US 12,345,173 B2
Gas turbine engines and methods for reducing spool thrust in a turbine section thereof
Eric Bridges, Phoenix, AZ (US); Mark Morris, Phoenix, AZ (US); Joseph Yanof, Phoenix, AZ (US); Partha Das, Phoenix, AZ (US); John McClintic, Phoenix, AZ (US); Steven Whitaker, Phoenix, AZ (US); and Jason Smoke, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/519,691.
Prior Publication US 2025/0172069 A1, May 29, 2025
Int. Cl. F01D 3/00 (2006.01); F01D 21/14 (2006.01); F02C 7/06 (2006.01); F02C 7/28 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 3/00 (2013.01) [F01D 21/14 (2013.01); F02C 7/06 (2013.01); F02C 7/28 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2240/52 (2013.01); F05D 2240/55 (2013.01); F05D 2270/09 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a turbine disk;
a shaft coupled to the turbine disk;
a turbine disk inner cavity downstream of the turbine disk;
a thrust bearing assembly mechanically coupled to the shaft and configured to mitigate axial loads on the shaft during operation of the gas turbine engine;
a back-pressuring seal assembly having a seal land; and
a controller configured to, by one or more processors, detect a loss of oil event to the thrust bearing assembly during operation of the gas turbine engine and, in response to detecting the loss of oil event, to:
actuate the back-pressuring seal assembly to move the seal land toward a downstream face of the turbine disk such that the seal land forms a continuous axial seal about the turbine disk inner cavity;
supply a pressurized gas to the turbine disk inner cavity to increase a gas pressure in the turbine disk inner cavity to an extent greater than an operating gas pressure of the turbine disk inner cavity; and
maintain the continuous axial seal and the gas pressure within the turbine disk inner cavity while the gas turbine engine is operating and thereby reduce the axial loads on the shaft.