Self-aspirating high-area-ratio inter-turbine duct assembly for use in a gas turbine engine

An inter-turbine duct assembly for use in a gas turbine engine or the like, the inter-turbine duct assembly comprising:

• an inter-turbine duct having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the inter-turbine duct comprises an inner-body surface and an outer-body surface, and wherein the inter-turbine duct forms a primary fluid flow path;
• a boundary layer suction port disposed within the outer-body surface of the inter-turbine duct;
• a low-pressure turbine nozzle coupled with the inter-turbine duct;
• and
• a bypass channel having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the upstream end of the bypass channel is coupled with the boundary layer suction port and the downstream end of the bypass channel is disposed within the low-pressure turbine nozzle, and wherein the bypass channel forms a bypass fluid flow path between the inter-turbine duct and the low-pressure turbine nozzle.

A gas turbine engine system, comprising:

• a high-pressure turbine rotor, wherein the high-pressure turbine rotor comprises a first plurality of airfoils;
• a low-pressure turbine nozzle, wherein the low-pressure turbine nozzle comprises a second plurality of airfoils;
• an inter-turbine duct having an upstream end and a downstream end, the inter-turbine duct disposed between the high-pressure turbine rotor and the low-pressure turbine nozzle, wherein the inter-turbine duct comprises an inner-body surface and an outer-body surface, and wherein the inter-turbine duct forms a primary fluid flow path;
• a boundary layer suction port disposed within the outer-body surface of the inter-turbine duct;
• a bypass channel having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the upstream end of the bypass channel is coupled with the boundary layer suction port and the downstream end of the bypass channel is disposed within the low-pressure turbine nozzle, and wherein the bypass channel forms a bypass fluid flow path between the inter-turbine duct and the low-pressure turbine nozzle.

A method for optimizing the performance of a gas turbine engine or the like, the method comprising:

• given a primary fluid flow through an inter-turbine duct of the gas turbine engine, diverting a predetermined portion of the primary fluid flow into a bypass channel;
• transmitting the predetermined portion of the primary fluid flow to a low-pressure turbine nozzle of the gas turbine engine;
• and
• expelling the predetermined portion of the primary fluid flow into the interior of the low-pressure turbine nozzle.

An inter-turbine duct assembly for use in a gas turbine engine or the like, the inter-turbine duct assembly comprising:

• a duct having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the duct comprises an inner-body surface and an outer-body surface, and wherein the duct forms a primary fluid flow path;
• a port disposed within the outer-body surface of the duct between the upstream end of the duct and a fluid flow boundary layer separation point present within the duct along the outer-body surface of the duct;
• a nozzle coupled with the duct;
• and
• a channel having an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein the upstream end of the channel is coupled with the port and the downstream end of the channel is disposed within the nozzle, and wherein the channel forms a bypass fluid flow path between the duct and the nozzle.