Raytheon Technologies Corporation

United Technologies Corporation

William E Rosenkrans

Frederick M Schwarz

Robert J Morris

A method of operation for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, reducing a rotational speed of a fan relative to a shaft through a gear train, driving the shaft with a low pressure turbine, driving a high pressure compressor with a high pressure turbine, communicating airflow from the fan through a bypass passage defined by a nacelle, the nacelle extending along an engine axis and surrounding the fan, discharging the airflow through a variable area fan nozzle defining a discharge airflow area, detecting an airfoil flutter condition associated with adjacent airfoils of the fan, and moving the variable area fan nozzle to vary the discharge airflow area and mitigate the airfoil flutter condition.

Flutter sensing and control system for a gas turbine engine

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.

A method of operation for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, reducing a rotational speed of a fan relative to a shaft through a gear train, driving the shaft with a first turbine, driving a compressor with a second turbine, communicating airflow from the fan through a bypass passage defined by a nacelle, the nacelle extending along an engine axis and surrounding the fan, and having a bypass ratio of greater than 10, discharging the airflow through a variable area fan nozzle defining a discharge airflow area, detecting an airfoil flutter condition associated with adjacent airfoils of the fan, and moving the variable area fan nozzle to vary the discharge airflow area and mitigate the airfoil flutter condition.

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.

An exemplary gas turbine engine assembly includes a fan casing within a nacelle, a variable area fan nozzle. A controller is operable to move the variable area fan nozzle to influence a discharge airflow area associated with the variable area fan nozzle in response to an airfoil flutter condition. A gear train reduces a rotational speed of a fan in the gas turbine engine relative to another portion of the gas turbine engine.

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Columbia, CT, United States of America

William E Rosenkrans