Gas turbine engine compressor and turbine section assembly utilizing tie shaft
View Patent ↗A gas turbine engine has a compressor section carrying a plurality of compressor rotors and a turbine section carrying a plurality of turbine rotors. The compressor rotors and the turbine rotors are constrained to rotate with the tie shaft. An upstream hub provides an upstream abutment face for the compressor rotors. A downstream hub bounds the downstream end of the compressor rotor to bias the compressor rotors against the upstream hub using an abutment member. The downstream hub has a rearwardly extending arm which provides a stop for the turbine rotors. A second abutment member is tightened on the tie shaft to force the turbine rotors against the downstream hub to hold together the turbine rotors.
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section carrying a plurality of compressor rotors;
a turbine section carrying a plurality of turbine rotors;
said compressor rotors and said turbine rotors being constrained to rotate with a tie shaft;
an upstream hub providing an upstream abutment point for said compressor rotors, and a downstream hub abutting said compressor rotors to bias said compressor rotors against said upstream hub, said downstream hub having a rearwardly extending arm, said rearwardly extending arm providing a stop for said turbine rotors, and a downstream first abutment member at a downstream end of a downstream turbine rotor being tightened to force said turbine rotors against said downstream hub to hold said turbine rotors; and
both said upstream hub and said downstream hub are provided with threaded members tightened to hold said compressor rotors together, a downstream one of said threaded members being tightened against said rearwardly extending arm.
2. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said downstream first abutment member includes a lock nut threaded to abut said tie shaft.
3. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 2 , wherein a downstream second abutment member is positioned to hold a bearing and seal package against said turbine rotors, and apply a force through said turbine rotors.
4. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 3 , wherein both said downstream first and second abutment members are threadably engaged to position said first and second abutment members.
5. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said compressor rotors are axial rotors.
6. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said tie shaft provides an axial preload to the compressor rotors that enables torque transmission between said compressor rotors.
7. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said downstream hub has a first arm extending radially outwardly from a location adjacent to said tie shaft to a contact end which contacts a downstream-most one of said compressor rotors, and said rearwardly extending arm extending from a radially intermediate portion between a radially inner and radially outer end of said downstream hub, and said rearwardly extending arm abutting an upstream-most one of said turbine rotors.
8. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section carrying a plurality of compressor rotors, said compressor rotors being axial rotors;
a turbine section carrying a plurality of turbine rotors;
said compressor rotors and said turbine rotors being constrained to rotate with a tie shaft;
an upstream hub providing an upstream abutment point for said compressor rotors;
a downstream hub abutting said compressor rotors to bias said compressor rotors against said upstream hub, said downstream hub having a rearwardly extending arm, said rearwardly extending arm providing a stop for said turbine rotors;
a downstream abutment member at a downstream end of a downstream turbine rotor being tightened to force said turbine rotors against said downstream hub to hold said turbine rotors;
said downstream abutment member includes a lock nut threaded to abut said tie shaft, said upstream hub and said downstream hub are provided with threaded members tightened on said tie shaft to hold said compressor rotors together, a downstream one of said threaded members being tightened against said rearwardly extending arm;
a second abutment member is positioned to hold a bearing and seal package against said turbine rotors, and apply a force through said turbine rotors;
said downstream hub has a first arm extending radially outwardly from a location adjacent to said tie shaft to a contact end which contacts a downstream-most one of said compressor rotors, and said rearwardly extending arm extending from a radially intermediate portion between a radially inner and radially outer end of said downstream hub, and said rearwardly extending arm abutting an upstream-most one of said turbine rotors; and said tie shaft provides an axial preload to the compressor rotors that enables torque transmission between said compressor rotors.
9. A method of assembling a gas turbine engine comprising the steps of:
(a) assembling a plurality of compressor rotors onto a tie shaft;
(b) assembling an upstream hub at an upstream end of said compressor rotors, and a downstream hub abutting said compressor rotors, said downstream hub having a rearwardly extending arm applying a bias force against said compressor rotors holding them against said upstream hub; and
(c) assembling a plurality of turbine rotors onto said tie shaft, and a downstream abutment member being forced against a downstream one of said turbine rotors, and forcing said turbine rotors against said downstream hub to hold said turbine rotors.
10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein a second abutment member is tightened to hold a bearing and seal package against said turbine rotors, and apply a force to said turbine rotors.