IP Library Granted Patent US 10,451,004
Granted Patent B2
US 10,451,004 · App. 15/173,288 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

Gas turbine engine with low stage count low pressure turbine

Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu (Glastonbury, CT); Brian D. Merry (Andover, CT); Christopher M. Dye (San Diego, CA); Steven B. Johnson (Marlborough, CT); Frederick M. Schwarz (Glastonbury, CT)
Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
F02K3/06B64D27/26F01D5/06F01D9/02F01D15/12F01D25/24F01D25/28F02C3/107F02C7/20F02C7/36F02C9/18F02C9/20F02K1/15B64D2027/266B64D2027/268F05D2220/32F05D2220/36F05D2260/4031F05D2260/40311F05D2270/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,451,004
App. No.
15/173,288
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a fan section including a fan rotor, a gear train defined about an engine axis of rotation, a first nacelle which at least partially surrounds a second nacelle and the fan rotor, the fan section configured to communicate airflow into the first nacelle and the second nacelle, a first turbine, and a second turbine followed by the first turbine. The first turbine is configured to drive the fan rotor through the gear train. A static structure includes a first engine mount location and a second engine mount location.

Claims (51)

1. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a fan section including a fan rotor;

a planetary gear train defined about an engine axis of rotation and having a gear reduction ratio of greater than 2.5:1;

a first nacelle which at least partially surrounds a second nacelle and the fan rotor, the first nacelle having a first exit, the second nacelle having a second exit at an axial location aft of the first exit along the engine axis of rotation, and the fan section communicates airflow into the first nacelle and the second nacelle and provides an engine bypass ratio greater than 10:1;

a four stage low pressure turbine, and a high pressure turbine with two high pressure turbine stages, the high pressure turbine followed by the low pressure turbine, and the low pressure turbine having a pressure ratio greater than 5:1 and driving the fan rotor through the gear train; and

a static structure comprising a plurality of cases, wherein a first case of the plurality of cases includes a first engine mount location, and a second case of the plurality of cases is positioned aft of the first case, and wherein the second case includes a second engine mount location to react an engine thrust in operation, the second engine mount location not connected to said first case by a thrust link when the engine is mounted, and wherein the first engine mount location is axially near the gear train; and

wherein the static structure supports a bearing system upon which the low pressure turbine, high pressure turbine and fan rotor rotate.

2. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a low fan pressure ratio less than 1.45 across a fan blade alone.

3. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 2 , wherein the fan section has a low corrected fan tip speed less than 1150 ft/second.

4. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3 , further comprising a low pressure compressor, and a low spool including the low pressure compressor and the low pressure turbine, the low spool driving the fan section which is connected to the low spool through the gear train.

5. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a fan section including a fan rotor;

a planetary gear train defined about an engine axis of rotation and having a gear reduction ratio of greater than 2.5:1;

a first nacelle which at least partially surrounds a second nacelle and the fan rotor, the first nacelle having a first exit, the second nacelle having a second exit axially aft of the first exit, and the fan section communicates airflow into the first nacelle and the second nacelle and provides an engine bypass ratio greater than 10:1;

a four stage first turbine, and a second turbine with two second turbine stages, the second turbine followed by the first turbine, and the first turbine driving the fan rotor through the gear train; and

a static structure comprising a first case located forward of a second case, the first case having a first engine mount location and the second case having a second engine mount location, each of the first engine mount location and second engine mount location supporting an engine mount when the engine is mounted, wherein the first engine mount location is axially near the gear train.

6. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 5 , further comprising a first compressor in communication with a second compressor, which is in communication with a combustor, and wherein the first compressor is a two or four stage compressor.

7. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first compressor is a four stage compressor.

8. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first exit of the first nacelle has an area, and the area is not variable.

9. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 5 , wherein the second engine mount location is not connected by a thrust link to said first case when the engine is mounted.

10. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 9 , wherein neither the first case nor the second case is a fan case.

11. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 5 , wherein the fan section has a low corrected fan tip speed less than 1150 ft/second, and further comprising a low fan pressure ratio less than 1.45 across a fan blade alone.

12. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first turbine has a pressure ratio greater than 5:1.

13. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12 , further comprising a first compressor in communication with a second compressor, which is in communication with a combustor, and wherein the first compressor is a two or four stage compressor.

14. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a fan section including a fan rotor;

an epicyclic gear train defined about an engine axis of rotation and having a gear reduction ratio of greater than 2.5:1;

a first nacelle which at least partially surrounds a second nacelle and the fan rotor, the first nacelle having a first exit, the second nacelle having a second exit axially aft of the first exit, and the fan section communicates airflow into the first nacelle and the second nacelle and provides an engine bypass ratio greater than 10:1;

a high pressure compressor;

a high pressure turbine;

a combustor arranged between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine, and said combustor produces combustor products;

a three or four stage low pressure turbine, the low pressure turbine receives combustor products after the high pressure turbine, has a pressure ratio greater than 5:1, and drives the fan rotor through the gear train; and

a static structure comprising a first static structure component located forward of a second static structure component, the first static structure component having a first engine mount location and the second static structure component having a second engine mount location, each of the first engine mount location and second engine mount location supporting an engine mount when the engine is mounted, wherein the first static structure component at least partially surrounds the gear train.

15. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14 , wherein the high pressure turbine is a two stage turbine.

16. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14 , wherein the fan section includes a plurality of fan blades, the fan blades having a design angle of incidence, and further comprising:

a fan variable area nozzle axially movable relative to the first nacelle to vary a fan nozzle exit area;

a controller that controls the fan variable area nozzle to vary the fan nozzle exit area to reduce a fan instability, and to maintain an angle of incidence of the fan blades close to the design angle of incidence at a plurality of flight conditions; and

wherein the controller reduces the fan nozzle exit area at a cruise flight condition.

17. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14 , wherein the second engine mount location is not connected to said first static structure component by a thrust link when the engine is mounted.

18. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 17 , wherein the first static structure component is an intermediate case and the second static structure component is a mid-turbine frame.

19. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14 , further comprising a low fan pressure ratio less than 1.45 across a fan blade alone.

20. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 19 , wherein the fan section has a low corrected fan tip speed less than 1150 ft/second.

21. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 20 , wherein the fan section includes a plurality of fan blades, the fan blades having a design angle of incidence, further comprising:

a fan variable area nozzle axially movable relative to the first nacelle to vary a fan nozzle exit area;

a controller that controls the fan variable area nozzle to vary the fan nozzle exit area to reduce a fan instability, and to maintain an angle of incidence of the fan blades close to the design angle of incidence at a plurality of flight conditions;

wherein the controller reduces the fan nozzle exit area at a cruise flight condition; and

wherein the fan section includes a plurality of fan blades with a fixed stagger angle.

22. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 19 , further comprising a two or four stage low pressure compressor.

23. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 19 , wherein the low pressure turbine is a four stage turbine.

24. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first engine mount location is axially near the gear train.

25. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 24 , wherein the second engine mount location reacts an engine thrust in operation, and the second engine mount locatin is not connected to said first static structure component by a thrust link when the engine is mounted.

Assignments (3)
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 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14755221 · Jun 30, 2015
Continuation 14190429 · Feb 26, 2014
Continuation In Part 13340988 · Dec 30, 2011
Continuation In Part 12131876 · Jun 2, 2008
Related Publication 20170058830A1 · Mar 2, 2017