Variable cycle engine with split fan section
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJohn Robert Simmons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The fan section of a gas turbine engine is divided into a front section and an aft section axially displaced downstream of the front fan section. A duct is provided for bypassing the inlet gas stream around a gas generator. The bypass duct has a first inlet disposed intermediate the front and aft fan sections and a second inlet disposed downstream of the aft fan section. In order to provide increased flexibility in modulating the engine bypass ratio, a diverter valve is provided downstream of the aft fan section to selectively distribute the airflow exhausted from the front fan section between the aft fan section and bypass duct and to selectively distribute the air exhausted from the aft fan section between the bypass duct and gas generator.
Claims7
An improved variable cycle gas turbine engine of the type having an inlet for supplying a gas flow to a gas generator comprising a compressor, a combustor, and a high pressure turbine in serial flow relation, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a fan disposed in the inlet having a front section for receiving and compressing the total inlet airflow and an aft section axially displaced downstream from the front fan section,
- duct means for bypassing a portion of the inlet gas flow around the aft fan section and gas generator, and
- diverter valve means disposed intermediate the aft fan section and gas generator for controlling the amount of gas flow from the front fan section to the bypass duct means, aft fan section and gas generator and movable between a first position in which the total gas flow exiting the front fan section is directed to and compressed by the aft fan section and the airflow exiting the aft fan section is divided between the bypass duct means and gas generator, and a second position in which the gas flow exiting the front fan section is divided between the bypass duct means and aft fan section, and the total gas flow exiting the aft fan section is directed to the gas generator.
A variable cycle gas turbine engine comprising:
- a gas generator comprising a compressor, combustor, and high pressure turbine in serial flow relation, all circumscribed by an inner nacelle,
- an outer nacelle circumscribing and spaced apart from the inner nacelle so as to form a bypass duct around the gas generator and extending upstream of the inner nacelle to form the inlet to the engine and downstream of the inner nacelle to provide an exhaust system for the engine,
- a front fan section disposed in the inlet for compressing the total inlet gas flow,
- an intermediate nacelle spaced radially inward from the outer nacelle and disposed intermediate and axially spaced apart from the front fan section and inner nacelle to form an intermediate passageway therethrough whereby the gas flow exhausted from the front fan section is divided between the bypass duct and intermediate passageway and the gas flow exhausted from the intermediate passageway is divided between the gas generator and bypass duct,
- an aft fan section disposed in the intermediate passageway for compressing the gas flow therethrough, and
- diverter valve means rotatably disposed about the downstream end of the intermediate nacelle and movable between positions to selectively abutt the inner and outer nacelles for selectively controlling the amount of gas flow from the front fan section to the bypass duct and intermediate passageway and the amount of gas flow from the intermediate passageway to the bypass duct and gas generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.