IP Library Granted Patent US 12,523,188
Granted Patent B2
US 12,523,188 · App. 18/675,270 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Gas turbine engine with third stream

Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller (Liberty Township, OH); Randy M. Vondrell (Cincinnati, OH); David Marion Ostdiek (Liberty Township, OH); Craig William Higgins (Liberty Township, OH); Alexander Kimberley Simpson (Cincinnati, OH)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F02K3/065F02C3/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,523,188
App. No.
18/675,270
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine defining an engine inlet to an inlet duct, a fan duct inlet to a fan duct, and a core inlet to a core duct; a primary fan driven by the turbomachine; and a secondary fan located downstream of the primary fan within the inlet duct. The gas turbine engine defines a thrust to power airflow ratio between 3.5 and 100 and a core bypass ratio between 0.1 and 10, wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is a ratio of an airflow through a bypass passage over the turbomachine plus an airflow through the fan duct to an airflow through the core duct, and wherein the core bypass ratio is a ratio of the airflow through the fan duct to the airflow through the core duct.

Claims (37)

1 . A gas turbine engine comprising:

a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the turbomachine defining an engine inlet to an inlet duct, a fan duct inlet to a fan duct, and a core inlet to a core duct;

a primary fan driven by the turbomachine; and

a secondary fan located downstream of the primary fan within the inlet duct, the gas turbine engine defining a thrust to power airflow ratio between 3.5 and 100 and a core bypass ratio between 0.1 and 10,

wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is a ratio of an airflow through a bypass passage over the turbomachine plus an airflow through the fan duct to an airflow through the core duct, and wherein the core bypass ratio is a ratio of the airflow through the fan duct to the airflow through the core duct;

wherein the primary fan is a variable pitch primary fan.

2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio and the core bypass ratio are defined when the gas turbine engine is operated at a rated speed during standard day operating conditions.

3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 4 and 75.

4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the primary fan is an unducted primary fan, and wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 30 and 60.

5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 4 , wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 35 and 50.

6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the core bypass ratio is between 0.3 and 5.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine is a turboprop engine, and wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 40 and 100.

8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the primary fan is a ducted primary fan, and wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 3.5 and 40.

9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the gas turbine engine is a direct drive gas turbine engine, and wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 3.5 and 20.

10 . The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the gas turbine engine is a geared gas turbine engine, and wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 8 and 40.

11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the secondary fan is a single stage secondary fan.

12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the secondary fan is a multi-stage secondary fan.

13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 12 , wherein the multi-stage secondary fan is a two stage secondary fan.

14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the primary fan is a ducted primary fan comprising an outer nacelle surrounding the primary fan and defining the bypass passage downstream of the primary fan and over the turbomachine, wherein the gas turbine engine further defines a bypass passage outlet at a downstream end of the outer nacelle, wherein the fan duct defines a fan duct outlet, and wherein the fan duct outlet is downstream of the bypass passage outlet.

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the primary fan is a ducted primary fan comprising an outer nacelle surrounding the primary fan and defining the bypass passage downstream of the primary fan and over the turbomachine, wherein the gas turbine engine further defines a bypass passage outlet at a downstream end of the outer nacelle, wherein the fan duct defines a fan duct outlet, and wherein the fan duct outlet is upstream of the bypass passage outlet.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the primary fan defines a radius R 1 and the secondary fan defines a radius R 2 , and wherein a ratio of R 1 to R 2 is greater than or equal to 3.3 and less than or equal to 7.

17 . A method of operating a gas turbine engine, comprising:

operating the gas turbine engine at a rated speed, wherein operating the gas turbine engine at the rated speed comprises operating the gas turbine engine to define a thrust to power airflow ratio between 3.5 and 100 and a core bypass ratio between 0.1 and 5,

wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is a ratio of an airflow through a bypass passage over a turbomachine of the gas turbine engine plus an airflow through a fan duct to an airflow through a core duct, and wherein the core bypass ratio is a ratio of the airflow through the fan duct to the airflow through the core duct;

wherein a primary fan is a variable pitch primary fan.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 4 and 75.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the primary fan is an unducted primary fan, and wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 30 and 60.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 35 and 50.

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the core bypass ratio is between 0.3 and 5.

22 . A gas turbine engine comprising:

a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the turbomachine defining an engine inlet to an inlet duct, a fan duct inlet to a fan duct, and a core inlet to a core duct;

a primary fan driven by the turbomachine, wherein the primary fan is an unducted and variable pitch primary fan; and

a secondary fan located downstream of the primary fan within the inlet duct, the gas turbine engine defining a thrust to power airflow ratio between 30 and 60 and a core bypass ratio between 0.1 and 10,

wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is a ratio of an airflow through a bypass passage over the turbomachine plus an airflow through the fan duct to an airflow through the core duct, and wherein the core bypass ratio is a ratio of the airflow through the fan duct to the airflow through the core duct, wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio and the core bypass ratio are defined when the gas turbine engine is operated at a rated speed during standard day operating conditions,

wherein the primary fan includes a number of fan blades greater than or equal to 12 and less than or equal to 20, wherein the primary fan defines a radius R 1 and the secondary fan defines a radius R 2 , and wherein a ratio of R 1 to R 2 is greater than or equal to 3.3 and less than or equal to 7.

23 . The gas turbine engine of claim 22 , wherein the thrust to power airflow ratio is between 35 and 50, and wherein the core bypass ratio is between 0.3 and 5.

24 . The gas turbine engine of claim 22 , wherein the core bypass ratio is between 0.3 and 5.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2024
From: MILLER, BRANDON WAYNE; VONDRELL, RANDY M.; OSTDIEK, DAVID MARION; HIGGINS, CRAIG WILLIAM; SIMPSON, ALEXANDER KIMBERLEY
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 067535/0626 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17879384 · Aug 2, 2022
Related Publication 20240309829A1 · Sep 19, 2024
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