Transverse mounted gas turbine engine

• US 8,708,274 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Lord, Wesley K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENEDIK, JUSTIN M
• Application Number:
  US13/228,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20130062463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 244/55
• US Class Current: 244/55
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2027/005 Aircraft with an unducted turbofan comprising contra-rotating rotors, e.g. contra-rotating open rotors [CROR]
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/14 within, or attached to, fuselages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 35/06 the propellers or rotors being counter-rotating
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/206 the vehicles being airscrew driven
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/324 to drive unshrouded, low solidity propeller
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/325 to drive unshrouded, high solidity propeller
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A propulsion engine comprises a compressor, a combustor and a turbine arranged in flow series about a turbine axis. A shaft is coupled to the turbine along the turbine axis, and first and second propulsions fans are rotationally coupled to the turbine at opposite ends of the shaft. The first and second propulsion fans rotate substantially parallel to one another, and transversely with respect to the turbine axis.

Claims

1. A propulsion engine of an aircraft comprising:

a compressor, a combustor and a turbine mounted in flow series about a turbine axis;

a shaft coupled to the turbine along the turbine axis; and

first and second propulsion fans rotationally coupled to the turbine at opposite ends of the shaft;

wherein the first and second propulsion fans rotate about axes that are substantially parallel to one another, and wherein the axes of the first and second propulsion fans are also transverse with respect to the turbine axis;

wherein the propulsion engine is mounted transversely in a fuselage of the aircraft.

2. The propulsion engine of claim 1, further comprising first and second right angle gears coupling the first and second propulsion fans to the opposite ends of the shaft.

3. The propulsion engine of claim 2, wherein the first and second propulsion fans rotate substantially perpendicularly to the turbine axis.

4. The propulsion engine of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second propulsion fans comprises an open rotor.

5. The propulsion engine of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second propulsion fans comprises two counter-rotating fan stages.

6. A gas turbine engine of an aircraft having a fuselage comprising:

a single power core comprising a compressor, a combustor and a power turbine rotationally coupled about a turbine axis;

two propulsion fans transversely coupled to the single power core via a power shaft,

wherein the power shaft is oriented along the turbine axis; and

gearboxes rotationally coupling the two propulsion fans to the power shaft;

wherein the two propulsion fans each rotate about axes that are transverse to the turbine axis;

wherein the single power core is mounted transversely to the fuselage and the two propulsion fans rotate longitudinally with respect to the fuselage.

7. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein the gearboxes comprise right angle gear mechanisms coupling the two propulsion fans to opposite ends of the shaft.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein each of the two propulsion fans rotates substantially perpendicularly to the turbine axis.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein each of the two propulsion fans comprises an unducted fan rotor.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 6, wherein each of the two propulsion fans comprises two counter-rotating fan stages.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising the gas turbine engine of claim 6.

12. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage having a nose section and a tail section separated along a longitudinal axis;

a wing mounted to the fuselage between the nose section and the tail section;

a compressor, a combustor and a turbine mounted in the fuselage, the compressor and turbine rotationally coupled about a turbine axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage; and

twin fan assemblies mounted on opposites sides of the fuselage, each of the twin fan assemblies comprising a propulsion fan rotational coupled to the turbine;

wherein each of the twin fan assemblies rotates about an axis that is transverse with respect to the turbine axis and longitudinal with respect to the fuselage axis.

13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the gas turbine engine is mounted in the tail section of the fuselage.

14. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising an inlet and an outlet in flow series with the compressor, the combustor and the turbine, the inlet and the outlet located on the opposite sides of the tail section.

15. The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising a vertical stabilizer mounted to the tail section and a horizontal stabilizer section mounted to a top of the vertical stabilizer, above the twin fan assemblies.

16. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein each of the twin fan assemblies rotates about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the turbine axis and substantially parallel to the fuselage axis.

17. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein each of the twin fan assemblies comprises two open-rotor, counter-rotating fan stages.

18. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the aircraft is configured as an unmanned drone.