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EP-4741637-A1 - GAS TURBINE ENGINE WITH CONNECTION ASSEMBLY

EP4741637A1EP 4741637 A1EP4741637 A1EP 4741637A1EP-4741637-A1

Abstract

A gas turbine engine (10) includes a connection assembly (104). The connection assembly (104) includes a first component (105) defining a first flange (106). The first component (105) has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. A second component (113) defines a second flange (114). The second component (113) has a second coefficient of thermal expansion. An adapter (122) includes an adapter body (124), a first rabbet (132), and a second rabbet (134). The adapter (122) is positioned between the first component (105) and the second component (113). The adapter (122) has a third coefficient of thermal expansion. The first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the third coefficient of thermal expansion and the third coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

Inventors

  • Scialpi, Agostino
  • CALIANNO, Luca
  • CALÒ, Alberto
  • VENUTI, Giordano
  • CONSALES, CRISTIANO
  • GIANCANE, Simone
  • ORSINI, Giacomo Alberto

Assignees

  • GE Avio S.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251104

Claims (15)

  1. A gas turbine engine (10) including a connection assembly (104), the connection assembly (104) comprising: a first component (105) of the gas turbine engine (10) defining a first flange (106), the first component (105) having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a second component (113) of the gas turbine engine (10) defining a second flange (114), the second component (113) having a second coefficient of thermal expansion; an adapter (122) comprising an adapter body (124), a first rabbet (132), and a second rabbet (134), the adapter (122) positioned between the first component (105) and the second component (113), the adapter (122) having a third coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the third coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the third coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the second coefficient of thermal expansion; and a fastener (136) retaining the first component (105), the adapter (122), and the second component (113) relative to one another along a connection assembly centerline (C).
  2. The gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1, wherein the first flange (106) further comprises: a first portion (110) and a second portion (112), wherein the first rabbet (132) contacts the first portion (110).
  3. The gas turbine engine (10) of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second flange (114) further comprises: a first segment (118) and a second segment (120), wherein the second rabbet (134) contacts the second segment (120).
  4. The gas turbine engine (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first flange (106) defines a scalloped configuration.
  5. The gas turbine engine (10) of claim 4, wherein the adapter (122) defines a scalloped configuration.
  6. The gas turbine engine (10) of any one of claims 4-5, wherein the second flange (114) defines a scalloped configuration.
  7. The gas turbine engine (10) of any one of claims 4-6, wherein each of the first flange (106), the second flange (114), and the adapter (122) are aligned and in contact with one another.
  8. The gas turbine engine (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the first flange (106), the second flange (114), and the adapter (122) each define a plurality of holes (108, 116, 130), and wherein the plurality of holes of the first flange (106), the second flange (114), and the adapter (122) are aligned to form a fastener channel (137).
  9. The gas turbine engine (10) of claim 8, wherein the fastener (136) is configured as a bolt, wherein the bolt mechanically couples the first flange (106), the second flange (114), and the adapter (122) to one another.
  10. A method of retaining a connection assembly (104), the method comprising: providing a connection assembly within a gas turbine engine, the connection assembly operably coupling a first component (105), an adapter (122), and a second component (113), the first component defining a first flange (106) and having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, the second component (113) defining a second flange (114) and having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, and the adapter (122) including an adapter body (124), a first rabbet (132), and a second rabbit, the adapter (122) having a third coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the third coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the third coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the second coefficient of thermal expansion; and increasing a temperature of a connection assembly (104), thereby imparting a radially outward force through expansion of the first flange (106) onto the adapter (122) through a first rabbet (132) and transferring at least a portion of the radially outward force to the second flange (114) via the adapter (122) and a second rabbet (134).
  11. The method of claim 10, wherein imparting the radially outward force through the expansion of the first flange onto the adapter through the first rabbet further comprises: expanding the adapter at a slower rate than the first flange based on the difference between the first coefficient of thermal expansion and the third coefficient of thermal expansion.
  12. The method of any one of claims 10-11, wherein transferring at least the portion of the radially outward force to the second flange via the adapter and the second rabbet, further comprises: expanding the second flange at a slower rate than both the adapter and the first flange based on the difference between the second coefficient of thermal expansion and the third coefficient of thermal expansion.
  13. The method of any one of claims 10-12, wherein transferring at least the portion of the radially outward force to the second flange via the adapter and the second rabbet, further comprises: reducing a stress proximate to at least one hole defined through the second flange and a fastener positioned through the at least one hole.
  14. The method of any one of claims 10-13, wherein transferring at least the portion of the radially outward force to the second flange via the adapter and the second rabbet, further comprises: reducing sliding between the adapter and the second flange.
  15. A connection assembly comprising: a first component defining a first flange, the first component having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a second component defining a second flange, the second component having a second coefficient of thermal expansion; a fastener; and an adapter comprising an adapter body, a first rabbet, and a second rabbet, the adapter having a third coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the first coefficient of thermal expansion is greater than the third coefficient of expansion, and wherein the third coefficient of expansion is greater than the second coefficient of expansion.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine. BACKGROUND A gas turbine engine generally includes a turbomachine and a rotor assembly. Gas turbine engines, such as turbofan engines, may be used for aircraft propulsion. A gas turbine engine may further include an engine frame and accessories. In some applications, such accessories can be of various sizes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present disclosure, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a gas turbine engine in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a connection assembly in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the connection assembly taken across line IIA-IIA of FIG. 2A in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an adapter in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connection assembly in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an adapter in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connection assembly in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a connection assembly in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of retaining a connection assembly in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to present embodiments of the disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the disclosure. In this document, relational terms, such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like, are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any implementation described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Additionally, unless specifically identified otherwise, all embodiments described herein should be considered exemplary. The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "at least one of" in the context of, e.g., "at least one of A, B, and C" refers to only A, only B, only C, or any combination of A, B, and C. The phrases "from X to Y" and "between X and Y" each refers to a range of values inclusive of the endpoints (e.g., refers to a range of values that includes both X and Y). The term "turbomachine" refers to a machine including one or more compressors, a heat generating section (e.g., a combustion section), and one or more turbines that together generate a torque output. The term "gas turbine engine" refers to an engine having a turbomachine as all or a portion of its power source. Example gas turbine engines include turbofan engines, turboprop engines, turbojet engines, turboshaft engines, etc., as well as hybrid-electric versions of one or more of these engines. The term "combustion section" refers to any heat addition system for a turbomachine. For example, the term combustion section may refer to a section including one or more of a deflagrative combustion assembly, a rotating detonation combustion assembly, a pulse detonation combustion assembly, or another appropriate heat addition assembly. In certain example embodiments, the combustion section may include an annular combustor, a can combustor, a cannular combustor, a trapped vortex combustor (TVC), or other appropriate combustion system, or combinations thereof. An "accessory," "accessory system," or "accessory section," as used herein, refers to any system designed to support a function of the gas turbine engine, which