Reverse flow gas turbine engine having electric machine
View Patent ↗An aircraft engine assembly includes a gas turbine engine having an intake channel configured to receive an incoming flow of air and form an intake flow of air, the intake channel configured to turn the received incoming flow of air from an incoming flow direction to a first axial direction of the gas turbine engine, the incoming flow direction reverse of the first axial direction, and an electric machine coupled with the low pressure shaft and located at the aft end of the gas turbine engine proximate the intake channel, the electric machine in heat exchange communication with the intake flow of air such that the electric machine transfers heat to the incoming flow of air within the intake channel when the electric machine is operated.
1 . An aircraft engine assembly comprising:
a gas turbine engine having a high pressure compressor, a high pressure turbine, a high pressure shaft coupling the high pressure compressor with the high pressure turbine, a low pressure turbine, and a low pressure shaft coupled to the low pressure turbine, the high pressure turbine located forward of the high pressure compressor, and the low pressure turbine located on a forward end of the gas turbine engine;
a propeller located on a forward end of the gas turbine engine and coupled via the low pressure shaft with the low pressure turbine;
an intake channel of the gas turbine engine configured to receive an incoming flow of air and form an intake flow of air, the intake channel configured to turn the received incoming flow of air from an incoming flow direction to a first axial direction of the gas turbine engine, the incoming flow direction reverse of the first axial direction; and
an electric machine coupled with the low pressure shaft and located on a side of the high pressure compressor opposite of the high pressure turbine and proximate the intake channel, the electric machine in heat exchange communication with the intake flow of air such that the electric machine transfers heat to the incoming flow of air within the intake channel when the electric machine is operated,
wherein the high pressure compressor includes a flow path, the flow path defined between an inner flow surface and an outer flow surface, the flow path structured to convey the incoming flow of air to the compressor, and further including an anti-ice flow passage from the intake channel directing a flow of anti-ice air to the high pressure compressor.
2 . The aircraft engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the anti-ice flow passage is formed with an inlet guide vane disposed in the flow path upstream of the high pressure compressor, the inlet guide vane extending from a root region to a tip region across the flow path, the root region and the tip region located in the flow path, the inlet guide vane having an internal cavity and the anti-ice flow passage located at the tip region between the internal cavity and an outer surface of the inlet guide vane, the anti-ice flow passage having a flow port structured to eject a flow of the anti-ice air, the anti-ice flow passage oriented in a direction having a radial component such that the anti-ice air is flowed in a substantially radial direction through the internal cavity over an entirety of the tip region exposed in the flow path.
3 . The aircraft engine assembly of claim 2 , wherein the inlet guide vane is pivotable from a first angular flow position to a second angular flow position.
4 . The aircraft engine assembly of claim 2 , including a plurality of inlet guide vanes having respective anti-ice flow passages.
5 . The aircraft engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner flow surface is defined by a component having a shaft side passage, the anti-ice flow passage located proximate the shaft side passage and oriented to convey the anti-ice air onward to the shaft side passage of the component of the inner flow surface and to a region radially inward of the inner flow surface.
6 . The aircraft engine assembly of claim 5 , wherein the shaft side passage is oriented in a direction that includes an axial component, the axial component directed in an upstream direction, the shaft side passage delivering the anti-ice air to an upstream location of the inner flow surface.
7 . The aircraft engine assembly of claim 5 , wherein the inner flow surface includes an outlet port located upstream from the shaft side passage in the flow path.