Granted Patent B2

US 12,669,088 · App. 19/055,645 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth (Norwood, OH); Jeffrey Donald Clements (Mason, OH); Jeffrey S. Spruill (Hillsboro, OH); Erich Alois Krammer (West Chester, OH); Matthew Kenneth MacDonald (Austin, TX); Scott Alan Schimmels (Miamisburg, OH)

Assignee: General Electric Company

F02C7/185F02C7/36F02C7/18

Abstract

Claims (138)

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 compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (A HPCExit ) in square inches;

an unducted fan having a diameter (D) in inches;

a gearbox having a gear ratio (GR) within a range of 4.1-14.0;

a net thrust (T) of the turbomachine engine measured in pounds force at the max takeoff condition,

wherein

0

.

0

⁢

3

⁢

4

⁢

(

G

⁢

R

1

.

5

)

(

D

1.56

T

)

1

.

5

⁢

3

>

5

,

wherein

⁢

0

.

0

⁢

1

⁢

5

⁢

(

G

⁢

R

1.4

)

(

D

1.56

T

)

1

.

5

⁢

3

<

55

,

and

wherein the gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a total sea level static thrust output (Fn Total ) in pounds, and a corrected specific thrust, wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 42 and less than or equal to 90, the corrected specific thrust determined as follows: Fn Total ×EGT/( AHPCExit 2 ×1000).

2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the EGT is greater than 1000 degrees Celsius and less than 1300 degrees Celsius.

3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the EGT is greater than 1100 degree Celsius and less than 1250 degrees Celsius.

4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the EGT is greater than 1150 degree Celsius and less than 1250 degrees Celsius.

5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the EGT is greater than 1000 degree Celsius and less than 1300 degrees Celsius, and wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 45.

6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the EGT is greater than 1000 degree Celsius and less than 1300 degrees Celsius, and wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 50.

7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the turbine section comprises a high pressure turbine having a first stage of high pressure turbine rotor blades, and wherein the gas turbine engine further comprises:

a cooled cooling air system in fluid communication with the first stage of high pressure turbine rotor blades.

8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein the cooled cooling air system is further in fluid communication with the high pressure compressor for receiving an airflow from the high pressure compressor, and wherein the cooled cooling air system further comprises a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the airflow for cooling the airflow.

9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein when the gas turbine engine is operated at a takeoff power level, the cooled cooling air system is configured to provide a temperature reduction of a cooling airflow equal to at least 15% of the EGT and up to 45% of the EGT.

10 . The gas turbine engine of claim 7 , wherein when the gas turbine engine is operated at a takeoff power level, the cooled cooling air system is configured to receive between 2.5% and 35% of an airflow through a working gas flowpath of the turbomachine at an inlet to a compressor of the compressor section.

11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein

0.015

(

GR

1.4

)

(

D

1.56

T

)

1.53

<

24.

12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein

0.015

(

GR

1.4

)

(

D

1.56

T

)

1.53

<

20.

13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 12 , wherein

0.034

(

GR

1.5

)

(

D

1.56

T

)

1.53

>

10.

14 . A gas turbine engine comprising:

a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (A HPCExit ) in square inches;

an unducted fan having fan blades with a diameter (D) in inches;

a gearbox having a gear ratio (GR) within a range of 4.1-14.0; and

a gearbox efficiency rating of 0.10-1.8, wherein the gearbox efficiency rating equals

Q

(

D

1.56

T

)

1.53

,

wherein Q is a gearbox oil flow rate at an inlet of the gearbox measured in gallons per minute at a max takeoff condition, and wherein Tis a net thrust of the turbomachine engine measured in pounds force at the max takeoff condition, wherein the gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a total sea level static thrust output (Fn Total ) in pounds, and a corrected specific thrust, wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 42 and less than or equal to 90, the corrected specific thrust determined as follows: Fn Total ×EGT/(A HPCExit 2 ×1000).

15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the gearbox efficiency rating is 0.10-1.01.

16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the gearbox efficiency rating is 0.19-1.8.

17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the gear ratio is within a range of 4.5-9.0.

18 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the gear ratio is within a range of 6.0-11.0.

19 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein Q is within a range of 5-55 gallons per minute.

20 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein Q is within a range of 15-30 gallons per minute.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (326)