Splitter assembly for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft propulsion system
A splitter assembly for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft propulsion system includes a housing, a splitter band, a plurality of cams, and a plurality of vanes. The splitter band includes a plurality of segments. The plurality of segments are arranged circumferentially about the engine axis within the housing. Each of the plurality of segments is translatable within the housing between an extended position and a retracted position. Each of the plurality of cams contacts at least one of the plurality of segments. Each of the plurality of cams is pivotable about a respective pivot axis. The plurality of cams are configured to effect translation of the plurality of segments by pivoting about the pivot axis. The plurality of vanes are arranged circumferentially about an engine axis. Each of the plurality of vanes is pivotably mounted to and pivotable with a respective one of the plurality of cams.
1 . A splitter assembly for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft propulsion system, the splitter assembly comprising:
a splitter structure including an inner structure member, an outer structure member, and a splitter housing, the inner structure member, the outer structure member, and the splitter housing extending circumferentially about an engine axis, the outer structure member disposed radially outward of the inner structure member, the splitter housing disposed between the inner structure member and the outer structure member at an upstream end of the splitter structure;
a splitter band including a plurality of band segments, the plurality of band segments arranged circumferentially about the engine axis within the splitter housing, each of the plurality of band segments translatable within the splitter housing between an extended position and a retracted position, the extended position radially outward of the retracted position;
an actuation system including a plurality of first cams disposed within the splitter housing, each of the plurality of first cams contacting at least one of the plurality of band segments, said each of the plurality of first cams pivotable about a respective first pivot axis, the plurality of first cams configured to effect translation of the plurality of band segments between the extended position and the retracted position by pivoting about the first pivot axis; and
a plurality of variable inlet guide vanes disposed radially inward of the inner structure member, the plurality of variable inlet guide vanes arranged circumferentially about the engine axis, each of the plurality of variable inlet guide vanes pivotably mounted to and pivotable with a respective one of the plurality of first cams.
2 . The splitter assembly of claim 1 , wherein said each of the plurality of band segments is translatable within the splitter housing along a translation axis, and the translation axis extends radially outward from the engine axis in a downstream to upstream direction.
3 . The splitter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of band segments in the retracted position are disposed within the splitter housing and the plurality of band segments in the extended position are disposed at least partially outside of the splitter housing.
4 . The splitter assembly of claim 1 , wherein said each of the plurality of variable inlet guide vanes is configured to pivot about the first pivot axis in a closing direction as the plurality of band segments translate from the extended position to the retracted position.
5 . The splitter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of band segments form a plurality of circumferential gaps through the splitter band, and each of the circumferential gaps is formed between a circumferentially-adjacent pair of the plurality of band segments.
6 . The splitter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation system further includes a plurality of second cams, a linkage assembly, and a synchronization ring, each of the plurality of second cams is pivotable about a respective second pivot axis, said each of the plurality of second cams is operably coupled between the synchronization ring and a respective one of the plurality of first cams, and the synchronization ring extends circumferentially about the engine axis.
7 . The splitter assembly of claim 6 , wherein the actuation system further includes an actuator operably coupled with the synchronization ring, and the actuator is configured to rotate the synchronization ring about the engine axis.
8 . The splitter assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a controller connected in signal communication with the actuator, the controller including a processor connected in signal communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
control the actuator, in a first operating condition of the gas turbine engine, to rotate the synchronization ring in a first direction to translate the plurality of band segments to the extended position with the actuation system; and
control the actuator, in a second operating condition of the gas turbine engine, to rotate the synchronization ring in a second direction to translate the plurality of band segments to the retracted position with the actuation system.
9 . The splitter assembly of claim 1 , wherein said each of the plurality of band segments includes an elastically deformable material body.
10 . A gas turbine engine for an aircraft propulsion system, the gas turbine engine comprising:
an engine core extending along an engine axis of the gas turbine engine, the engine core including a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section, the engine core forming a core flow path extending through the compressor section, the combustor section, and the turbine section;
a bypass flow path disposed radially outward of the engine core; and
a splitter assembly disposed radially between the core flow path and the bypass flow path, the splitter assembly including:
a splitter structure including an inner structure member, an outer structure member, and a splitter housing, the inner structure member, the outer structure member, and the splitter housing extending circumferentially about an engine axis, the inner structure member forming the core flow path, the outer structure member forming the bypass flow path, the splitter housing disposed between the inner structure member and the outer structure member at an upstream end of the splitter structure;
a splitter band including a plurality of band segments, the plurality of band segments arranged circumferentially about the engine axis within the splitter housing, each of the plurality of band segments translatable within the splitter housing between an extended position and a retracted position, the plurality of band segments in the extended position extending a least partially outside of the splitter structure at the upstream end;
a plurality of first cams disposed within the splitter housing, each of the plurality of first cams contacting at least one of the plurality of band segments, said each of the plurality of first cams pivotable about a respective first pivot axis, the plurality of first cams configured to effect translation of the plurality of band segments between the extended position and the retracted position by pivoting about the first pivot axis; and
a plurality of variable inlet guide vanes disposed within the core flow path, the plurality of variable inlet guide vanes arranged circumferentially about the engine axis, each of the plurality of variable inlet guide vanes pivotably mounted to and pivotable with a respective one of the plurality of first cams.
11 . The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the inner structure member and the outer structure member form a splitter cavity radially between the inner structure member and the outer structure member, and a portion of the splitter housing is disposed within the splitter cavity.
12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of band segments form a plurality of circumferential gaps through the splitter band, and each of the circumferential gaps is formed between a circumferentially-adjacent pair of the plurality of band segments.
13 . The gas turbine engine of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of circumferential gaps forms an air flow path through the splitter band and the splitter housing to the splitter cavity.
14 . The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the splitter assembly further includes an actuation system including the plurality of first cams and further including a plurality of second cams, a linkage assembly, and a synchronization ring, each of the plurality of second cams is pivotable about a respective second pivot axis, said each of the plurality of second cams is operably coupled between the synchronization ring and a respective one of the plurality of first cams, and the synchronization ring extends circumferentially about the engine axis.
15 . The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of second cams are configured to obstruct the air flow path with the plurality of band segments in the retracted position.
16 . The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the inner structure member includes a first leading edge, the outer structure member includes a second leading edge, and the upstream end is disposed axially forward of the first leading edge and the second leading edge.
17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of band segments in the extended position are disposed radially outward of and axially upstream of the plurality of band segments in the retracted position.
18 . A method for operating a splitter assembly of a gas turbine engine for an aircraft propulsion system, the method comprising:
directing an air flow through a fan section and into a core flow path and a bypass flow path by rotating a bladed fan rotor, directing the air flow into the core flow path including directing the air flow through a plurality of variable inlet guide vanes;
separating the air flow into the core flow path and the bypass flow path with the splitter assembly;
operating the splitter assembly to position a splitter band of the splitter assembly, the splitter band including a plurality of band segments arranged circumferentially about an engine axis of the gas turbine engine, operating the splitter assembly to position the splitter band including translating each of the plurality of band segments along a translation axis between an extended position and a retracted position, the plurality of band segments in the extended position forming a leading edge of the splitter assembly, the plurality of band segments in the retracted position disposed radially inward and axially downstream of the plurality of band segments in the extended position, and
controlling each of the plurality of variable guide vanes, with the splitter assembly, to pivot about a pivot axis as said each of the plurality of band segments translates along the translation axis.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising directing the air flow through the splitter band with the plurality of band segments in the extended position.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said each of the plurality of variable guide vanes pivots about the pivot axis in a closing direction as the plurality of band segments translate along the translation axis from the extended position to the retracted position.