US-12618339-B2 - Destabilizer induced buckling in spoked bearing support

Abstract

A bearing arrangement of a gas turbine engine includes a first bearing supportive of a shaft, a second bearing axially offset from the first bearing, a first bearing support extending from a bearing housing to the first bearing to support the first bearing and a second bearing support extending to and supportive of the second bearing. One or more radial bearing supports include a plurality of radial spokes extending between the bearing housing and the second bearing. The plurality of radial spokes are configured to buckle under compression when radial loads at the second bearing exceed a predetermined threshold. At least one destabilizer is secured to the second bearing and is configured to contact at least one radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes upon failure of the first bearing support to reduce the predetermined threshold sufficiently to initiate buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.

Inventors

• Nathan TOMES

Assignees

• PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240620

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A bearing arrangement of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a first bearing supportive of a shaft; a second bearing axially offset from the first bearing and supportive of the shaft; a first bearing support extending from a bearing housing to the first bearing to support the first bearing; a second bearing support extending to and supportive of the second bearing; one or more radial bearing supports including a plurality of radial spokes extending between the bearing housing and the second bearing, the plurality of radial spokes configured to buckle under compression when radial loads at the second bearing exceed a predetermined threshold; and at least one destabilizer secured to the second bearing and configured to contact at least one radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes upon failure of the first bearing support to reduce the predetermined threshold sufficiently to initiate buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
2. 2 . The bearing arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one destabilizer is secured to one of a bearing outer race or a bearing inner race of the second bearing.
3. 3 . The bearing arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one destabilizer is configured to contact the plurality of radial spokes in a tangential direction to initiate tangential buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
4. 4 . The bearing arrangement of claim 3 , wherein each destabilizer is located circumferentially between adjacent radial spokes of the plurality of radial spokes.
5. 5 . The bearing arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one destabilizer is configured to contact the plurality of radial spokes in an axial direction to initiate axial buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
6. 6 . The bearing arrangement of claim 5 , wherein each destabilizer is circumferentially aligned with a radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes.
7. 7 . The bearing arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the radial bearing support includes an outer ring disposed at the bearing housing, and the plurality of radial spokes extend from the outer ring to the second bearing.
8. 8 . The bearing arrangement of claim 1 , wherein a spoke tip of each of the radial spokes are configured to contact the second bearing while not being secured thereto.
9. 9 . The bearing arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising one or more bumpers axially offset from the radial bearing support configured to limit radial travel of the second bearing upon buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
10. 10 . The bearing arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the one or more bumpers is two bumpers, and the radial bearing support is disposed axially between the two bumpers.
11. 11 . A gas turbine engine, comprising: a combustor; a turbine driven by combustion products of the combustor; a shaft driven by rotation of the turbine; and a bearing arrangement supportive of the shaft, the bearing arrangement including: a first bearing; a second bearing axially offset from the first; a first bearing support extending from a bearing housing to the first bearing to support the first bearing; a second bearing support to and supportive of the second bearing; one or more radial bearing supports including a plurality of radial spokes extending between the bearing housing and the second bearing, the plurality of radial spokes configured to buckle under compression when radial loads at the second bearing exceed a predetermined threshold; and at least one destabilizer secured to the second bearing and configured to contact at least one radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes upon failure of the first bearing support to reduce the predetermined threshold sufficiently to initiate buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
12. 12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the at least one destabilizer is secured to one of a bearing outer race or a bearing inner race of the second bearing.
13. 13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the at least one destabilizer is configured to contact the plurality of radial spokes in a tangential direction to initiate tangential buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
14. 14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein each destabilizer is located circumferentially between adjacent radial spokes of the plurality of radial spokes.
15. 15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the at least one destabilizer is configured to contact the plurality of radial spokes in an axial direction to initiate axial buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
16. 16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein each destabilizer is circumferentially aligned with a radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes.
17. 17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the radial bearing support includes an outer ring disposed at the bearing housing, and the plurality of radial spokes extend from the outer ring to the second bearing.
18. 18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein a spoke tip of each of the radial spokes are configured to contact the second bearing while not being secured thereto.
19. 19 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , further comprising one or more bumpers axially offset from the radial bearing support configured to limit radial travel of the second bearing upon buckling of the plurality of radial spokes.
20. 20 . The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein the one or more bumpers is two bumpers, and the radial bearing support is disposed axially between the two bumpers.

Description

BACKGROUND Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of turbomachinery such as gas turbine engines. In particular, the present disclosure relates to bearing assemblies and support of bearing assemblies of gas turbine engines. During a fan blade off event (FBO), some designs require that two bearings on the engine be broken to help limit the load and vibrations transferred from the rotor to the engine and aircraft structure caused by the unbalance resulting from the FBO. A typical bearing support 200 configuration is illustrated in FIG. 14. A first bearing 202 is a roller bearing supporting radial loads, and requires low support stiffness and is broken by buckling of a first bearing support 204. A second bearing 206 is a ball bearing, supportive of axial and radial loads. The second bearing 206 requires high support stiffness and is broken by fracturing bolts 210 between the second bearing 206 and a second bearing support 208. Configuring the bolts 210 to always break at FBO, requiring high stress, but to not yield at limit loads or during installation and have a full low-cycle fatigue life, all requiring low stress, is very difficult. BRIEF DESCRIPTION In one exemplary embodiment, a bearing arrangement of a gas turbine engine includes a first bearing supportive of a shaft, a second bearing axially offset from the first bearing and supportive of the shaft, a first bearing support extending from a bearing housing to the first bearing to support the first bearing and a second bearing support extending to and supportive of the second bearing. One or more radial bearing supports include a plurality of radial spokes extending between the bearing housing and the second bearing. The plurality of radial spokes are configured to buckle under compression when radial loads at the second bearing exceed a predetermined threshold. At least one destabilizer is secured to the second bearing and is configured to contact at least one radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes upon failure of the first bearing support to reduce the predetermined threshold sufficiently to initiate buckling of the plurality of radial spokes. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the at least one destabilizer is secured to one of a bearing outer race or a bearing inner race of the second bearing. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the at least one destabilizer is configured to contact the plurality of radial spokes in a tangential direction to initiate tangential buckling of the plurality of radial spokes. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments each destabilizer is located circumferentially between adjacent radial spokes of the plurality of radial spokes. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the at least one destabilizer is configured to contact the plurality of radial spokes in an axial direction to initiate axial buckling of the plurality of radial spokes. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments each destabilizer is circumferentially aligned with a radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the radial bearing support includes an outer ring positioned at the bearing housing, and the plurality of radial spokes extend from the outer ring to the second bearing. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a spoke tip of each of the radial spokes are configured to contact the second bearing while not being secured thereto. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments one or more bumpers axially offset from the radial bearing support are configured to limit radial travel of the second bearing upon buckling of the plurality of radial spokes. Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more bumpers is two bumpers, and the radial bearing support is disposed axially between the two bumpers. In another exemplary embodiment, a gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a turbine driven by combustion products of the combustor, a shaft driven by rotation of the turbine, and a bearing arrangement supportive of the shaft. The bearing arrangement includes a first bearing, a second bearing axially offset from the first, a first bearing support extending from a bearing housing to the first bearing to support the first bearing, and a second bearing support to and supportive of the second bearing. One or more radial bearing supports include a plurality of radial spokes extending between the bearing housing and the second bearing. The plurality of radial spokes are configured to buckle under compression when radial loads at the second bearing exceed a predetermined threshold. At least one destabilizer is secured to the second bearing and is configured to contact at least one radial spoke of the plurality of radial spokes upon failure of the first bearing support to reduce the predetermined threshold sufficiently to initiate buckling of