# US 11,111,856 B2 · Turbofan engine and core link therefore

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,111,856 B2
- Document ID: US11111856B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/291,719
- Filed: 2019-03-04
- Published: 2020-09-10
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-04
- Assignees: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Applicants: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Inventors: Bryan William Olver
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111856B2

## CPC

- F02C 7/12: Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P)
- B64D 15/02: by ducted hot gas or liquid
- B64D 33/00: Arrangement in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for
- F01D 9/065: {Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26)}
- F01D 25/02: De-icing means for engines having icing phenomena
- F01D 25/12: Cooling
- F01D 25/162: {Bearing supports}
- F01D 25/28: Supporting or mounting arrangements, e.g. for turbine casing
- F02K 3/06: with front fan
- B64D 2033/0233: {comprising de-icing means}
- F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines
- F05D 2260/213: by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit
- F05D 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position
- F05D 2300/224: Carbon, e.g. graphite
- F05D 2300/603: Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

The turbofan engine can have a core engine, a bypass duct surrounding the core engine, an annular bypass flow path between the bypass duct and the core engine, and a plurality of core links extending across the bypass path and supporting the core engine relative to the bypass duct, and a fluid passage having a heat exchange portion in a given one of the core links, the heat exchange portion being configured for heat exchange with the bypass flow path, an inlet leading into the given core link and to the heat exchange portion, and an outlet extending from the heat exchange portion and out of the given core link.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turbofan engine comprising
a core engine,
a bypass duct surrounding the core engine,
an annular bypass flow path between the bypass duct and the core engine, and
a plurality of core links extending across the bypass path and structurally supporting at least a. portion of the core engine relative to the bypass duct,
at least one of the core links having
at least one structural member connecting two opposite ends of the at least one of the core links having
a front structural member,
a conduit located adjacent the at least one structural member,
the conduit defining a fluid passage in the conduit for heat exchange with air passing through the bypass flow path, the fluid passage communicating with a source of fluid to be cooled, and
a portion of the conduit exposed to the bypass path,
an elongated body with
a length extending between the bypass duct and the core engine,
a depth extending axially relative to an axis of the bypass flow path, and a thickness normal to the depth and normal to the length, and
a heat-exchange aperture defined across the thickness and located rearward of the front structural member, wherein the portion of the conduit extends inside the heat exchange aperture.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the at least one structural member further comprises a rear structural member, each of the front and rear structural members are located on a respective one of axial sides of the heat-exchange aperture, the front structural member forming a leading edge and being configured to shield the conduit from foreign object damage, the conduit located between the front and rear structural members.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the two opposite ends include a radially-inner end and a radially-outer end, the radially-inner end penetrating into the core engine and secured to a first structure of the core engine, and the radially-outer end penetrating into the bypass duct and secured to a second structure of the bypass duct.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein an inlet connects a core engine conduit to the fluid passage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein an outlet connects the fluid passage to a conduit leading to an actuator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein an outlet connects the fluid passage to a cowl anti ice valve actuation system located externally to the bypass path and core engine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the conduit is a tube having between ⅛″ and ¼″ in diameter, the tube defining the fluid passage.

### Claim 8

The turbofan engine of claim I wherein the at least one of the core links has a body made of carbon fiber epoxy.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the portion of the conduit is a tube folded back and forth to cover an axially and longitudinally extending area.

### Claim 10

A core link providing structural support structure within a bypass flow path of a gas turbine, comprising
a structural body with
a front structural member,
a rear structural member
a length extending between a bypass duct and a core engine of the gas turbine,
a depth extending axially relative to an axis of the bypass flow path,
a thickness normal to the depth and normal to the length, and
a heat-exchange aperture defined across the thickness and located between the front and rear structural members,
a conduit within the structural body,
a fluid passage defined by the conduit and having
a heat exchange portion being configured for heat exchange with the bypass flow path,
a portion of the conduit exposed to the bypass flow path,
an inlet leading into the structural body and to the heat exchange portion, and
an outlet extending from the heat exchange portion and out of the structural body, wherein
the portion of the conduit extends inside the heat exchange aperture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The core link of claim 10 wherein the front structural member forms a leading edge, the portion of the conduit located between the front structural member and the rear structural member.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The core link of claim 10 wherein the heat exchange portion of the fluid passage is formed of a tube having between ⅛″ and ¼″ in diameter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The core link of claim 10 wherein the structural body is made of carbon fiber epoxy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The core link engine of claim 10 wherein the heat exchange portion of the fluid passage has a tube folded back and forth to cover an axially and longitudinally extending area.