Apparatus and method for preventing inlet vortex
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsTerry A. Clark, Justin R. Urban
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a gas turbine engine for testing, comprising: providing an aircraft on a tarmac, the aircraft having a gas turbine engine with an inlet; selecting a power setting for the engine that is capable of producing a vortex between the inlet and the tarmac; and inhibiting formation of the vortex. A suppressor for preventing a vortex between an inlet of a gas turbine engine on an aircraft and a tarmac. The suppressor comprises: a base facing the tarmac; and an inclined surface extending in a direction from the tarmac towards the inlet at an angle to the base. The suppressor prevents formation of the vortex.
Claims20
A method of operating a gas turbine engine for testings comprising the steps of:
- providing an aircraft on a tarmac, said aircraft having a gas turbine engine with a centerline height (h) and an inlet having a diameter (D);
- selecting a power setting for said engine that is capable of producing a vortex between said inlet and said tarmac;
- and
- placing an object between said inlet and said tarmac, said object having a height (w) ranging between approximately (2h-D)/8 and (2h-D)/4;
- wherein airflow travels around said object to inhibit formation of said vortex.
A method of preventing vortex formation, comprising the steps of:
- providing an aircraft on a tarmac, said aircraft having a gas turbine engine with a centerline height (h) and an inlet having a diameter (D);
- operating said engine;
- determining whether said operating step is likely to produce a vortex between said inlet and said tarmac;
- placing an object between said tarmac and said inlet should said determining step indicate a likelihood of said vortex, said object having a surface with a height (w) ranging between approximately (2h-D)/8 and (2h-D)/4;
- and
- directing airflow near said tarmac along said surface of said object towards said engine to inhibit vortex formation.
A method of operating a gas turbine engine mounted on an aircraft located on a tarmac at an elevated engine pressure ratio (EPR) greater than a threshold EPR, said engine having a centerline height (h) and an inlet with a diameter of (D), comprising the steps of:
- placing an object between said tarmac and said engine to turn airflow near said tarmac towards said engine, said object having a height (w) ranging between approximately (2h-D)/8 and (2h-D)/4;
- and
- operating said engine at said elevated EPR to inhibit vorte formation.
In a method of performing a test including a step of operating a gas turbine engine at an engine pressure ratio that typically requires removing said engine from an aircraft located on a tarmac and placing said engine on a test stand, said engine having a centerline height (h) and an inlet with a diameter (D), wherein the improvement comprises positioning a movable object with a height ranging between approximately (2h-D)/8 and (2h-D)/4 between said engine and said tarmac so that airflow travels around said object to allow said engine to remain on said aircraft for said test and to inhibit vortex formation.
A suppressor for preventing a vortex between an inlet of a gas turbine engine on an aircraft and a tarmac, said engine having a centerline height (h) and said inlet having a diameter(D), comprising:
- a base facing said tarmac;
- and
- an inclined surface extending in a direction from said tarmac towards said inlet at an angle to said base and having a height ranging between approximately (2h-D)/8 and (2h-D)/4;
- wherein airflow near said tarmac travels along said incline surface towards said inlet so that said suppressor prevents formation of said vortex.
A suppressor for preventing a vortex between an inlet of a gas turbine engine on an aircraft and a tarmac, said engine having a centerline height (h) and said inlet having a diameter (D), the suppressor:
- a base;
- and
- an inclined surface extending from said base;
- wherein said inclined surface has a height (w) ranging between approximately (2h-D)/8 and (2h-D)/4 to prevent formation of said vortex.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.