IP Library Granted Patent US 12,460,574
Granted Patent B2
US 12,460,574 · App. 18/644,332 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Gas turbine engine having cooling systems

Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo (Mason, OH)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F02C6/08F02C7/18F02C9/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,460,574
App. No.
18/644,332
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine is provided, including: an accessory system; and a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section defining a compressor discharge cavity, and a turbine section collectively defining in part a working gas flowpath, the turbomachine further including: a reverse bleed system comprising a reverse bleed duct and an RBS blower in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct, the reverse bleed duct in fluid communication with the working gas flowpath; and an accessory cooling system including a cooling duct defining an inlet in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct, the accessory cooling duct including a cooling tip oriented towards the accessory system to provide an airflow onto the accessory system.

Claims (31)

1 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:

an accessory system; and

a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section defining a compressor discharge cavity, and a turbine section collectively defining in part a working gas flowpath, the turbomachine further comprising:

a reverse bleed system comprising a reverse bleed duct and an RBS blower in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct, the reverse bleed duct in fluid communication with the working gas flowpath through an outlet of the reverse bleed duct; and

an accessory cooling system comprising a cooling duct defining an inlet in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct, the cooling duct comprising a cooling tip oriented towards the accessory system to provide an airflow onto the accessory system,

wherein the reverse bleed duct is further in fluid communication with a cold location of the gas turbine engine as an airflow source for the reverse bleed system,

wherein the gas turbine engine defines a bypass passage over the turbomachine, and wherein the cold location is the bypass passage, the working gas flowpath through a low pressure compressor, the working gas flowpath between the low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor, or a combination thereof, and

wherein the turbomachine comprises an operability bleed assembly comprising an operability bleed duct extending between an inlet of the operability bleed duct in fluid communication with the working gas flowpath at a location between the low pressure compressor and the high pressure compressor and an outlet of the operability bleed duct, wherein an inlet of the reverse bleed system is in fluid communication with the operability bleed duct.

2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the accessory cooling system further comprises a flow control valve, wherein the inlet of the accessory cooling system is in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct through the flow control valve.

3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , wherein the flow control valve is a variable three-way valve.

4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a plurality of accessory systems, wherein the accessory system is a first accessory system of the plurality of accessory systems, wherein the accessory cooling system further comprises a plurality of cooling tips, wherein the cooling tip is a first cooling tip of the plurality of cooling tips, wherein the cooling duct comprises a plurality of branches, wherein each of the plurality of branches defines a respective one of the plurality of cooling tips, and wherein each cooling tip of the plurality of cooling tips is oriented towards to a respective accessory system of the plurality of accessory systems to provide an airflow onto the respective accessory system.

5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the accessory system is a first accessory system, wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises a second accessory system, wherein the cooling duct comprises a first portion that extends towards the first accessory system and is in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct at a first location along the reverse bleed duct, wherein the cooling duct further comprises a second portion that extends towards the second accessory system and is in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct at a second location along the reverse bleed duct.

6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the accessory cooling system further comprises a flow control valve at the second location along the reverse bleed duct, wherein the second portion is in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct through the flow control valve.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein the accessory cooling system further comprises a flow control valve downstream of the second location along the second portion, wherein the second portion is in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct through the flow control valve, and wherein the reverse bleed system further includes an RBS flow control valve downstream of the second location.

8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the RBS blower is in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct at a location upstream of the inlet of the cooling duct.

9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the reverse bleed system comprises a check valve at a location downstream of the inlet of the accessory cooling system and upstream of the outlet of the reverse bleed duct, wherein the check valve is positioned to prevent an airflow from the outlet of the reverse bleed duct toward the RBS blower.

10 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the compressor section, the combustion section, or both defines a compressor bleed plenum, wherein the reverse bleed duct is in fluid communication with the working gas flowpath across the compressor bleed plenum.

11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bifurcation connected to the turbomachine, wherein the cold location of the gas turbine engine is a flowpath surface of the bifurcation.

12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the operability bleed duct is in fluid communication with the bypass passage, wherein the cold location is the working gas flowpath between the low pressure compressor and the high pressure compressor when the gas turbine engine is in an operating condition, and wherein the cold location is the bypass passage when the gas turbine engine is in a shutdown operating condition.

13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine defines an overall pressure ratio greater than or equal to 50:1 and less than or equal to 70:1 when operated at a rated speed during standard day operating conditions.

14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising:

a fan section having a fan driven by the turbomachine, wherein the fan defines a fan pressure ratio less than or equal to 1.6 when the gas turbine engine is operated at a cruise condition.

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine is an open rotor gas turbine engine.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas turbine engine is a turbofan engine.

17 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:

an accessory system; and

a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section defining a compressor discharge cavity, and a turbine section collectively defining in part a working gas flowpath, the compressor section comprising a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor, the turbomachine further comprising:

a reverse bleed system comprising a reverse bleed duct and an RBS blower in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct, the reverse bleed duct in fluid communication with the working gas flowpath through an outlet of the reverse bleed duct, wherein the reverse bleed duct is further in fluid communication with a cold location of the gas turbine engine as an airflow source for the reverse bleed system; and

an accessory cooling system comprising a cooling duct defining an inlet in fluid communication with the reverse bleed duct, the cooling duct comprising a cooling tip oriented towards the accessory system to provide an airflow onto the accessory system;

wherein the turbomachine comprises an operability bleed assembly comprising an operability bleed duct extending between an inlet of the operability bleed duct in fluid communication with the working gas flowpath at a location between the low pressure compressor and the high pressure compressor and an outlet of the operability bleed duct, wherein an inlet of the reverse bleed system is in fluid communication with the operability bleed duct.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2025
From: RAMBO, JEFFREY DOUGLAS
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 072446/0234 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250334071A1 · Oct 30, 2025
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