Inlet assembly for an aircraft aft fan

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10704418-B2
Application number	US-201916377736-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2019
Priority date	Aug 11, 2016
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

An engine for mounting in or to an aircraft includes a stage of compression airfoils rotatable about a central axis; a casing surrounding the stage of compression airfoils and defining an inlet; and a low-distortion inlet assembly mounted within the inlet. The inlet assembly includes one or more structural members mounted at predetermined locations around a circumference of the central axis within the inlet, the predetermined locations defining an airflow distortion exceeding a predetermined threshold; and at least one airflow modifying element configured within the inlet so as to reduce airflow distortion entering the stage of compression airfoils.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine for mounting in or to an aircraft, the engine defining a central axis and comprising:
a stage of compression airfoils rotatable about the central axis;
a casing surrounding the stage of compression airfoils and defining an inlet, wherein the inlet is positioned upstream of the stage of compression airfoils;
a low-distortion inlet assembly mounted within the inlet, the low-distortion inlet assembly comprising
one or more structural members mounted at predetermined locations around a circumference of the central axis within the inlet, the predetermined locations defining an airflow distortion exceeding a predetermined threshold; and
at least one airflow modifying element configured within the inlet so as to reduce airflow distortion entering the stage of compression airfoils; and

an engine casing surrounding the casing.

2. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the engine is a turbofan or turbojet engine for mounting in or to a supersonic aircraft.

3. The engine of claim 2 , further comprising:
a gas turbine engine including the stage of compression airfoils and a turbine coupled to the stage of compression airfoils for driving the stage of compression airfoils, and wherein the casing is a gas turbine engine casing; and
the engine casing configured as a nacelle.

4. The engine of claim 3 , wherein the gas turbine engine comprises a nose cone, and wherein the inlet is defined with the nose cone.

5. The engine of claim 3 , wherein the nacelle further defines a bypass passage around the gas turbine engine.

6. The engine of claim 3 , wherein the inlet defined by the gas turbine engine casing is a gas turbine engine inlet, wherein the low-distortion inlet assembly is mounted within the gas turbine engine inlet.

7. The engine of claim 6 , wherein the airflow duct of the nacelle defines a non-linear centerline.

8. The engine of claim 6 , wherein the nacelle defines a nacelle inlet upstream of the airflow duct.

9. The engine of claim 6 , wherein the engine further defines a radial direction, and wherein the nacelle inlet defines an angle with the radial direction greater than about 15 degrees.

10. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the one or more structural members comprise at least one of an inlet guide vane or a strut.

11. The engine of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of inlet guide vanes placed in groups at the predetermined locations around the circumference of the central stage of compression airfoils.

12. The engine of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of inlet guide vanes comprises a shape and an orientation configured to reduce airflow distortion entering the stage of compression airfoils.

13. The engine of claim 10 , wherein the inlet assembly defines a first circumferential portion having a first density of structural members and a second circumferential portion having a second density of structural members, and wherein the first density is different than the second density.

14. The engine of claim 9 , wherein a leading edge radius of one or more of the inlet guide vanes varies in a span-wise direction as a function of the airflow conditions entering the stage of compression airfoils.

15. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one airflow modifying element comprises at least one of a vortex generator, a contoured surface, a flap, or variable inlet guide vanes.

16. The engine of claim 14 , wherein the at least one vortex generator or flap is mounted on one of the plurality of structural members.

17. The engine of claim 14 , wherein the contoured surface is located on an inner surface of the casing.

18. The engine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of inlet guide vane trailing edge blowing, inlet guide vane trailing edge suction, or inlet guide vane angled flow injection configured to reduce flow distortion entering the stage of compression airfoils.

19. The engine of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined locations are substantially evenly spaced with respect to the circumference of the central axis.

20. A low-distortion inlet assembly for an engine of an aircraft having a stage of compression airfoils rotatable about a central axis, the engine further defining an inlet located upstream of the stage of compression airfoils, the inlet assembly comprising:
a plurality of structural members mounted at one or more predetermined locations around a circumference of the central axis of the engine within the inlet, the one or more predetermined locations comprising an airflow distortion exceeding a predetermined threshold;
at least one airflow modifying element configured within the inlet of the engine so as to reduce an airflow distortion entering the stage of compression airfoils; and
an engine casing surrounding the engine.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Ramakrishnan Kishore
• Otta Shourya Prakash

Classifications

• F02C7/042

  having variable geometry · CPC title

• F02C7/04 Primary

  Air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants · CPC title

• B64D2033/026

  for supersonic or hypersonic aircraft · CPC title

• F05D2220/80

  in supersonic vehicles excluding hypersonic vehicles or ram, scram or rocket propulsion · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title