Turbine engine with shockwave attenuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11970979-B2
Application number	US-202217979057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2022
Priority date	Sep 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A turbine engine and method of operating includes an engine core with a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine in axial flow arrangement. A flow path extends through the engine core from the compressor to the turbine to define a flow direction for a working airflow through the engine core.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbine engine, comprising:
an engine core comprising a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine in axial flow arrangement;
a flow path extending through the engine core from the compressor to the turbine to define a flow direction for a working airflow through the engine core;
a component comprising an outer surface with at least one attenuation structure protruding into the flow path; and
a rotatable set of airfoils in one of the compressor or the turbine, whereby rotation of the set of airfoils forms the working airflow having a shockwave propagating onto the outer surface of the component and at least partially attenuated by the at least one attenuation structure;
wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises at least one of a set of raised ridges in the outer surface or a set of raised panels in the outer surface, the at least one of the set of raised ridges or the set of raised panels arranged to form a set of honeycomb structures.

2. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises at least one of a scaled structure, a ramped structure, a curved structure, or a bowed wall portion.

3. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises a set of scaled structures covering at least a portion of the outer surface and protruding into the flow path.

4. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises a set of ramped structures with ramp ends protruding into the flow path.

5. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises a set of curved structures with rounded surfaces protruding into the flow path.

6. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises a convex bowed wall portion extending over the outer surface and protruding into the flow path.

7. The turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising a second component comprising a second attenuation structure attenuating a reflected shockwave flowing thereon, the second attenuation structure comprising one of a second set of honeycomb structures, a raised ridge, a scaled structure, a ramped structure, a curved structure, or a bowed wall portion.

8. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises an airfoil with the outer surface defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge.

9. The turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure is located on the pressure side of the airfoil.

10. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a turbine center frame having at least one of an airfoil, an inner band, or an outer band.

11. The turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the shockwave comprises a pressure wave within a subsonic flow.

12. A method of operating a turbine engine having an engine core comprising a compressor, combustor, and turbine in axial flow arrangement, whereby a working airflow passes through the engine core from the compressor to the turbine to define a flow path through the engine core, the method comprising:
generating a shockwave in the working airflow that propagates onto an outer surface of a component within the turbine engine, the outer surface comprising at least one attenuation structure protruding into the flow path; and
directing the shockwave over the at least one attenuation structure to at least partially attenuate the shockwave;
wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises at least one of a set of raised ridges in the outer surface or a set of raised panels in the outer surface, the at least one of the set of raised ridges or the set of raised panels arranged to form a set of honeycomb structures.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the component comprises one of an airfoil, an inner band, or an outer band.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one attenuation structure comprises at least one of a scaled structure, a ramped structure, a curved structure, or a bowed wall portion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the component comprises an airfoil with the outer surface defining a pressure side and a suction side and extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising directing a reflected portion of the shockwave over a second attenuation structure on a second component to attenuate the reflected portion.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second attenuation structure comprises one of a second set of honeycomb structures, a raised ridge, a raised panel, a scaled structure, a ramped structure, a curved structure, or a bowed wall portion.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the component comprises a pair of circumferentially-spaced airfoils, and wherein the directing further comprises directing the shockwave between the pair of circumferentially-spaced airfoils.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Johnson Christopher Ryan
• Vitt Paul Hadley
• Schroeder Eric Joseph
• Fernandez-Soto Carlos Gilberto

Classifications

• F02C7/24 Primary

  Heat or noise insulation (air intakes having provisions for noise suppression F02C7/045; turbine exhaust heads, chambers, or the like F01D25/30; silencing nozzles of jet-propulsion plants F02K1/00) · CPC title

• F02C3/04 Primary

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title

• F02C7/00

  Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) · CPC title

• F02C7/04

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

• F01D25/30

  Exhaust heads, chambers, or the like · CPC title