Actuatable airflow splitter for aircraft propulsion system

An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:

• a fan rotor comprising a platform surface and a plurality of fan blades arranged circumferentially about an axis, the plurality of fan blades comprising a first fan blade, and the first fan blade comprising a spanwise height that extends spanwise along a span line of the first fan blade from the platform surface to a tip of the first fan blade, wherein a reference point is disposed a spanwise distance from the platform surface along the span line, and the spanwise distance is equal to or greater than one-tenth of the spanwise height;
• an inner flowpath comprising an inner flowpath inlet next to and downstream of the fan rotor;
• an outer flowpath comprising an outer flowpath inlet next to and downstream of the fan rotor, the outer flowpath inlet radially outboard of the inner flowpath inlet;
• and
• an inter-flowpath structure disposed radially between and partially forming the inner flowpath inlet and the outer flowpath inlet, the inter-flowpath structure comprising a splitter and an actuator, the splitter forming a leading edge of the inter-flowpath structure that is radially aligned with the reference point, the actuator configured to move the splitter axially along the axis between a first position and a second position, the leading edge of the inter-flowpath structure disposed a first distance along the axis from the first fan blade when the splitter is in the first position, the leading edge of the inter-flowpath structure disposed a second distance along the axis from the first fan blade when the splitter is in the second position, and the second distance greater than the first distance;
• wherein the first fan blade comprises a first chord length, and the second distance is equal to or less than one and one-half times the first chord length.

An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system, comprising:

• a fan rotor comprising a plurality of fan blades arranged circumferentially about an axis, the plurality of fan blades comprising a first fan blade;
• an inner flowpath comprising an inner flowpath inlet next to and downstream of the fan rotor;
• an outer flowpath comprising an outer flowpath inlet next to and downstream of the fan rotor, the outer flowpath inlet radially outboard of the inner flowpath inlet;
• an inter-flowpath structure disposed radially between and partially forming the inner flowpath inlet and the outer flowpath inlet, the inter-flowpath structure comprising a splitter and an actuator, the splitter forming a leading edge of the inter-flowpath structure, the actuator configured to move the splitter axially along the axis between a first position and a second position, the leading edge of the inter-flowpath structure disposed a first distance along the axis from the first fan blade when the splitter is in the first position, the leading edge of the inter-flowpath structure disposed a second distance along the axis from the first fan blade when the splitter is in the second position, and the second distance greater than the first distance;
• and
• a controller configured to facilitate ice shedding of the splitter by controlling operation of the actuator to move the splitter back and forth along the axis based on at least one of a rotational speed of the fan rotor or an air temperature;
• wherein the first fan blade includes a first chord length, and the second distance is equal to or less than one and one-half times the first chord length.