Adaptive fan system for a variable cycle turbofan engine
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorsRobert A. Ress, JR., Steve Stratton, Matthew J. Starr
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique variable cycle gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique adaptive fan system for a variable cycle turbofan engine having at least one turbine. Another embodiment is a unique method for operating a variable cycle gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and related systems.
Claims20
A gas turbine engine, comprising;
- a compressor structured to compress an airflow received at the compressor and to output the compressed airflow as a compressor discharge airflow;
- a combustor in fluid communication with said compressor, said combustor being structured to combust a mixture of a fuel and at least some of said compressor discharge airflow to generate a hot working airflow;
- a turbine in fluid communication with said combustor, said turbine being configured to extract a mechanical power from said hot working airflow;
- a shaft coupled to said turbine, said shaft being configured to receive and transmit said mechanical power from said turbine;
- a first rotating load powered by said shaft;
- a second rotating load powered by said shaft;
- and
- a transmission system coupled to said shaft, said transmission system being structured to selectively vary a speed at which power is supplied from said shaft to said second rotating load relative to a speed of at least one of said shaft and said first rotating load.
A gas turbine engine system, comprising:
- a compressor structured to compress an airflow received at the compressor and to output the compressed airflow as a compressor discharge airflow;
- a combustor in fluid communication with said compressor, said combustor being structured to combust a mixture of a fuel and at least some of said compressor discharge airflow to generate a hot working airflow;
- a turbine in fluid communication with said combustor, said turbine being configured to extract a mechanical power from said hot working airflow;
- a base rotating load;
- a variable-speed rotating load;
- transmission means for transmitting power from said turbine to at least one of said base rotating load and said variable-speed rotating load;
- and
- means for varying a speed at which power is supplied from said turbine to said variable-speed rotating load relative to the speed of said base rotating load.
An adaptive fan system for a variable cycle turbofan engine having at least one turbine, comprising:
- a shaft structured to receive mechanical power from a turbine in said variable cycle turbofan engine;
- a fan stage coupled directly to said shaft and driven directly by said shaft;
- a transmission system coupled to said shaft;
- an other fan stage coupled to said shaft via said transmission system and driven by said shaft via said transmission system,
- wherein said transmission system is structured to selectively vary a speed at which power is supplied from said shaft to said other fan stage relative to at least one of said shaft and said fan stage.
A method for operating a variable cycle gas turbine engine, comprising:
- extracting power from a turbine via a shaft to drive a first fan stage;
- extracting power from said turbine via said shaft to drive a second fan stage different from the first fan stage;
- and
- varying a speed at which power is supplied from said turbine to said second fan stage relative to said first fan stage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.