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US 2010/0166549 A1Published application
Methods, systems and/or apparatus relating to inducers for turbine engines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorAnca Hatman
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Abstract
An inducer that includes a profiled throat. In some embodiments, the inducer includes a conical shape upstream of the profiled throat with a relatively large circular inlet that narrows to the profiled throat and, downstream of the profiled throat, a downstream section that broadens from the profiled throat. The profiled throat may include an approximate convergent-divergent nozzle geometry.
Claims20
An inducer that includes a profiled throat.
A method of operating a gas turbine engine, the method including the steps of:
- a) installing within the turbine engine an inducer that comprises:
- a profiled throat that includes an approximate convergent-divergent nozzle geometry, wherein the profiled throat is configured to provide a desired minimum flow level therethrough;
- a conical shape upstream of the profiled throat with a relatively large circular inlet that narrows to the profiled throat;
- and
- downstream of the profiled throat, a downstream section, wherein the downstream section of the inducer is configured to accommodate a desired maximum flow level therethrough;
- b) upon operating the turbine engine after the installation of the inducer, determining if the flow level through the inducer satisfies an operational criterion;
- c) if it is determined that the flow level through the inducer does not satisfy the operational criterion and that a greater flow level is needed, machining the profiled throat to increase the cross-sectional area therethrough.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.