Epicyclic gear train
A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a propulsor section including a propulsor supported on a propulsor shaft, a turbine section including a turbine shaft, a compressor section having a plurality of compressor hubs with blades driven by the turbine shaft about an engine axis, and an epicyclic gear train interconnecting the propulsor shaft and the turbine shaft. The epicyclic gear train includes a sun gear coupled to the turbine shaft, intermediary gears arranged circumferentially about and meshing with the sun gear, a carrier and a ring gear including first and second portions. The first and second portions have axially opposed faces abutting one another at a radial interface.
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a propulsor section including a propulsor supported on a propulsor shaft;
a turbine section including a turbine shaft;
a compressor section having a plurality of compressor hubs with blades driven by the turbine shaft about an engine axis; and
an epicyclic gear train interconnecting the propulsor shaft and the turbine shaft, the epicyclic gear train comprising:
a sun gear coupled to the turbine shaft;
intermediary gears arranged circumferentially about and meshing with the sun gear;
a carrier and support means for supporting each of the intermediate gears relative to the carrier; and
a ring gear including first and second portions, the first and second portions each having an inner periphery with teeth intermeshing with the intermediate gears, the first and second portions having axially opposed faces abutting one another at a radial interface, the first and second portions including respective flanges extending along the radial interface radially outward from the teeth, and the ring gear including discharge means for expelling lubricant from the radial interface outwardly of the ring gear;
wherein the propulsor is a turbo fan, and the propulsor shaft is a fan shaft supporting the fan; and
a bypass ratio of greater than 10.5 and a low corrected fan tip speed of less than 1150 ft/second, wherein the fan includes a pressure ratio of less than 1.45 across the fan blade alone at cruise at 0.8M and 35,000 feet.
2. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ring gear includes engagement means for forcing the first portion and the second portion toward one another at the radial interface.
3. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 2 , wherein the ring gear includes attachment means for securing the first and second portions of the ring gear to the fan shaft.
4. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3 , wherein the gear train includes collection means for receiving lubricant expelled by the discharge means through the radial interface, and the ring gear includes accumulation means for capturing lubrication expelled toward the radial interface.
5. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 4 , wherein the gear train includes return means for communicating lubricant from an outer periphery of the respective first and second portions of the ring gear outwardly to the collection means.
6. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 5 , further comprising:
a splitter that defines an entrance to the compressor section; and
wherein the radial interface of the ring gear is axially aft of the splitter relative to the engine axis.
7. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , wherein the epicyclic gear train is a planetary gear system.