Bearing compartment with integrated fluid lines

Abstract

A turbine module comprises a turbine shaft, a rotor assembly secured to the shaft, a bearing assembly rotatably supporting the turbine shaft, a bearing housing containing the bearing assembly, and a bearing compartment containing the bearing housing. A bearing compartment wall has at least one integral fluid supply passage in fluid communication with the bearing housing. The at least one integral fluid passage extends generally longitudinally through the bearing compartment wall.

1 . A turbine module comprising:
 a turbine shaft rotatable about a center line of the turbine module;   a rotor assembly secured to the shaft, the rotor assembly including a plurality of airfoils circumferentially distributed around a rotor disk;   a bearing assembly including a plurality of bearings rotatably supporting the turbine shaft;   a bearing housing containing the bearing assembly; and   a bearing compartment containing the bearing housing, the bearing compartment including a bearing compartment wall having at least one integral fluid supply passage in fluid communication with the bearing housing, the at least one integral fluid passage extending generally longitudinally through the bearing compartment wall.   
     
     
         2 . The turbine module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of axially spaced apart bearing assemblies; and   a plurality of axially spaced apart fluid supply outlets in respective fluid communication with the bearing housing proximate each of the plurality of bearing assemblies.   
     
     
         3 . The turbine module of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing compartment comprises:
 a first cylindrical or frustoconical wall section; and   a second cylindrical or frustoconical wall section longitudinally adjacent to the first wall section.   
     
     
         4 . The turbine module of  claim 3 , wherein the bearing compartment further comprises:
 a wall transition section connecting the first wall portion to the second wall portion;   wherein the wall transition section includes at least one mounting surface for interconnecting the turbine module to a longitudinally adjacent module.   
     
     
         5 . The turbine module of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid supply passage comprises:
 a first integral passage segment extending generally longitudinally through at least a portion of the first wall section;   a second integral passage segment extending generally longitudinally through at least a portion of the second wall section; and   a transition passage segment disposed in the wall transition section interconnecting the first and second integral passage segments.   
     
     
         6 . The turbine module of  claim 5 , wherein the second integral passage segment is longitudinally spaced apart from the first integral passage segment. 
     
     
         7 . The turbine module of  claim 5 , wherein the second integral passage segment is circumferentially aligned with the first integral passage segment. 
     
     
         8 . The turbine module of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing compartment wall includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart integral fluid supply passages, each of the plurality of fluid supply passages including at least one passage segment extending generally longitudinally through at least a portion of a cylindrical or frustoconical wall section. 
     
     
         9 . A bearing compartment for a turbomachine, the bearing compartment comprising:
 a first wall section including a first wall inner surface, a first wall outer surface, and a first wall end surface; and   a fluid supply inlet disposed proximate the first wall end surface;   a fluid supply outlet formed in the first wall inner surface; and   a first integral passage segment incorporated into the first wall section between the inner and outer surfaces, the first integral passage segment extending generally longitudinally through at least a portion of the first wall section and providing communication between the fluid supply inlet and the fluid supply outlet.   
     
     
         10 . The bearing compartment of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of axially spaced apart fluid supply outlets in communication with the first integral fluid supply passage.   
     
     
         11 . The bearing compartment of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a second cylindrical or frustoconical wall section longitudinally adjacent to the first wall section.   
     
     
         12 . The bearing compartment of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a wall transition section connecting the first wall portion to the second wall portion.   
     
     
         13 . The bearing compartment of  claim 12 , wherein the wall transition section includes at least one mounting surface for interconnecting the bearing compartment to a longitudinally adjacent turbine module. 
     
     
         14 . The bearing compartment of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second integral passage segment incorporated into the second wall section and extending generally longitudinally through at least a portion of the second wall section between second radially inner and outer wall surfaces.   
     
     
         15 . The bearing compartment of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a transition passage segment interconnecting the first and second integral passage segments to define a contiguous integral fluid supply passage.   
     
     
         16 . The bearing compartment of  claim 14 , wherein the second integral passage segment is longitudinally spaced apart from the first integral passage segment. 
     
     
         17 . The bearing compartment of  claim 14 , wherein the second integral passage segment is circumferentially aligned with the first integral passage segment. 
     
     
         18 . The bearing compartment of  claim 9 , wherein the first integral passage segment has an aspect ratio of at least 10:1. 
     
     
         19 . The bearing compartment of  claim 18 , wherein a cross-sectional diameter of the first integral passage segment measures at least about 30 mm (about 1.2 inches). 
     
     
         20 . The bearing compartment of  claim 18 , wherein a cross-sectional diameter of the first wall section measures at least 1.0 m (about 39 inches).