Method and apparatus for limiting ingestion of debris into the inlet of a gas turbine engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsCharles R. Vanfleet, William C. Ruehr
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for limiting ingestion of debris into the inlet of a gas turbine engine. The invention includes providing first means in communication with a source of fluid under pressure for introducing at least one jet of fluid at a point aft of the leading edge of a nacelle associated with the engine inlet. The first means are adapted to discharge the fluid jet away from the leading edge and in the aft direction to establish a low pressure region aft of the leading edge and in sufficient proximity to a second vortex formation region so as to draw airflows from the second region into the low pressure region and away from the engine inlet.
Claims12
A method of limiting ingestion of ground debris into a gas turbine engine inlet by suppressing the vortex causing said ingestion, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a source of fluid under pressure;
- providing a two dimensional array of nozzles in fluid communication with said source of fluid under pressure for introducing a plurality of fluid jets at a point aft of the leading edge of a nacelle associated with said engine inlet;
- and
- discharging said plurality of fluid jets from said array of nozzles away from said leading edge and in the aft direction to establish a low pressure region aft of said leading edge and in sufficient proximity to a vortex formation region so as to draw airflows from said vortex formation region into said low pressure region and away from said engine inlet.
In an aircraft engine having an inlet adapted to receive the flow of air therethrough, an apparatus for limiting ingestion of ground debris into said inlet by suppressing the vortex causing said ingestion, said apparatus comprising:
- a two-dimensional array of nozzles disposed aft of a leading edge of a nacelle associated with said engine, said array of nozzles adapted to provide for the introduction of a plurality of fluid jets at a point aft of the leading edge, said array of nozzles further adapted to discharge said fluid jets away from said leading edge and in the aft direction to establish a low pressure region aft of said leading edge and in sufficient proximity to a vortex formation region so as to draw airflows from said vortex formation region into said low pressure region and away from said engine inlet;
- a source of fluid under pressure;
- and
- means for providing fluid communication between said array of nozzles and said source of fluid under pressure.
An apparatus for limiting ingestion of debris into the inlet of a gas turbine engine said apparatus comprising:
- a source of fluid under pressure;
- a fan duct in which a thrust-producing fan is disposed;
- a circumferentially and axially extending fan duct nacelle surrounding said fan duct, said nacelle being substantially free of circumferentially outwardly extending appendages;
- a plurality of fluid nozzles disposed within said nacelle and aft of a leading edge of said nacelle, said plurality of nozzles circumferentially extending partially about said inlet and adapted to discharge a plurality of fluid jets away from said leading edge and in the aft direction to establish a low pressure region aft of said leading edge and in sufficient proximity to a vortex formation region so as to draw airflows from said vortex formation region into said low pressure region and away from said inlet said plurality of fluid jets being the primary means of inducing said low pressure region, at least one nozzle of said plurality disposed at an angle with a horizontal plane different than the angle at which at least one other nozzle of said plurality is disposed with respect to said plane;
- and
- means for providing fluid communication between said plurality of fluid nozzles and said source of fluid under pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.