Back to results
US 8,176,725 B2Granted
Reversed-flow core for a turbofan with a fan drive gear system
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJams W. Norris, Alan Epstein, Gary D. Roberge, Mark W. Costa, Andrew P. Berryann, Daniel B. Kupratis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas turbine engine comprises a fan drive gear system, a low spool connected to the fan drive gear system, and a high spool disposed aft of the low spool. The low spool comprises a rearward-flow low pressure compressor disposed aft of the fan drive gear system, and a forward-flow low pressure turbine disposed aft of the low pressure compressor. The high spool comprises a forward-flow high pressure turbine disposed aft of the low pressure turbine, a combustor disposed aft of the high pressure turbine, and a forward-flow high pressure compressor disposed aft of the combustor.
Claims20
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a fan drive gear system comprising:
- a turbofan;
- a fan shaft connected to an inner diameter of the turbofan;
- and
- an epicyclic gear system connected to a downstream end of the fan shaft;
- a low spool connected to the fan drive gear system, the low spool comprising:
- a rearward-flow low pressure compressor disposed aft of the fan drive gear system;
- and
- a forward-flow low pressure turbine disposed aft of the rearward-flow low pressure compressor;
- a high spool disposed aft of the low spool, the high spool comprising:
- a forward-flow high pressure turbine disposed aft of the forward-flow low pressure turbine;
- a combustor disposed aft of the forward-flow high pressure turbine;
- and
- a forward-flow high pressure compressor disposed aft of the combustor;
- a reverse ducting disposed radially outward of the high spool for directing output of the rearward-flow low pressure compressor to the forward-flow high pressure compressor such that the output reverses flow to pass through the high spool;
- exhaust ducting disposed radially outward of the reverse ducting for receiving exhaust gas from the forward-flow low pressure turbine and fan air from the turbofan:
- and
- an intercooling and recuperating heat exchanger mounted adjacent the reverse ducting between the rearward-flow low pressure compressor and the forward-flow high pressure compressor;
- wherein flow through the engine extends sequentially through the rearward-flow low pressure compressor in a downstream direction, and through the forward-flow high pressure compressor, the combustor, the forward-flow high pressure turbine and the forward-flow low pressure turbine in a forward direction.
16 more elements
A turbofan engine comprising:
- a turbofan propulsor for producing downstream flowing bypass gas and core gas;
- a low pressure spool comprising:
- a low pressure compressor for receiving downstream flowing core gas from the turbofan propulsor;
- and
- a low pressure turbine having upstream flow;
- a gear reduction system for coupling the turbofan propulsor to an input rotation;
- a reverse air duct for turning downstream flowing core gas from the low pressure compressor radially inward for upstream flow;
- a reversed-flow core with upstream flow configured to receive upstream flowing core gas from the air duct and to deliver upstream flowing core gas to the low pressure turbine;
- an exhaust pipe for turning upstream flow of core gas from the low pressure turbine radially outward for discharge into the downstream flow of bypass gas;
- and
- an intercooling and recuperating heat exchanger mounted adjacent the reverse air duct between the low pressure compressor and the reversed-flow core.
8 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a fan drive gear system comprising:
- a turbofan;
- a fan shaft connected to an inner diameter of the turbofan;
- and
- an epicyclic gear system connected to a downstream end of the fan shaft;
- a low spool connected to the fan drive gear system, the low spool comprising:
- a low pressure shaft;
- a rearward-flow low pressure compressor disposed aft of the fan drive gear system;
- and
- a forward-flow low pressure turbine disposed aft of the rearward-flow low pressure compressor;
- a high spool disposed aft of the low spool, the high spool comprising:
- a forward-flow high pressure turbine disposed aft of the forward-flow low pressure turbine;
- a combustor disposed aft of the forward-flow high pressure turbine;
- and
- a forward-flow high pressure compressor disposed aft of the combustor;
- reverse ducting disposed radially outward of the high spool for directing output of the rearward-flow low pressure compressor to the forward-flow high pressure compressor such that the output reverses flow to pass through the high spool;
- exhaust ducting disposed radially outward of the reverse ducting for receiving exhaust gas from the forward-flow low pressure turbine and fan air from the turbofan;
- and
- an augmenter mounted within the exhaust ducting radially outward of the high pressure spool;
- wherein flow through the engine extends sequentially through the rearward-flow low pressure compressor in a downstream direction, and through the forward-flow high pressure compressor, the combustor, the forward-flow high pressure turbine and the forward-flow low pressure turbine in a forward direction;
- and
- wherein an accessory gearbox extending radially from the low pressure shaft using a tower shaft.
19 more elements
A turbofan engine comprising:
- a turbofan propulsor for producing downstream flowing bypass gas and core gas;
- a low pressure spool comprising:
- a low pressure shaft;
- a low pressure compressor for receiving downstream flowing core gas from the turbofan propulsor;
- and
- a low pressure turbine having upstream flow;
- a gear reduction system for coupling the turbofan propulsor to an input rotation;
- an air duct for turning downstream flowing core gas from the low pressure compressor radially inward for upstream flow;
- a reversed-flow core with upstream flow configured to receive upstream flowing core gas from the air duct and to deliver upstream flowing core gas to the low pressure turbine;
- an exhaust pipe for turning upstream flow of core gas from the low pressure turbine radially outward for discharge into the downstream flow of bypass gas;
- and an augmenter mounted within an exhaust duct
- radially outward of the reversed-flow core;
- wherein an accessory gearbox extending radially from the low pressure shaft using a tower shaft.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.