Efficient, low pressure ratio propulsor for gas turbine engines
AssigneeRtx Corporation
InventorsEdward J. Gallagher, Byron R. Monzon, Shari L. Bugaj
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas turbine engine includes a gear assembly, a propulsor that is coupled to be driven through the gear assembly, a first shaft and a second shaft, a first turbine coupled through the gear assembly to the propulsor, a first compressor coupled with the first shaft, a second turbine coupled with the second shaft, and wherein the propulsor includes a hub and a row of blades that extend from the hub, and the row includes a number (N) of the blades that is from 16 to 20, a solidity value (R) at tips of the blades, and a ratio of N/R that is from 12.3 to 20.
Claims19
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a gear assembly;
- a propulsor coupled to be driven through the gear assembly;
- a first shaft and a second shaft;
- a first turbine coupled through the gear assembly to the propulsor;
- a first compressor coupled with the first shaft;
- a second turbine coupled with the second shaft;
- and
- wherein the propulsor includes a hub and a row of blades that extend from the hub, and the row includes a number (N) of the blades that is from 16 to 20, a solidity value (R) at tips of the blades, and a ratio of N/R that is from 12.3 to 20.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a gear assembly;
- a propulsor coupled to be driven through the gear assembly;
- a first shaft and a second shaft;
- a first turbine coupled through the gear assembly to the propulsor, wherein the first turbine is a 5-stage turbine;
- a first compressor coupled with the first shaft;
- a second turbine coupled with the second shaft;
- and
- wherein the propulsor includes a hub and a row of blades that extend from the hub, and the row includes a number (N) of the blades that is from 16 to 20, a solidity value (R) at tips of the blades, and a ratio of N/R that is from 12.3 to 20.
The gas turbine engine as recited in 11, wherein the blades are formed of a fiber-reinforced polymer matrix material.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- propulsor means for providing propulsion, the propulsor means including a propulsor rotor and at least one propulsor blade;
- first compression means for compressing airflow from the propulsor means, wherein the first compression means includes an entrance at a splitter, and the at least one propulsor blade is forward of the splitter relative to an engine longitudinal axis;
- second compression means for compressing airflow from the first compression means;
- reduction means for reducing a rotational speed of an output that drives the propulsor means relative to an input;
- and
- first expansion means for driving the second compression means in response to expanding airflow from the second compression means;
- and
- second expansion means for driving the input of the reduction means in response to expanding airflow from the first expansion means, wherein the reduction means interconnects the second expansion means with the first compression means and the propulsor rotor;
- and
- wherein the propulsor means includes a hub and a row of the propulsor blades that extend from the hub, and the row includes a number (N) of the propulsor blades that is from 16 to 20, a solidity value (R) at tips of the propulsor blades, and a ratio of N/R that is from 12.3 to 20.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.