General Electric Company
GEARBOX FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE UTILIZING SHAPE MEMORY ALLOY DAMPERS

Abstract:

An epicyclic gearbox is configured to transfer rotational motion between a first rotating component and a second rotating component of the gas turbine engine. The gearbox includes a centrally located sun gear, two or more planet gears circumscribing the sun gear, and a ring gear circumscribing the plurality of planet gears. The gearbox is configured such that the sun gear is drivingly coupled to the first rotating component, such that rotation of the sun gear causes rotation of each planet gear, and such that the ring gear rotates relative to the plurality of planet gears. The gearbox includes one or more shape memory alloy dampers provided in association with the sun gear, the ring gear, and/or the plurality of planet gears. The shape memory alloy damper(s) is configured in order to reduce vibrations transferred through the epicyclic gearbox to the frame, the first rotating component, and/or the second rotating component.