IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,066,945
Granted Patent B2
US 11,066,945 · App. 16/267,986 · Granted Jul 20, 2021

Fluid collection gutter for a geared turbine engine

Inventor: Michael E. McCune (Colchester, CT)
Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
F01D9/065F01D25/18F02C3/107F02C7/06F02C7/36F05D2230/10F05D2230/21F05D2250/11F05D2250/12F05D2250/13F05D2260/40311F05D2260/602F05D2260/98F16H57/0423F16H57/0486Y02T50/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,066,945
App. No.
16/267,986
Granted
Jul 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A turbine engine system includes a gutter and a gear train with an axial centerline. The gutter is disposed radially outside of the axial centerline. The gutter includes an inner surface and a channel that receives fluid directed out of the gear train. The inner surface at least partially defines a bore in which the gear train is arranged. The channel extends radially into the gutter from the inner surface, and circumferentially to a channel outlet. The bore has a cross-sectional bore area, and the channel has a cross-sectional channel area that is substantially equal to or less than about two percent of the bore area.

Claims (59)

1. A turbine engine system, comprising:

a gear train with an axial centerline; and

a gutter at least partially circumscribing the gear train; the gutter including an inner surface and a channel;

the channel axially aligned with one or more fluid passages in the gear train along the axial centerline, and the channel configured to receive fluid directed radially out of the gear train through the one or more fluid passages;

the channel extending radially into the gutter from the inner surface; and the channel extending circumferentially to a channel outlet;

wherein the inner surface has a surface radius measured from the axial centerline, and the channel has a radially extending channel height that is equal to or less than eight percent of the surface radius; and

wherein the channel has an axially extending channel width that is equal to or less than fifteen percent of the surface radius.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein

the inner surface at least partially defines a bore in which the gear train is arranged; and

the bore has a cross-sectional bore area; and

the channel has a cross-sectional channel area that is equal to or less than two percent of the cross-sectional bore area.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional channel area is defined by a portion of the channel located adjacent and upstream of the channel outlet.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of turbine engine rotors arranged along the axial centerline;

the plurality of turbine engine rotors including a first rotor and a second rotor;

each of the plurality of turbine engine rotors including a plurality of rotor blades arranged around and connected to a rotor disk; and

the first rotor connected to and driven by the second rotor through the gear train.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first rotor is configured as a fan rotor and the second rotor is configured as a turbine rotor.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the gear train comprises a planetary gear train.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the gear train comprises a star gear train.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the channel has a cross-sectional channel geometry that transitions between a first geometry and a second geometry as the channel extends circumferentially within the gutter.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein

at least a portion of the channel has a cross-sectional channel geometry comprising a first region and a second region located radially outboard of the first region; and

the first region and the second region are configured with at least different shapes and/or different sizes.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein

the first region has a first axial width; and

the second region has a second axial width that is less than the first axial width.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first region has a rectangular shape.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second region has a triangular shape.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein

the first region has a first axial width;

the second region has a second axial width that is less than the first axial width; and

the second region has a rectangular shape.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second region has an isosceles trapezoidal shape.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein

the cross-sectional channel geometry further comprises a third region located radially outboard of the second region; and

the first region, the second region and the third region are configured with at least different shapes and/or different axial widths.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the third region has a rectangular shape.

17. A turbine engine system, comprising:

a gear train with an axial centerline; and

a gutter at least partially circumscribing the gear train;

the gutter including an inner surface and a channel;

the channel configured to receive fluid directed out of the gear train;

the channel extending radially into the gutter from the inner surface; and

the channel extending circumferentially to a channel outlet;

wherein the inner surface has a surface radius measured from the axial centerline;

wherein at least a portion of the channel has an axially extending channel width that is equal to or less than fifteen percent of the surface radius; and

wherein the portion of the channel is located adjacent and upstream of the channel outlet.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein

the inner surface at least partially defines a bore in which the gear train is arranged;

the bore has a cross-sectional bore area; and

the channel has a cross-sectional channel area that is equal to or less than two percent of the cross-sectional bore area.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:

a plurality of turbine engine rotors arranged along the axial centerline;

the plurality of turbine engine rotors including a first rotor and a second rotor;

each of the plurality of turbine engine rotors including a plurality of rotor blades arranged around and connected to a rotor disk;

the first rotor connected to and driven by the second rotor through the gear train; and

the gear train comprising an epicyclic gear train.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the channel is axially aligned with a plurality of fluid passages in a ring gear of the gear train along the axial centerline.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2019
From: MCCUNE, MICHAEL E.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048242/0703 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14761227 · Jul 15, 2015
Related Publication 20190170004A1 · Jun 6, 2019
Cited By (8)
US 12,320,418 US 12,326,115 US 12,345,201 US 12,421,898 US 12,523,176 US 12,553,381 US 12,571,468 US 12,674,416