Cambered aero-engine inlet
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorGavin Hendricks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inlet of a nacelle for channeling inlet airflow to a fan of a gas turbine engine includes a forward lip and an inner surface. The forward lip extends around a centerline axis of the engine and is adapted to accommodate a flow angle of incoming airflow. The inner surface extends from the forward lip along the centerline axis of the engine to adjacent the fan. The inner surface has a first profile above the centerline axis of the engine and a second profile below the centerline axis of the engine. The first profile and the second profile are adapted to define an inlet centerline axis that extends below the centerline axis of the engine at a face of the fan.
Claims17
An inlet of a nacelle for channeling inlet airflow to a fan of a gas turbine engine, the inlet comprising:
- a forward lip extending around a centerline axis of the engine and adapted to accommodate a flow angle of incoming airflow;
- an inner surface extending from the forward lip along the centerline axis of the engine to adjacent the fan and having a first profile above the centerline axis of the engine and a second profile below the centerline axis of the engine, the first profile and the second profile adapted to define an inlet centerline axis that extends below the centerline axis of the engine at a face of the fan.
An inlet of a nacelle for channeling inlet airflow to a fan of a gas turbine engine, the inlet comprising:
- a forward lip extending around a centerline axis of the engine;
- a crown portion defining the forward lip substantially above the centerline axis of the engine and having an inner surface extending from the forward lip to adjacent the fan, at least a portion of the inner surface has a concave shape;
- and
- a keel portion defining the forward lip substantially below the centerline axis of the engine, the keel portion having an inner surface that extends from the forward lip to adjacent the fan, at least a portion of the inner surface has a convex shape;
- wherein the inner surface of the crown portion and the inner surface of the keel portion define a cambered inlet centerline axis that forms a descending depression angle with the centerline axis of the engine at the fan case flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.