Partial span inlet guide vane for cross-connected engines

• US 4,254,619 A
• Filed: 05/01/1978
• Issued: 03/10/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Giffin, Rollin G. III, Castells, Onofre T. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casaregola, Louis J.
• Application Number:
  US05/901,934
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 60/39.15, 60/204, 60/224, 60/226 R, 60/226 A, 60/226 B, 244/55, 244/60, 415/160, 415/161
• US Class Current: 60/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/075 controlling flow ratio between flows
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 3/12 characterised by having more than one gas turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/362 during rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A pair of turbofan engines are cross connected such that during normal-mode operation horsepower can be shared by the respective cores, and when one engine core becomes inoperative the fan of that engine can be driven by the turbine of the operative engine to thereby maintain a substantial thrust output. In order to balance the respective thrust outputs, variable inlet guide vanes are controlled to decrease the fan mass flow in the operative engine and increase the fan mass flow in the inoperative engine. The variable inlet guide vanes are so constructed as to only partially span the fan duct so as to not appreciably affect the airflow to the core when the inlet guide vane angle setting is altered to allow the core to thereby retain a high level of supercharging during this operational period of maximum power demand.

Claims

1. A dual turbofan engine arrangement comprising:

(a) first and second turbofan engines each having a core section and a low pressure system including a fan, a bypass duct and a turbine;

(b) cross shaft means operably interconnecting said low pressure systems such that said first engine turbine can drive said second engine fan;

(c) means in said second engine for selectively disengaging its fan from its turbine;

(d) variable flow means in the bypass duct of said first engine, said flow means being capable of varying the airflow in said bypass duct without appreciably varying the flow to its associated core section; and

wherein

(e) said variable flow means comprises variable inlet guide vanes that are cantilevered at their radially outer ends and do not extend radially inward to an extent that they appreciably affect the airflow to the core.