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US 11,767,790 B2Granted
Object direction mechanism for turbofan engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsArthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a fan comprising a plurality of fan blades; a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath; a nacelle surrounding and at least partially enclosing the fan; an inlet pre-swirl feature located upstream of the plurality of fan blades, the inlet pre-swirl feature attached to or integrated into the nacelle; and a means for directing incoming objects towards an outer portion of the turbofan engine in communication with the inlet pre-swirl feature.
Claims8
A turbofan engine comprising:
- a fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
- a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath;
- a nacelle surrounding and at least partially enclosing the fan;
- an inlet pre-swirl feature located upstream of the plurality of fan blades, the inlet pre-swirl feature attached to or integrated into the nacelle;
- and
- a means for directing incoming objects towards an outer portion of the turbofan engine in communication with the inlet pre-swirl feature,
- wherein the means for directing incoming objects is configured to separate an engine inlet airflow into an inner airflow portion and an outer airflow portion relative to a radial direction, and
- wherein the inlet pre-swirl feature includes an outer end and an inner end relative to the radial direction, and wherein the means for directing incoming objects is located at the inner end of the inlet pre-swirl feature.
5 more elements
A turbofan engine comprising:
- a fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
- a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath;
- a nacelle surrounding and at least partially enclosing the fan;
- an inlet pre-swirl feature located upstream of the plurality of fan blades, the inlet pre-swirl feature attached to or integrated into the nacelle;
- and
- a shroud in communication with a portion of the inlet pre-swirl feature and configured to separate an engine inlet airflow into an inner airflow portion and an outer airflow portion relative to a radial direction,
- wherein the inlet pre-swirl feature includes an outer end and an inner end relative to the radial direction, and wherein the shroud is located at the inner end of the inlet pre-swirl feature.
4 more elements
A turbofan engine comprising:
- a fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
- a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath;
- a nacelle surrounding and at least partially enclosing the fan;
- an inlet pre-swirl feature located upstream of the plurality of fan blades, the inlet pre-swirl feature attached to or integrated into the nacelle;
- and
- a means for directing incoming objects towards an outer portion of the turbofan engine in communication with the inlet pre-swirl feature,
- wherein the means for directing incoming objects is configured to separate an engine inlet airflow into an inner airflow portion and an outer airflow portion relative to a radial direction, and
- wherein the inlet pre-swirl feature includes an outer end and an inner end relative to the radial direction, and wherein the means for directing incoming objects is located at a portion of the inlet pre-swirl feature that is closer to the inner end than the outer end.
5 more elements
A turbofan engine comprising:
- a fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
- a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath;
- a nacelle surrounding and at least partially enclosing the fan;
- an inlet pre-swirl feature located upstream of the plurality of fan blades, the inlet pre-swirl feature attached to or integrated into the nacelle;
- and
- a shroud in communication with a portion of the inlet pre-swirl feature and configured to separate an engine inlet airflow into an inner airflow portion and an outer airflow portion relative to a radial direction,
- wherein the inlet pre-swirl feature includes an outer end and an inner end relative to the radial direction, and wherein the shroud is located at a portion of the inlet pre-swirl feature that is closer to the inner end than the outer end.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.