Turbine engine with guide vanes forward of its fan blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016186599-A1
Application number	US-201514976876-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbine engine such as a pusher fan engine is provided. This turbine engine includes a nacelle with a bypass flowpath. A fan rotor is configured to propel air out of the bypass flowpath. A plurality of guide vanes are configured to direct the air to the fan rotor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pusher fan engine, comprising:
a nacelle having a bypass inlet and a nozzle, with a bypass flowpath extending from the bypass inlet to the nozzle; a pusher fan rotor including a plurality of fan blades within the bypass flowpath; and a plurality of guide vanes within the bypass flowpath and between the inlet and the fan blades.

2 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , wherein the guide vanes are pitched in an opposite direction from the fan blades.

3 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , wherein the guide vanes are pitched in a substantially equal but opposite direction from the fan blades.

4 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fan blades is configured as a variable pitch fan blade.

5 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the guide vanes is a structural guide vane.

6 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , wherein the nacelle includes an inner casing and an outer casing, and the inner and the outer casings are structurally tied together through a mount system which includes at least one of the guide vanes.

7 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , wherein the nacelle includes an inner casing and an outer casing, and wherein the outer casing is structurally tied to the inner casing through at least one of the guide vanes.

8 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , further comprising a bifurcation extending through the bypass flowpath and between the inlet and the fan rotor.

9 . The pusher fan engine of claim 8 , wherein the bifurcation is configured as a substantially non-structural component of the pusher fan engine.

10 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , further comprising a turbine rotor and a gear train connecting the turbine rotor with the fan rotor.

11 . The pusher fan engine of claim 10 , wherein the turbine rotor is a free turbine rotor.

12 . The pusher fan engine of claim 1 , further comprising a turbine engine core axially forward of the fan rotor.

13 . The pusher fan engine of claim 12 , wherein the turbine engine core comprises a multi-spool turbine engine core.

14 . A turbine engine comprising:
a nacelle with a bypass flowpath; a pusher fan rotor including a plurality of fan blades within the bypass flowpath, the fan rotor configured to propel air out of the bypass flowpath; and a plurality of guide vanes configured to direct the air to the fan rotor.

15 . The turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the fan rotor is configured to swirl the air in a first direction, and the guide vanes are configured to swirl the air in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16 . The turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the guide vanes are pitched in an opposite direction from the fan blades.

17 . The turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the guide vanes is a structural guide vane.

18 . The turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein
the bypass flowpath extends from an inlet to a nozzle; and the guide vanes are within the bypass flowpath and between the inlet and the fan blades.

19 . The turbine engine of claim 14 , further comprising a turbine rotor and a gear train connecting the turbine rotor with the fan rotor.

20 . The turbine engine of claim 14 , further comprising a turbine engine core axially forward of the fan rotor.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Suciu Gabriel L
• Lord Wesley K
• Sabnis Jayant
• Chandler Jesse M

Classifications

• F05D2240/24

  for turbines · CPC title

• F05D2240/128

  Nozzles · CPC title

• F01D9/041

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• F01D7/00

  Rotors with blades adjustable in operation; Control thereof (for reversing F01D1/30) · CPC title