General Electric Company

Thomas Lee Becker, Jr

Kurt David Murrow

Patrick Michael Marrinan

Jixian Yao

Brandon Wayne Miller

Paul Robert Gemin

Tod Robert Steen

Richard Ludwig Schmidt

Narayanan Payyoor

Weize Kang

Thomas Ory Moniz

The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine assembly having a compressor configured to increase pressure of incoming air, a combustion chamber, at least one turbine coupled to a generator, a torsional damper, and a controller. The combustion chamber is configured to receive a pressurized air stream from the compressor. Further, fuel is injected into the pressurized air in the combustion chamber and ignited so as to raise a temperature and energy level of the pressurized air. The turbine is operatively coupled to the combustion chamber so as to receive combustion products that flow from the combustion chamber. The generator is coupled to the turbine via a shaft. Thus, the torsional damper is configured to dampen torsional oscillations of the generator. Moreover, the controller is configured to provide additional damping control to the generator.

Torsional damping for gas turbine engines

A turbomachine engine includes a core engine having one or more compressor sections, one or more turbine sections that includes a power turbine, and a combustion chamber in flow communication with the compressor sections and turbine sections. The turbomachine engine also includes a shaft coupled to the power turbine and characterized by a midshaft rating (MSR) between two hundred (ft/sec)and three hundred (ft/sec). In one aspect, the shaft has a redline speed between fifty and two hundred fifty feet per second (ft/sec). In another aspect, the shaft has a length L, an outer diameter D, and a ratio of L/D between twelve and thirty-seven.

Midshaft rating for turbomachine engines

An un-ducted turbofan engine defining a radial direction and an axial direction that includes a core engine, a fan, a plurality of variable outlet guide vanes, and a pitch change mechanism. Each of the plurality of variable outlet guide vanes are attached in a rotatable manner to the core engine of the un-ducted turbofan engine. The pitch change mechanism is positioned radially between the engine air flowpath and the plurality of variable outlet guide vanes and coupled to at least one variable outlet guide vane of the plurality of variable outlet guide vanes for changing a pitch of the at least one variable outlet guide vane.

Engine having variable pitch outlet guide vanes

An aircraft including a fuselage and an aft engine is provided. The fuselage extends from a forward end of the aircraft towards an aft end of the aircraft. The aft engine is mounted to the fuselage proximate the aft end of the aircraft and includes a fan and a nacelle. The fan is rotatable about a central axis of the aft engine and includes a plurality of fan blades. The nacelle of the aft engine surrounds the plurality of fan blades and defines a bottom portion having a forward end. Additionally, the nacelle defines a curved surface at the forward end of the bottom portion, the curved surface including a reference point where the curved surface defines the smallest radius of curvature. The nacelle further defines a normal reference line extending normal from the reference point. The normal reference line defines an angle with the central axis of the aft engine greater than zero to, e.g., allow for a maximum amount of airflow into the aft engine.

Aft engine nacelle shape for an aircraft

An aeronautical propulsion device including a fan and a plurality of variable guide vanes is provided. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades for providing a flow of air and the plurality of variable guide vanes are configured for directing air to or from the fan in a desired direction. Each of the plurality of guide vanes defines an inner end along the radial direction and is attached to a housing of the portion device at the inner end in a rotatable manner. The propulsion device further includes a pitch change mechanism positioned in the housing and mechanically coupled to at least one of the plurality of guide vanes for changing a pitch of the at least one of the plurality of guide vanes.

A gas turbine engine is provided having a compressor section, a combustion section located downstream of the compressor section, and a turbine section located downstream of the combustion section. A structural member extends from the compressor section to the turbine section for strengthening one or more components of the gas turbine engine. The structural member also defines a flowpath extending between an inlet in airflow communication with the compressor section and an outlet in airflow communication with the turbine section. The flowpath is configured to provide bleed air from the compressor section to the turbine section to capture at least a portion of the energy in such bleed air.

Mixed flow turbocore

A gas turbine engine is provided having a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section. The compressor section includes one or more compressors and the turbine section includes one or more turbines. The one or more compressors and the one or more turbines are each rotatable about a longitudinal centerline of the gas turbine engine. Additionally, a bleed air flowpath is provided extending between an inlet in airflow communication with the compressor section and an outlet. An auxiliary turbine is positioned in airflow communication with the bleed air flowpath for extracting energy from a flow of bleed air through the bleed air flowpath.

Compressor bleed auxiliary turbine

An aircraft is provided including a fuselage and an aft engine. The fuselage defines a top side, a bottom side, and a frustum located proximate an aft end of the aircraft. The frustum defines a top reference line extending along the frustum at a top side of the fuselage, and a bottom reference line extending along the frustum at a bottom side of the fuselage. The top and bottom reference lines meet at a reference point aft of the frustum. The fuselage further defines a recessed portion located aft of the frustum and indented inwardly from the bottom reference line. The aft engine includes a nacelle extending adjacent to the recessed portion of the fuselage such that the aft engine may be included with the aircraft without interfering with, e.g., a takeoff angle of the aircraft.

AFT engine nacelle shape for an aircraft

The pump includes a first rotatable member including a radially inward facing groove having an edge. The first rotatable member configured to receive a plurality of flows of fluid over the edge. The first rotatable member configured to rotate at a first angular velocity. The pump also includes a second rotatable member including a collector configured to rotate at a second angular velocity. The second rotatable member also includes a plurality of scoop tubes extending radially outwardly from the collector. Each scoop tube of the plurality of scoop tubes includes a first end coupled in flow communication to the collector and a second end including an inlet opening extending into the groove. The second end curved such that the inlet opening is open in a direction of rotation of the second rotatable member. The inlet opening configured to scoop a fluid collected in the groove.

Method and system for centrifugal pump

A propulsion system for an aircraft is provided having an aft engine configured to be mounted to the aircraft at an aft end of the aircraft. The aft engine includes a fan rotatable about a central axis of the aft engine having a plurality of fan blades attached to a fan shaft. The aft engine also includes a nacelle encircling the plurality of fan blades and a structural support system for mounting the aft engine to the aircraft. The structural support system extends from the fuselage of the aircraft, through the fan shaft, and to the nacelle when the aft engine is mounted to the aircraft. The aft engine may increase a net thrust of the aircraft when mounted to the aircraft.

Aft engine for an aircraft

A propulsion system for an aircraft including a plurality of primary engines is provided. The plurality of primary engines includes at least a first primary engine and a second primary engine, each configured for mounting to a respective one of a pair of wings of the aircraft. The propulsion system additionally includes an aft engine configured for mounting at a tail section of the aircraft. The plurality of primary engines are sized to provide an amount of thrust sufficient for the aircraft to takeoff without use of the aft engine, such that the aft engine may be configured as a non-prime reliable engine.

Growing community of inventors

Symmes Township, OH, United States of America

Thomas Lee Becker, Jr