension being positioned radially outward of the drive shaft;
• a cone with a forward end and an aft end, the forward end of the cone being coupled to the forward end of the shaft extension and the aft end of the cone being coupled to a rotor disk of the booster compressor;
• and
• an epicyclic gearbox with an input coupled to the shaft extension;
• wherein the fan assembly is coupled to the booster compressor via the epicyclic gearbox and the shaft extension coupled to the drive shaft, and
• wherein upon rotation of the drive shaft in a first rotational direction, the booster compressor and the low-pressure turbine rotate in the first rotational direction at a first rotational speed and the fan assembly rotates in a second rotational direction at a second rotational speed, the first rotational direction different than the second rotational direction, the first rotational speed greater than the second rotational speed.

A turbine engine assembly comprising:

• a core gas turbine engine comprising a high-pressure compressor, a combustor, and a high-pressure turbine coupled together in a serial flow relationship;
• a low-pressure turbine coupled to a drive shaft and located axially aft of the core gas turbine engine, the low-pressure turbine having four stages;
• a fan assembly coupled axially forward of the core gas turbine engine;
• a booster compressor coupled to the low-pressure turbine via the drive shaft and a shaft extension coupled to the drive shaft;
• an epicyclic gearbox with an input coupled to the shaft extension;
• a sump within which the epicyclic gearbox is located such that lubrication fluid in the sump lubricates at least portions of the epicyclic gearbox;
• and
• a pair of labyrinth seals that facilitate sealing an upstream side of the booster compressor from the sump;
• wherein the fan assembly is coupled to the booster compressor via the epicyclic gearbox and the shaft extension coupled to the drive shaft, and
• wherein upon rotation of the drive shaft in a first rotational direction, the booster compressor and the low-pressure turbine rotate in the first rotational direction at a first rotational speed and the fan assembly rotates in a second rotational direction at a second rotational speed, the first rotational direction different than the second rotational direction, the first rotational speed greater than the second rotational speed.