Non-uniform and bi-tri stator spacing for swirl recovery vane (SRV) open rotor engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12497905-B1
Application number	US-202418741627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 12, 2024
Priority date	Jun 12, 2024
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A swirl recovery vane (SRV) open rotor engine include an engine core, a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades mounted to an end of the engine core and a plurality of stators mounted adjacent to the rotor. The stators are spaced in a non-uniform spacing to reduce a forcing function created by movement of the rotor blades past the stators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A swirl recovery vane (SRV) open rotor engine comprising:
an engine core; a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades mounted to an end of the engine core; and a plurality of stators mounted downstream of the rotor; wherein the stators are spaced in a non-uniform spacing to create a negative reinforcement of a forcing function created by movement of the rotor blades past the stators, and wherein the stators are spaced in a bi-tri spacing configuration comprising a first group of three groups of stators in a first spacing and a second group of three groups of stators in a second spacing different from the first spacing, wherein the groups of stators are arranged such that each group of the stators of the first group is circumferentially adjacent a pair of groups of stators of the second group.

2 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 1 , wherein the stators are spaced to reduce an acoustic signature of the SRV open rotor engine with respect to a uniform spacing of the stators.

3 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform spacing prevents interference with connection of the SRV open rotor engine to an engine pylon for connecting the engine to a wing.

4 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 3 , wherein the non-uniform spacing comprises a local spacing adjustment to prevent interference with airflow.

5 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform spacing enables air to flow between at least a portion of the stators and past an engine pylon connecting the SRV open rotor engine to a wing.

6 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 1 , wherein the non-uniform spacing provides a positive resonance with respect to a first portion of the stators and a negative resonance with respect to a second portion of the stators.

7 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 1 , wherein the stators comprise a predetermined number of stators to create a negative reinforcement of the forcing function for a given number of rotor blades.

8 . A swirl recovery vane (SRV) open rotor engine comprising:
an engine core; a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades mounted to a front end of the engine core; and a plurality of stators mounted aft of the rotor; wherein the stators are spaced in a bi-tri spacing configuration to create a negative reinforcement of a forcing function created by movement of the rotor blades past the stators; wherein the bi-tri spacing configuration of the stators provides a positive resonance with respect to a first portion of the stators and a negative resonance with respect to a second portion of the stators; and wherein the bi-tri spacing configuration comprises a first group of three groups of stators in a first spacing and a second group of three groups of stators in a second spacing different from the first spacing, wherein the groups of stators are arranged such that each group of the stators of the first group is circumferentially adjacent a pair of groups of stators of the second group.

9 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 8 , wherein the stators are further spaced to reduce an acoustic signature of the SRV open rotor engine with respect to a uniform spacing of the stators.

10 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 8 , wherein the bi-tri spacing configuration prevents interference with connection of the SRV open rotor engine to an engine pylon for connecting the SRV open rotor engine to a wing.

11 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 8 , wherein the bi-tri spacing configuration enables air to flow between at least a portion of the plurality of stators and past an engine pylon connecting the SRV open rotor engine to a wing.

12 . The SRV open rotor engine of claim 8 , wherein a number of the stators are selected to create a negative reinforcement of the forcing function for a given number of rotor blades.

13 . A propulsion system comprising:
an engine core; a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades mounted to a front end of the engine core; and a plurality of stators mounted aft of the rotor, wherein the stators are spaced in a bi-tri spacing configuration comprising a first group of three groups of stators in a first spacing and a second group of three groups of stators in a second spacing different from the first spacing, wherein the groups of stators are arranged such that each group of the stators of the first group is circumferentially adjacent a pair of groups of stators of the second group; and wherein the stators are spaced in a non-uniform spacing about the engine core.

14 . The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the non-uniform spacing reduces an acoustic signature of the propulsion system with respect to a uniform spacing of the stators.

15 . The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the non-uniform spacing prevents interference with connection of the propulsion system to an engine pylon for connecting the propulsion system to a wing.

16 . The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the non-uniform spacing enables air to flow between at least a portion of the stators and past an engine pylon connecting the propulsion system to a wing.

17 . The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the non-uniform spacing provides a positive resonance with respect to a first portion of the stators and a negative resonance with respect to a second portion of the stators.

18 . The propulsion system of claim 13 , wherein the bi-tri spacing configuration is configured to create a negative reinforcement of a forcing function created by movement of the rotor blades past the stators.

Assignees

• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Morton Jeffrey T
• Hanrahan Paul R

Classifications

• F05D2260/961

  by mistuning rotor blades or stator vanes with irregular interblade spacing, airfoil shape · CPC title

• F01D5/16

  for counteracting blade vibration · CPC title

• B64D27/14

  within, or attached to, fuselages · CPC title

• B64D27/12

  within, or attached to, wings · CPC title

• B64C27/00

  Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto · CPC title