Bearing support with double stiffener
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a bearing support for a rotating engine such as a gas turbine engine, with a rotating shaft supported by at least one bearing and a frame, capable of running at least two different running speeds, characterised in that it comprises at least two mechanical supporting structures with different stiffnesses combined so as to support the bearing at one of these stiffnesses. The invention has the advantage that the use of mechanical structures avoids the presence of any hydraulic equipment, since the stiffness forces thus introduced can directly oppose excitation forces generated by the unbalanced mass of the engine shaft.
1. A bearing support for a rotating engine with a rotating shaft that rotates about a shaft axis, said rotating shaft being supported by at least one bearing and a frame, said rotating engine being capable of running at least two different running speeds, said bearing support comprising:
a first mechanical supporting structure with a first stiffness, wherein said first mechanical supporting structure supports said bearing; and
a second mechanical supporting structure with a second stiffness,
wherein said first and second mechanical supporting structures rotate with respect to each other about said shaft axis such that, in a first rotational position, the first mechanical supporting structure is mechanically coupled to the second mechanical supporting structure such that said second mechanical supporting structure supports said first mechanical supporting structure and, in a second rotational position, said first mechanical supporting structure is mechanically decoupled from the second mechanical supporting structure such that said second mechanical supporting structure does not support said first mechanical supporting structure,
wherein the first mechanical supporting structure comprises radial teeth and the second mechanical supporting structure comprises housings cooperating with the radial teeth, and
wherein the housings comprise parts cooperating with the radial teeth with a radial clearance to mechanically decouple the first and second mechanical supporting structures from each other, said clearance being greater than an unbalanced mass effects of the rotating shaft.
2. A bearing support according to claim 1 , wherein the housings comprise parts cooperating with the readial teeth so as to mechanically couple the first and second mechanical supporting structures to each other.
3. A bearing support according to claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical supporting structure is in the form of a squirrel cage.
4. A bearing support according to claim 1 , for an engine running at least three different running speeds, comprising at least three mechanical supporting structures with different stiffness combined to support the bearing at one of these stiffness.
5. A bearing support according to claim 1 , wherein the first stiffness is lower than said second stiffness.
6. A bearing support according to claim 5 , wherein said second mechanical supporting structure is slidable in rotation on said frame and on said first mechanical supporting sturcture.