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US 7,797,944 B2Granted
Gas turbine engine having slim-line nacelle
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsStephen A. Morford, Michael J. Larkin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nacelle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a nacelle, a variable area fan nozzle, a sensor that detects a windmilling condition and a controller that communicates with the sensor. The variable area fan nozzle is moveable between a first position having a first discharge airflow area and a second position having a second discharge airflow area greater than the first discharge airflow area in response to detecting the windmilling condition.
Claims14
A nacelle assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a nacelle defined about an axis and having an inlet lip section and an inlet internal diffuser section;
- a variable area fan nozzle positioned adjacent an aftmost segment of said nacelle, said variable area fan nozzle being moveable between a first position having a first discharge airflow area and a second position having a second discharge airflow area greater than said first discharge airflow area;
- at least one sensor that detects a windmilling condition of said gas turbine engine;
- and
- a controller in communication with said at least one sensor, wherein said controller moves said variable area fan nozzle from said first position to said second position in response to the detection of said windmilling condition.
2 more elements
A gas turbine engine system, comprising:
- a nacelle defined about an axis and having an inlet lip section and an inlet internal diffuser section, wherein said nacelle includes a variable area fan nozzle moveable to influence a discharge airflow area of said nacelle;
- a core cowl at least partially within a fan cowl of said nacelle;
- at least one boundary layer control device positioned near at least one of said inlet lip section and said inlet internal diffuser section;
- a turbofan positioned within said nacelle;
- at least one compressor and at least one turbine positioned downstream of said turbofan;
- at least one combustor positioned between said at least one compressor and said at least one turbine;
- at least one sensor that produces a signal representing a windmilling condition;
- and
- a controller that receives said signal, wherein said controller selectively moves said variable area fan nozzle in response to receiving said signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.