Nacelle for an aircraft aft fan
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsKishore Ramakrishnan, Patrick Michael Marrinan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft includes a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end. An aft engine is mounted to the aft end of the fuselage, the aft engine defining a centerline. The aft engine further includes a nacelle having a bottom section, the bottom section having a forward lip. The forward lip of the bottom section defines a camber line. The camber line, in turn, defines an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees.
Claims22
An aircraft defining a longitudinal direction and comprising:
- a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end along the longitudinal direction of the aircraft;
- and
- an aft engine mounted to the aft end of the fuselage and defining a centerline, the aft engine further comprising a nacelle including a bottom section having a forward lip, the forward lip defining a camber line and the camber line of the forward lip defining an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees;
- wherein the nacelle of the aft engine further includes a body portion, wherein the nacelle of the aft engine defines an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the nacelle includes a concave shape between the forward lip of bottom section and the body portion.
A propulsion system for an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage defining an aft end, the propulsion system comprising:
- an aft engine configured to be mounted to the aft end of the fuselage and defining a centerline, the aft engine further comprising a nacelle including a bottom section having a forward lip, the forward lip defining a camber line and the camber line defining an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees;
- wherein the nacelle of the aft engine further includes a body portion, wherein the nacelle of the aft engine defines an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the nacelle includes a concave shape between the forward lip of bottom section and the body portion.
A propulsion system for an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage defining an aft end, the propulsion system comprising:
- an aft engine configured to be mounted to the aft end of the fuselage and defining a centerline, the aft engine further comprising a nacelle including a bottom section having a forward lip, the forward lip defining a camber line and the camber line defining an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees;
- and
- one or more structural members extending between the nacelle and the fuselage, the one or more structural members comprising one or more inlet guide vanes, the one or more inlet guide vanes further comprising:
- a body portion that is fixed relative to the nacelle;
- and
- at least one tail flap, the at least one tail flap configured to rotate about a substantially radial axis.
A propulsion system for an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage defining an aft end, the propulsion system comprising:
- an aft engine configured to be mounted to the aft end of the fuselage and defining a centerline, the aft engine further comprising a nacelle including a bottom section having a forward lip, the forward lip defining a camber line and the camber line defining an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees;
- wherein the nacelle further comprises a top section, wherein the bottom section of the nacelle defines a forward edge at the forward lip, wherein the top section of the nacelle defines a forward edge, wherein the forward edge of top section is positioned farther forward than a forward edge of the bottom section along the longitudinal direction and defines a reference line extending therebetween, and wherein the reference line defines an angle with the centerline of the aft engine less than about eighty-five degrees.
A propulsion system for an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a fuselage defining an aft end, the propulsion system comprising:
- an aft engine configured to be mounted to the aft end of the fuselage and defining a centerline, the aft engine further comprising a nacelle including a bottom section having a forward lip, the forward lip defining a camber line and the camber line defining an angle relative to the centerline of the aft engine greater than or equal to at least about five degrees;
- wherein the bottom section of the nacelle further comprises a body portion extending from the forward lip to an aft edge, wherein the body section defines a camber line, and wherein a length of the camber line of the forward lip is at least about five percent of the length of the camber line of the body portion of the bottom section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.