IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,637,981
Granted Patent B2
US 12,637,981 · App. 19/063,679 · Granted May 26, 2026

Gas turbine engine

Inventors: Daniel John Oehrle (West Chester, OH); Randy M. Vondrell (Newport, KY); Apolinario Barra Ruiz (Querétaro, MX)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F02C7/32B64D27/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,637,981
App. No.
19/063,679
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas turbine engine defines an axial direction and a radial direction and comprises a turbomachine having an unducted primary fan, a core engine a combustor casing enclosing a combustor and defining an outer surface, a core cowl surrounding at least a portion of the core engine. The outer surface of the core cowl defines a peak cowl diameter in the radial direction, and the outer surface of the combustor casing defines a maximum combustor casing diameter along the radial direction. The core engine defines an overall core axial length along the axial direction and an under-core cowl axial length along the axial direction. The gas turbine engine defines a core cowl diameter ratio equal to the peak cowl diameter divided by the maximum combustor casing diameter and a core cowl length ratio equal to the under-core cowl axial length divided by the overall core axial length.

Claims (27)

1 . A gas turbine engine defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:

a turbomachine having an unducted primary fan, a core engine including a compressor, a combustor, and a combustor casing enclosing the combustor and defining an outer surface, a core cowl surrounding at least a portion of the core engine and defining an inner surface and an outer surface;

a fuel delivery system operable with the combustor to provide fuel to the combustor;

an air cycle assembly comprising an air cycle machine and a heat exchanger, the air cycle machine in airflow communication with the compressor and the heat exchanger; and

a thermal transfer bus thermally coupling the heat exchanger of the air cycle assembly to the fuel delivery system to transfer heat from the air cycle machine to the fuel delivery system,

wherein the outer surface of the core cowl defines a peak cowl diameter (D) in the radial direction, the outer surface of the combustor casing defines a maximum combustor casing diameter (d) along the radial direction, the core engine defines an overall core axial length (L) along the axial direction and an under-core cowl axial length (L 1 ) along the axial direction,

wherein the gas turbine engine defines a core cowl diameter ratio (CDR) equal to the peak cowl diameter (D) divided by the maximum combustor casing diameter (d) and a core cowl length ratio (CLR) equal to the under-core cowl axial length (L 1 ) divided by the overall core axial length (L),

wherein the CDR is between 2.7 and 3.5 and wherein the CLR is between 0.25 and 0.50.

2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein a void is defined between the outer surface of the combustor casing and the inner surface of the core cowl.

3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 2 , further comprising at least one engine accessory coupled to the inner surface of the core cowl.

4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the thermal transfer bus comprises a thermal energy storage unit.

5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger of the air cycle assembly is an ACS heat exchanger, wherein the thermal transfer bus comprises a fuel heat exchanger for transferring heat to the fuel delivery system, and wherein the fuel delivery system comprises a fuel cooled oil cooler at a location upstream of the fuel heat exchanger.

6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the air cycle assembly comprises a thermal energy storage unit at a location downstream of the air cycle machine.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the thermal transfer bus comprises a pump, and wherein the pump is mechanically driven by the air cycle machine.

8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the thermal transfer bus comprises a turbopump, wherein the turbopump comprises a power turbine in airflow communication with the compressor at a location upstream of the air cycle machine.

9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the compressor of the turbomachine is a first compressor, and wherein the air cycle machine comprises a second compressor for receiving and compressing a bleed airflow from the first compressor and a turbine rotatable with the second compressor and positioned downstream of the second compressor, the turbine of the air cycle machine configured to expand and cool the compressed bleed airflow from the second compressor.

10 . The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is in airflow communication with the second compressor of the air cycle machine at a location downstream of the second compressor of the air cycle machine and the turbine of the air cycle machine at a location upstream of the turbine of the air cycle machine.

11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the turbine of the air cycle machine is a first turbine, wherein the air cycle machine further comprises a second turbine and a second combustor, wherein the second combustor is located upstream of the second turbine, and wherein the second turbine is rotatable with the second compressor of the air cycle machine.

12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger is in airflow communication with the second turbine of the air cycle machine at a location downstream of the second turbine of the air cycle machine.

13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger of the air cycle assembly is a first ACS heat exchanger, wherein the air cycle assembly further comprises a second ACS heat exchanger, wherein the first ACS heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the second compressor of the air cycle machine and upstream of the first turbine of the air cycle machine.

14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the second ACS heat exchanger is in thermal communication with a bypass airflow passage of the gas turbine engine.

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the heat exchanger of the air cycle assembly is a second ACS heat exchanger, wherein the air cycle assembly further comprises a first ACS heat exchanger, wherein the first ACS heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the second compressor of the air cycle machine and upstream of the first turbine of the air cycle machine, wherein the second ACS heat exchanger is positioned downstream of the second turbine, and wherein the second ACS heat exchanger is in thermal communication with a bypass airflow passage of the gas turbine engine.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the thermal transfer bus comprises a turbopump, wherein the turbopump comprises a power turbine in airflow communication with the air cycle machine at a location downstream of the second turbine of the air cycle machine.

17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the thermal transfer bus utilizes a single phase heat transfer fluid during operation.

18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , further comprising a ducted secondary fan disposed downstream from the primary fan.

19 . The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the ducted secondary fan is a single stage secondary fan.

20 . The gas turbine engine of claim 18 , wherein the gas turbine engine is a three-stream gas turbine engine.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2025
From: OEHRLE, DANIEL JOHN; VONDRELL, RANDY M.; BARRA RUIZ, APOLINARIO
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 070334/0655 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 18824100 · Sep 4, 2024
Continuation 17972720 · Oct 25, 2022
Related Publication 20250198347A1 · Jun 19, 2025
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