Serial Flow Through Inward And Outward Extending Blade Rows Patents (Class 415/79)
  • Patent number: 10794291
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan situated at an inlet of a bypass passage, and a core engine configured to drive the fan. The core engine includes a low pressure compressor section driven by a low pressure turbine section, and a high pressure compressor section driven by a high pressure turbine section. The fan has a fan diameter, Dfan, and the high pressure compressor section has a compressor diameter, Dcomp. The fan diameter Dfan and the compressor diameter Dcomp have an interdependence represented by a scalable ratio Dfan/Dcomp that is greater than about 4.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 10711703
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that has a fan. A fan casing surrounds the fan section. A compressor section defines an engine axis. A gear train reduces a rotational speed of the fan relative to a shaft. A low pressure turbine is coupled to the shaft. A nacelle extends along the engine axis and surrounds the fan casing, a bypass ratio of greater than 10. A variable area fan nozzle defines a discharge airflow area. A flutter sensing system includes a controller programmed to move the variable area fan nozzle to vary the discharge airflow area in response to detecting an airfoil flutter condition associated with adjacent airfoils of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William E. Rosenkrans, Robert J. Morris
  • Patent number: 10544741
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that has a fan with a plurality of airfoils, a compressor section, a gear train that reduces a rotational speed of the fan relative to a shaft in operation, a turbine section that has a first turbine and a second turbine, and a bypass ratio of greater than 10. The first turbine drives the shaft. A nacelle extends along an engine axis and surrounds the fan. A variable area fan nozzle defines a discharge airflow area. A fan airfoil flutter sensing system has a first sensor that actively and selectively detects a fan airfoil flutter condition in operation, and communicates with a controller programmed to move the variable area fan nozzle and vary the discharge airflow area to mitigate the flutter condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William E. Rosenkrans, Robert J. Morris
  • Patent number: 10544734
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end long the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section including a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, and an intermediate speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The low speed turbine rotor further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud to the outer shroud. The high speed turbine rotor is disposed upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the low speed turbine rotor along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Patent number: 10400675
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of cooling a gas turbine engine including a core with a compressor section in which the compressor section includes a closed loop cooling circuit having a pump, at least one heat pipe extending from at least one of the stationary vanes, a heat exchanger located within the bypass air flow, and a coolant conduit passing fluidly coupled to the pump and heat exchanger and passing by the heat pipe. The pump pumps coolant through the coolant conduit to draw heat from the heat pipes into the coolant to form heated coolant, the heated coolant then passes through the heat exchanger, where the heat is rejected from the coolant to the bypass air to cool the coolant to form cooled coolant, which is then returned to the heat pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Patent number: 10378438
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a propulsor, a compressor comprising a compressor rotor, and a turbine comprising a turbine rotor fixedly mechanically coupled to the compressor rotor. The propulsor and the compressor are arranged in axial flow series. The turbine rotor is radially outward of the compressor rotor, and the direction of fluid flow through the turbine is generally opposite the direction of gas flow through the propulsor and the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Joseph Skertic
  • Patent number: 10337401
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided that includes a turbo-compressor, a combustor section, a flow path and a recuperator. The turbo-compressor includes a compressor section and a turbine section. The combustor section includes a combustor and a plenum adjacent the combustor. The flow path extends through the compressor section, the combustor section and the turbine section. The recuperator is configured with the flowpath between the combustor section and the turbine section. An inlet duct to the recuperator is fluidly coupled with the flow path upstream of the plenum. An outlet duct from the recuperator is fluidly coupled with the plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10316688
    Abstract: A turbomachine including an exhaust housing, including a plurality of arms, the space separating the arms defining openings in which there circulates a primary air flow of the turbomachine, at least one conduit, a) configured to collect a compressed air flow at one of the ends of same, b) the other end of the conduit being connected to at least one opening of the exhaust housing, so as to insert the collected air flow into the primary air flow, the collected air flow having, when inserted into the opening, a Mach number less than or equal to 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Abdelkader Benyahia, Jean-Michel Boiteux, Maxime Delabriere, Matthieu Fiack, Eddy Stephane Joel Fontanel, Alberto Martin Matos, Helene Orsi, Philippe Rembry, Olivier Renon, Giuliana Elisa Rossi
  • Patent number: 10291103
    Abstract: Provided is a rotor assembly for a brushless direct current motor. The rotor assembly includes an insert which fits within an outer rotor cup. The insert locates the position of the magnets and secures them with extended features. Curved fan blades are integrated into the insert to provide improved airflow and cooling during rotation. The insert has features incorporated to reduce overall noise caused by air flow by having smooth transitions between mating surfaces and joints. A trench is incorporated within the insert to provide an overflow catch for excess adhesive when the magnet segments are “glued” into place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: SFEG Corp.
    Inventor: Steven J. Holman
  • Patent number: 10267160
    Abstract: Methods are provided for creating a fluidic barrier between the core stream and the bypass stream in a turbofan engine. A method comprises compressing the bypass and core streams with a fan between an upstream splitter and a downstream splitter which divides the bypass and core streams, and imparting a first momentum into the air stream proximate the fan in a region between the core and bypass streams and the upstream and downstream splitters to form a fluid barrier, wherein the first momentum of the air stream in the region is higher than a second momentum of the air stream adjacent the fluid barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Edward C. Rice
  • Patent number: 10138756
    Abstract: A turbine wheel with optimal-mass dampers to dampen a predetermined resonance in context of vibration of a turbine, particularly a low-speed turbine, while assisting in flexibility of adapting to bearing surfaces of recesses of the dampers, by separating mass and flexibility functions by a flexible portion for clamping against the platform, and a mass portion for controlling frictional forces. A damper includes a plate and a counterweight. The plate is stamped from a metal sheet that is substantially thinner than that of the counterweight. The plate includes a wall configured to flexibly contact a platform of the blade of the wheel, while at least partially surrounding a surface of the counterweight. The damper can be used in particular for a wheel of a turbine of a turbine engine, of a fan, or of a BP compressor having mounted blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Safran Helicopter Engines
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Pierre Sahores, Michel Francois Leon Beaucoueste
  • Patent number: 10125722
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided that include a turbo-compressor, a combustor section and a nacelle which houses the turbo-compressor and the combustor section. The turbo-compressor includes a compressor section and a turbine section. The combustor section is fluidly coupled between the compressor section and the turbine section. The nacelle includes a thrust reverser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10119423
    Abstract: A fan hub assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a fan hub that is configured to rotate about an axis. The fan hub has an axially extending aperture and a platform. A fastener is received in the aperture in a slip fit relationship to secure the platform to the fan hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Colin J. Kling, Charles W. Brown, Christopher M. Quinn, Shelton O. Duelm, Peter V. Tomeo, Corey L. Hubbert
  • Patent number: 10094279
    Abstract: The engine (10) includes a low spool (16) disposed aft of an air inlet (12) and a high spool (34) disposed aft of the low spool (16). An intake reverse-duct (44) is disposed radially outward of the high spool (34) and reverses direction of low pressure compressed air from the low spool (16) into a forward-flow high pressure compressor (40) of the high spool (34). A discharge reverse-manifold (48) directs flow of an exhaust gas stream (50} from a forward-flow low pressure turbine (20) into a rearward-flow direction and into at least one pulse detonation firing tube (54). An annular bypass air duct (72) directs cooling air along the engine (10)—The at least, one firing tube is positioned radially outward of the high spool (34), overlies the high spool (34) and is also positioned within the bypass air duct (72).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Francis R Moon
  • Patent number: 9989011
    Abstract: A bypass housing receives a fan and defines a front end. An airflow path delivers air into an inlet duct over a limited circumferential extent of the bypass housing. An airflow path passes across a low pressure compressor rotor. An airflow path passes through a core engine, which includes a high pressure compressor rotor, a combustor, and a high pressure turbine rotor. Products of combustion downstream of the high pressure turbine rotor pass into an intermediate duct and then across a low pressure turbine rotor. The low pressure turbine rotor is positioned closer to the front end of the engine than is the high pressure turbine rotor. The low pressure turbine rotor is positioned axially intermediate the low pressure compressor rotor and the fan. The low pressure turbine rotor drives both the fan and the low pressure turbine rotor. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 9957823
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided that includes a core flow path to direct a core stream flow. A common flow path is outboard of the core flow path, where the common flow path directs both a second stream flow and a third stream flow. Another gas turbine engine is provided that includes an outer case structure around a central longitudinal engine axis. An intermediate case structure is inboard of the outer case structure, where the intermediate case structure and the outer case structure direct both a third stream flow and a second stream flow. An inner case structure is inboard of the intermediate case structure, where the inner case structure and the intermediate case structure direct a core stream flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Alan H. Epstein
  • Patent number: 9850822
    Abstract: A disclosed gas turbine engine includes a first fan section including a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an axis, a compressor in fluid communication with the first fan section, a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor and a first turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor. The first turbine section includes a low pressure turbine that drives the first fan section. A second fan section is supported between the first fan section and the compressor and is driven by a second turbine section disposed between the second fan section and the compressor for driving the second fan section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 9828969
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wind turbine having rotating blades, comprising: a base, a rotation shaft, turbine blades, blade ferrules, an upper flange, a generator and a lower flange. The rotation shaft is arranged on the base. The blade ferrules are installed on the rotation shaft. Blade ferrules are applied to fixate between the rotation shaft and the turbine blades. The rotation shaft is connected to the generator. The upper flange is arranged above the generator and the lower flange is arranged under the generator. The disclosed wind turbine may increase utilization efficiency of wind power and is highly advantageous to startup the generator under breeze condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: JIANGSU NEWHOPE RENEWABLE ENERGY S & T CO., LTD
    Inventor: Dapeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9759160
    Abstract: An ultra-efficient “green” aircraft propulsor utilizing an augmentor fan is disclosed. A balanced design is provided combining a fuel efficient and low-noise high bypass ratio augmentor fan and a low-noise shrouded high bypass ratio turbofan. Three mass flow streams are utilized to reduce propulsor specific fuel consumption and increase performance relative to conventional turbofans. Methods are provided for optimization of fuel efficiency, power, and noise by varying mass flow ratios of the three mass flow streams. Methods are also provided for integration of external propellers into turbofan machinery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mithra M. K. V. Sankrithi, Gerhard E. Seidel, Alan K. Prichard, Matthew Moore
  • Patent number: 9353684
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method of LO airflow modulation for use with a DTSA engine. A DTSA engine is positioned within an aircraft fuselage and the second DTSA turbine fan includes it own dedicated decoupled air inlet duct that is formed co-centrically about the housing. An airflow modulator member is positioned in duct to form the duct wall when the modulator is in a closed position. The Modulator member is pivotally connected to the duct wall, and is movable by an actuator to a second open position that allows airflow to escape the third stream duct, and provide airflow to both the DTSA fan blades as well as engine bay for cooling. The method of the present invention provides airflow modulation to an aircraft employing a DTSA engine, said method including the receiving of airflow from a supersonic aircraft intake; sensing a number of parameters, including, but not limited to aircraft speed, temperature, engine load and/or altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: George D. Rupp, Trajaen J. Troia
  • Patent number: 8251676
    Abstract: An axial-flow fan for a vehicle radiator includes a fan wheel that delivers the main air flow and is driven by a hub motor coupled to the fan wheel. The vehicle radiator is on the intake side of the fan wheel, the hub motor during operation is cooled by a secondary air flow, and the cooling air flow of the hub motor flowing out from an air outlet opening is on the intake side in the hub area of the fan wheel. An air baffle device including a propeller is assigned to the hub motor and the cooling air flow passing through the air baffle device is led out of the air outlet opening, avoiding disturbances of the main air flow delivered by the fan wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Würzburg
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Fleischmann, Stefan Berg, Alexander Gass
  • Patent number: 8192141
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine rotor having a first axial compression stage for compressing air in a first direction and a second axial compression stage for compressing the air in a second direction, the second direction being generally opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Mark R. Dale
  • Patent number: 8123460
    Abstract: Electronic equipment frequently requires cooling to maintain the integrity and reliability of the equipment, and to elongate the life expectancy of the equipment. When in operation, the fan of a UAV creates airflow comprising outside air directed across the duct of the UAV. Utilizing this airflow generated by the fan of a UAV to provide heat transfer from a equipment enclosure accomplishes efficient heat transfer. The methods described herein for transferring heat from an equipment enclosure using an airflow generated by a fan of a UAV may be employed for UAVs having a variety of duct shapes, and having equipment enclosures inside the duct or in detachable equipment enclosures located on the duct of the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Collette
  • Patent number: 7484925
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rotary axial fan and a stator fan for moving air through a heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine cooling system. The fan includes a hub and primary fan blades extending radially from the hub. An annular shroud is attached to the primary fan blades and supported coaxially with the central axis to limit the radial flow of air along the primary fan blades. A plurality of secondary fan blades are interposed between the primary fan blades and each have a first end attached to the annular shroud and terminate in a second end that is not attached to the hub. The stator fan includes a shroud with an array of stator fan blades supporting a hub for the radial axial fan. The size, orientation and material characteristics of the stator fan blades improve sound reduction and heat transfer of the rotary axial fan assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: EMP Advanced Development, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy S. Carlson, Nicholas T. Pipkorn, Todd R. Stevens
  • Patent number: 6397577
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine structure is described wherein the compressor region and the turbine region of the engine are disposed substantially concentrically of each other between fixed inner and outer casings, with the combustor disposed at one common end of the compressor and turbine, and wherein the rotor components of the engine include one or more rings, bands, housings or casings with the turbine blades and compressor blades mounted respectively on the inner and outer surface thereof, and wherein the compressor and turbine stator components are mounted respectively on the inner surface of the outer casing and the outer surface of the inner casing, or, alternatively, wherein the turbine and compressor stator components are mounted respectively on the inner surface of the outer casing and the outer surface of the inner casing, which structure geometries eliminate much of the weight associated with the disks and interconnecting shafts that characterize conventional engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Rolf Sondergaard
  • Patent number: 5988980
    Abstract: A blade assembly, which may have blisk for a gas turbine engine, includes an annular rim disposed about a rotor axis and a blade assembly disposed around the rim. The blade assembly has circumferentially disposed and radially extending inner and outer rows of inner and outer airfoils, respectively and each airfoil has axially spaced apart leading and trailing airfoil edges. An annular shroud is disposed between and connecting the inner and outer rows of inner and outer airfoils and has axially spaced apart annular leading and trailing shroud edges corresponding to the leading and trailing airfoil edges, respectively. An axially extending cavity is provided in each of the leading and trailing shroud edges for reducing stresses in leading and trailing airfoil edges, respectively and the corresponding airfoil edges are located near the cavities. The cavities preferably extend axially under the corresponding airfoil edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce C. Busbey, David W. Crall, Michael D. Toye
  • Patent number: 5241815
    Abstract: A heat-recovering-thrust-turbine including the rotational flow path has been invented in present work. This thrust turbine consists of a rotating disc having unique shape and functions of compressor and turbine together, a combustion chamber, manifolds for heat recovering and a divergent nozzle having the curved flow path in a different way of conventional gas turbine engines utilizing a straight discharging mechanism of the exhaust gases.Thus, this invented thrust turbine is able to perform the combined function such as compression of air, cooling of the hot section, recovery of the wasted heats and generation of the thrust and the turbine power being used for the air compression, simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Inventors: Dae S. Lee, Ho K. Shin
  • Patent number: 5103635
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine intended for use as an aircraft engine which includes a gas generator which supplies interdigitated, contra-rotating radially inner and outer low-speed power turbines driving forward mounted contra-rotating front and rear fans, the gases flowing through the gas generator from the rear of the engine towards the front, and then flowing in a rearward direction through the power turbines. The front fan is driven by the radially inner power turbine via a central shaft extending towards the front of the engine and supporting a disc carrying the front fan, and the rear fan is driven by the radially outer power turbine via a forwardly extending drum which is rotatably mounted between the central shaft and a stationary structure of the engine and which carries the rear fan. This structure permits the pod mounting of a high by-pass ratio engine under wing of an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation "S.N.E.C.M.A."
    Inventor: Alain M. J. Lardellier
  • Patent number: 4288983
    Abstract: A turbofan configuration for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. Various construction details which improve engine performance by supercharging working medium gases to the engine core are discussed. Engines configured in accordance with the present invention include an island splitter which is disposed across the fan flow path. The island splitter is spaced apart from the core engine case. A supercharging, compression stage is driven commonly with the fan stage and extends outwardly into proximity with the core case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1981
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. O'Rourke, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4249859
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided with a flow splitter at the inlet of the compressor with preloaded inner and outer walls. The inner wall and outer wall are positioned generally coaxially of each other and form a generally hollow, annular shell structure which is stressed in the axial direction. The inner wall comprised of two axially separable ring sections is placed in compression while the outer wall is placed in tension. The axial stressing compensates for transient growth differentials due to thermals in the inner and outer walls, also for tolerance buildup between the components forming the walls and for deflections that are created by blow-off loads transmitted through the walls from inlet guide vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Benyi, Jr., Joseph R. Kozlin
  • Patent number: 4036562
    Abstract: A dehydrator for the drying of small articles including a cabinet having a series of vertically spaced trays offset from a relatively large diameter fan blade structure. The fan blade structure drives air through a first airflow zone of cylindrical configuration while a second airflow zone, located interiorly of the first zone, is occupied by an airflow opposite in direction to the first airflow and induced by a negative pressure area rearward of the fan blade. The negative pressure area is communicated to the dryer by means of the fan blade's apertured central area. Said negative pressure area rearward of the fan blade receives a flow of air through the fan blade which flow is recirculated past a heat source whereupon the fan vanes again drive the air past the articles being dried. A modified form of fan blade structure incorporates vane components located in the central area of the blade to assist in air recirculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1977
    Inventor: Jack H. Barnes