IP Library Granted Patent US 10,605,172
Granted Patent B2
US 10,605,172 · App. 13/970,670 · Granted Mar 31, 2020

Low noise turbine for geared gas turbine engine

Inventors: Bruce L. Morin (Springfield, MA); David A. Topol (West Hartford, CT); Detlef Korte (Munich, DE)
Assignees: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; MTU AERO ENGINES AG
F02C7/24F02K3/06F05D2200/36F05D2210/31F05D2240/301F05D2240/307Y02T50/673
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,605,172
App. No.
13/970,670
Granted
Mar 31, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a turbine section including a fan drive turbine, a compressor section driven by the turbine section, a geared architecture driven by the fan drive turbine, and a fan driven by the fan drive turbine via the geared architecture. At least one stage of the turbine section includes an array of rotatable blades and an array of vanes. A ratio of the number of vanes to the number blades is greater than or equal to about 1.55. A mechanical tip rotational Mach number of the blades is configured to be greater than or equal to about 0.5 at an approach speed.

Claims (51)

1. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a turbine section including a fan drive turbine;

a compressor section driven by the turbine section;

a geared architecture driven by the fan drive turbine; and

a fan driven by the fan drive turbine via the geared architecture;

wherein at least one stage of the turbine section includes an array of rotatable blades and an array of vanes, and

wherein a ratio of the number of vanes to the number of blades of the at least one stage is greater than or equal to 1.55, and

wherein a mechanical tip rotational Mach number of the blades is configured to be greater than or equal to 0.5 at an approach speed.

2. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the vanes of the at least one stage are immediately upstream or downstream from the blades.

3. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine is rated to produce 15,000 pounds of thrust or more.

4. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stage comprises a stage of the fan drive turbine.

5. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stage comprises each stage of the fan drive turbine.

6. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gear reduction has a gear ratio of greater than or equal to 2.3.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the fan delivers air into a bypass duct, and a portion of air into the compressor section, with a bypass ratio defined as the volume of air delivered into the bypass duct compared to the volume of air delivered into the compressor section, and the bypass ratio being greater than or equal to six (6).

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the bypass ratio is greater than or equal to ten (10).

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the turbine section is a turbine section of a three-spooled gas turbine engine.

10. A turbine section of a geared gas turbine engine, comprising:

at least one stage having a ratio of vanes to blades that is greater than or equal to 1.55, wherein the blades are configured to operate at a mechanical tip rotational Mach number that is greater than or equal to 0.5 at an approach speed.

11. The turbine section of claim 10 , wherein the vanes of the at least one stage are immediately upstream or downstream from the blades.

12. The turbine section of claim 10 , wherein the geared gas turbine engine is rated to produce 15,000 pounds of thrust or more.

13. The turbine section of claim 10 , wherein the at least one stage comprises a stage of a low pressure turbine.

14. The turbine section of claim 10 , wherein the at least one stage comprises each stage of a low pressure turbine.

15. A method of providing a portion of a gas turbine engine comprising:

providing at least one stage of a turbine section of a geared gas turbine engine, the at least one stage having a ratio of vanes to blades that is greater than or equal to 1.55, wherein a mechanical tip rotational Mach number of the blades is configured to be greater than or equal to 0.5 at an approach speed.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one stage comprises at least one stage of a low pressure turbine.

17. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a turbine section including a fan drive turbine;

a compressor section driven by the turbine section;

a geared architecture driven by the fan drive turbine; and

a fan driven by the fan drive turbine via the geared architecture;

wherein at least one stage of the turbine section includes an array of rotatable blades and an array of vanes, and

wherein a ratio of the number of vanes to the number of blades is greater than or equal to 1.55, and

wherein a mechanical tip rotational Mach number of the blades is configured to be greater than or equal to 0.5 at an approach speed, and

wherein the vanes of the at least one stage are immediately upstream or downstream from the blades, and

wherein the gas turbine engine is rated to produce 15,000 pounds of thrust or more.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , wherein the fan drive turbine includes a plurality of stages, and the at least one stage comprises at least one stage of the plurality of stages of the fan drive turbine.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the at least one stage comprises each stage of the fan drive turbine.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein the gear reduction has a gear ratio of greater than or equal to 2.3.

21. The gas turbine engine of claim 20 , wherein the fan delivers air into a bypass duct, and a portion of air into the compressor section, with a bypass ratio defined as the volume of air delivered into the bypass duct compared to the volume of air delivered into the compressor section, and the bypass ratio being greater than or equal to six (6).

22. The gas turbine engine of claim 21 , wherein the bypass ratio is greater than or equal to ten (10).

23. The gas turbine engine of claim 22 , wherein the turbine section is a turbine section of a three-spooled gas turbine engine.

24. The gas turbine engine of claim 23 , wherein the fan drive turbine has a pressure ratio greater than five (5).

25. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein:

the at least one stage of the fan drive turbine comprises more than one stage, of the plurality of stages of the fan drive turbine;

the fan has less than twenty (20) fan blades;

the fan drive turbine has at least three (3) stages, but no more than six (6) stages;

the fan drive turbine has a pressure ratio greater than five (5); and

the fan delivers air into a bypass duct, and a portion of air into the compressor section, with a bypass ratio defined as the volume of air delivered into the bypass duct compared to the volume of air delivered into the compressor section, and the bypass ratio being greater than or equal to ten (10).

26. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , wherein the at least one stage comprises only one stage of a high pressure turbine.

27. The gas turbine engine of claim 22 , wherein the fan has less than twenty (20) fan blades, the fan drive turbine has a pressure ratio greater than five (5), and the fan drive turbine has at least three (3) stages, but no more than six (6) stages.

28. The gas turbine engine of claim 27 , wherein the turbine section includes a high pressure turbine having a plurality of stages.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 16, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053788/0932 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61781170 · Mar 14, 2013
Related Publication 20140271112A1 · Sep 18, 2014