General Electric Company

Stephen William Freund

Brandon Wayne Miller

Daniel Alan Niergarth

Alan Roy Stuart

Michael Terry Bucaro

Gert Johannes Van Der Merwe

David Marion Ostdiek

Daniel Dale Brown

Glenn Edward Wiehe

A propulsion system, the propulsion system comprising a rotating element, a stationary element, and an inlet between the rotating element and the stationary element, wherein the inlet passes radially inward of the stationary element; wherein the inlet passes radially inward of the stationary element; wherein the inlet leads to an inlet duct containing a ducted fan having an axis of rotation and a plurality of blades; and wherein the inlet duct divides into a first duct and a second duct, separate from the first duct. A method of operating a propulsion system, comprising the steps of: operating a first rotating fan assembly to produce a first stream of air; directing a portion of the first stream of air into a second ducted rotating fan assembly; operating the second ducted rotating fan assembly to produce a second stream of air; dividing the second stream of air into a core stream and a fan stream; and directing the core stream into a gas turbine engine core.

Propulsion system architecture

A combustor dome assembly includes a dome plate with upstream and downstream faces and an aperture therein; a deflector with body and a tube section, the deflector fixedly attached to the dome plate adjacent the downstream face with the tube section in the aperture; a retainer having an annular body with a central opening therein, an annular flange, and at least one hook defining a slot, the retainer being fixedly attached to the dome plate adjacent the upstream face of the dome plate with the flange received in the aperture; and an annular mixer with a radial array of swirl vanes and an annular mounting flange, with a retention tab extending radially outward from the mounting flange. The mixer is disposed adjacent the upstream face with the mounting flange against the retainer. The retention tab is engaged in the slot to prevent axial withdrawal of the mixer from the retainer.

Combustor dome with combined deflector/mixer retainer

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Stephen William Freund