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EP-4741632-A2 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A ROTATIONAL EQUIPMENT MODULE INTO A CASE OF AN AIRCRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEM

EP4741632A2EP 4741632 A2EP4741632 A2EP 4741632A2EP-4741632-A2

Abstract

A method for assembling a rotational equipment assembly having a rotational equipment module (74) and a rotational equipment case (76) includes axially supporting the rotational equipment module (74) with a first support assembly (156), positionally fixing a rotor assembly (86) and a stator assembly (88) of the rotational equipment module (74) together with a second support assembly (158), coupling a pulling rod assembly (160) with a tooling shaft (84) of the rotational equipment module (74), and assembling the rotational equipment assembly by positioning the rotational equipment case (76) axially abutting the rotational equipment module (74) and axially pulling the pulling rod assembly (160) to axially fit the rotational equipment module (74) with the rotational equipment case (76).

Inventors

  • NOISEUX, DANNY
  • ANDRONACHE, Valentin

Assignees

  • Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251112

Claims (15)

  1. A method for assembling a rotational equipment assembly for an aircraft propulsion system (20), the rotational equipment assembly including a rotational equipment module (74) and a rotational equipment case (76), the method comprising: axially supporting the rotational equipment module (74) along an axis (78) of the rotational equipment module (74) with a first support assembly (156), the rotational equipment module (74) including a tooling shaft (84), a rotor assembly (86), and a stator assembly (88), the rotor assembly (86) mounted on the tooling shaft (84), the stator assembly (88) circumscribing the rotor assembly (86), the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) seated on the first support assembly (156); positionally fixing the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) together with a second support assembly (158) with the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) axially supported by the first support assembly (156), the second support assembly (158) mounted on the tooling shaft (84) at a first axial end (94) of the tooling shaft (84); coupling a pulling rod assembly (160) with the tooling shaft (84) at a second axial end (96) of the tooling shaft (84); and assembling the rotational equipment assembly by positioning the rotational equipment case (76) axially abutting the rotational equipment module (74) and axially pulling the pulling rod assembly (160) to axially fit the rotational equipment module (74) with the rotational equipment case (76).
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein axially supporting the rotational equipment module (74) includes lowering the rotational equipment module (74) into the first support assembly (156) along the axis (78) until the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) are seated on the first support assembly (156).
  3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first support assembly (156) includes an upper support member (168) and a lower support member (172), each of the upper support member (168) and the lower support member (172) extends circumferentially about the axis (78), and with the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) seated on the first support assembly (156) the rotor assembly (86) is seated on the lower support member (172) and the stator assembly (88) is seated on the upper support member (168).
  4. The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein positionally fixing the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) together with the second support assembly (158) includes axially fixing the stator assembly (88) to the tooling shaft (84) with the second support assembly (158).
  5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein positionally fixing the rotor assembly (86) and the stator assembly (88) together with the second support assembly (158) includes rotationally fixing the second support assembly (158) to the first support assembly (156).
  6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein coupling the pulling rod assembly (160) with the tooling shaft (84) at the second axial end (96) includes axially fixing a coupling shaft (242) of the pulling rod assembly (160) to the tooling shaft (84) at the second axial end (96).
  7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein coupling the pulling rod assembly (160) with the tooling shaft (84) at the second axial end (96) includes coupling the pulling rod assembly (160) with an outer race (308) of a bearing (134) of the rotational equipment module (74).
  8. A system comprising: a rotational equipment module (74) including a tooling shaft (84), a rotor assembly (86), and a stator assembly (88) extending along an axis (78) of the rotational equipment module (74), the tooling shaft (84) extending on and along the axis (78) between and to a first axial end (94) and a second axial end (96), the rotor assembly (86) mounted on the tooling shaft (84), the stator assembly (88) circumscribing the rotor assembly (86); a first support assembly (156) including an upper support member (168) and a lower support member (172), the upper support member (168) and the lower support member (172) extending circumferentially about the axis (78), the upper support member (168) coupled with the stator assembly (88), the lower support member (172) coupled with the rotor assembly (86); and a second support assembly (158) including a coupling shaft (204), a frame (200), and a plurality of arms (202), the coupling shaft (204) coupled with the tooling shaft (84) at the first axial end (94), the frame (200) mounted to the coupling shaft (204), the frame (200) extending circumferentially about the axis (78) and circumscribing the lower support member (172) and the tooling shaft (84), the frame (200) including a ring (210), each of the plurality of arms (202) extending axially between and fixedly mounting the ring (210) to the stator assembly (88).
  9. The system of claim 8, wherein the stator assembly (88) includes a case extending circumferentially about the axis (78), the case includes a first flange (128), and the first flange (128) disposed on the upper support member (168).
  10. The system of claim 8 or 9, wherein the rotational equipment module (74) includes a bearing assembly (90) on the tooling shaft (84) at the second axial end (96), and the bearing assembly (90) is disposed on the lower support member (172).
  11. The system of claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the frame (200) is rotatable about the coupling shaft (204).
  12. The system of any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the stator assembly (88) includes a flange (152), each of the plurality of arms (202) includes a slot (226), and the flange (152) is disposed within the slot (226) of each of the plurality of arms (202).
  13. The system of any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the second support assembly (158) is rotationally fixed to the first support assembly (156).
  14. The system of any of claims 8 to 13, further comprising a pulling rod assembly (160), the pulling rod assembly (160) including a second coupling shaft (242), a frame (248), and a plurality of finger links (252), the second coupling shaft (242) extending along the axis (78) between and to a first axial shaft end and a second axial shaft end, the second axial shaft end mounted to the first axial end (94) of the tooling shaft (84), the frame (248) mounted on and axially moveable along the second coupling shaft (242), each of the plurality of finger links (252) selectively attachable on the frame (248), each of the plurality of finger links (252) including a hook (304), wherein, optionally, the rotational equipment module (74) includes a bearing (134), the bearing (134) includes an inner race, an outer race (308), and a plurality of bearing elements between the inner race and the outer race (308), the inner race is mounted on the rotor assembly (86), and the hook (304) of each of the plurality of finger links (252) is engaged with the outer race (308).
  15. A pulling rod assembly (160) for assembling a rotational equipment assembly for an aircraft propulsion system (20), the pulling rod assembly (160) comprising: a coupling shaft (242) extending on and along an axis (236) between and to a first axial shaft end and a second axial shaft end, the coupling shaft (242) forming a first threaded interface (258) and a second threaded interface (260), the first threaded interface (258) disposed at the second axial shaft end, the second threaded interface (260) disposed between the first threaded interface (258) and the first axial shaft end; a positioning nut (244) extending circumferentially about the coupling shaft (242), the positioning nut (244) including a third threaded interface (274) engaged with the second threaded interface (260); a frame (248) extending circumferentially about the positioning nut (244), the frame (248) forming a plurality of locking pin apertures (294); and a plurality of finger links (252), each of the plurality of finger links (252) extending axially between a first axial link end and a second axial link end, each of the plurality of finger links (252) including a locking pin (302) and a hook (304), the locking pin (302) disposed at the first axial link end and positioning within a respective one of the plurality of locking pin apertures (294), the hook (304) disposed at the second axial link end, wherein, optionally: the positioning nut (244) is rotatable about the coupling shaft (242), with engagement between the third threaded interface (274) and the second threaded interface (260), to axially move the frame (248) along the coupling shaft (242); and/or the frame (248) includes an outer radial end (286) extending about the axis (236), and each of the plurality of finger links (252) extends along the outer radial end (286) between the first axial link end and the second axial link end; and/or the pulling rod assembly (160) further comprises a thrust bearing (250) mounted axially between and contacting the positioning nut (244) and the frame (248); and/or the positioning nut (244) is axially and radially coincident with the frame (248).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to systems and methods for assembling a rotational equipment assembly of an aircraft propulsion system. BACKGROUND OF THE ART Rotational equipment, such as those typically found in an engine for an aircraft propulsion system, may typically include a plurality of rotational equipment components. For example, some rotational equipment components may be configured as modules including both rotor and stator components arranged together. Various tools, systems, and methods for facilitating assembly of these rotational equipment components are known in the art. While these known tools, systems, and methods may be suitable for their intended purposes, there is always room in the art for improvement. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for assembling a rotational equipment assembly for an aircraft propulsion system is provided. The rotational equipment assembly includes a rotational equipment module and a rotational equipment case. The method includes axially supporting the rotational equipment module along an axis of the rotational equipment module with a first support assembly. The rotational equipment module includes a tooling shaft, a rotor assembly, and a stator assembly. The rotor assembly is mounted on the tooling shaft. The stator assembly circumscribes the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly and the stator assembly are seated on the first support assembly. The method further includes positionally fixing the rotor assembly and the stator assembly together with a second support assembly with the rotor assembly and the stator assembly axially supported by the first support assembly, the second support assembly mounted on the tooling shaft at a first axial end of the tooling shaft, coupling a pulling rod assembly with the tooling shaft at a second axial end of the tooling shaft, and assembling the rotational equipment assembly by positioning the rotational equipment case axially abutting the rotational equipment module and axially pulling the pulling rod assembly to axially fit the rotational equipment module with the rotational equipment case. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, axially supporting the rotational equipment module may include lowering the rotational equipment module into the first support assembly along the axis until the rotor assembly and the stator assembly are seated on the first support assembly. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, the first support assembly may include an upper support member and a lower support member, each of the upper support member and the lower support member may extend circumferentially about the axis, and with the rotor assembly and the stator assembly seated on the first support assembly the rotor assembly may be seated on the lower support member and the stator assembly may be seated on the upper support member. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, positionally fixing the rotor assembly and the stator assembly together with the second support assembly may include axially fixing the stator assembly to the tooling shaft with the second support assembly. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, positionally fixing the rotor assembly and the stator assembly together with the second support assembly may include rotationally fixing the second support assembly to the first support assembly. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, coupling the pulling rod assembly with the tooling shaft at the second axial end may include axially fixing a coupling shaft of the pulling rod assembly to the tooling shaft at the second axial end. In any of the aspects or embodiments described above and herein, coupling the pulling rod assembly with the tooling shaft at the second axial end may include coupling the pulling rod assembly with an outer race of a bearing of the rotational equipment module. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system includes a rotational equipment module, a first support assembly, and a second support assembly. The rotational equipment module includes a tooling shaft, a rotor assembly, and a stator assembly extending along an axis of the rotational equipment module. The tooling shaft extends on and along the axis between and to a first axial end and a second axial end. The rotor assembly is mounted on the tooling shaft. The stator assembly circumscribes the rotor assembly. The first support assembly includes an upper support member and a lower support member. The upper support member and the lower support member extend circumferentially about the axis. The upper support member is coupled with the stator assembly. The lower support member is coupled with the rotor assembly. The second support assembly includes a coupling shaft, a frame, and a plurality of arms. The coupling shaft is coupled with the tooling shaft at the first axial end. The fr