Flowpath assembly for a gas turbine engine

• US 10,443,415 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Corsmeier, Donald Michael, Farrar, Bryan Harris
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jr., Woody A
• Application Number:
  US15/085,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20170284211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/005 Selecting particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/145 Thermally insulated casings
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/04 forming ring or sector
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/047 Nozzle boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/04 Air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/323 for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/128 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/6033 Ceramic matrix composites [CMC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A flowpath apparatus for a gas turbine engine includes: a plurality of ducts arranged in an array, each duct including a peripheral wall structure having a closed perimeter that defines a flow channel from an upstream end to a downstream end thereof; and a support structure positioning a the plurality of ducts in an array configuration.

Claims

1. A flowpath apparatus for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a plurality of ducts arranged in an array, each duct comprising a peripheral wall structure having a closed perimeter that defines a flow channel extending from an upstream end to a downstream end thereof; and

a support structure positioning the plurality of ducts in the array configuration, the support structure including;

an annular central member, the plurality of ducts being arranged in an array around the annular central member;

at least one ring surrounding the plurality of ducts; and

a radial array of radially-extending members extending between the annular central member and the at least one ring, wherein radially inner ends of the radially-extending members are directly coupled to the annular central member using pins received in holes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the array configuration is a complete ring.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ducts comprise a ceramic-based composite material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the peripheral wall structure comprises a pair of spaced-apart lateral walls joined to each other by an inboard wall and an outboard wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a flow area at the downstream end of the duct to a flow area at the upstream end of the duct is other than unity.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the peripheral wall structure is a monolithic whole.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radially-extending members are struts disposed between adjacent ducts.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising at least one closeout having an open-ended recess which accepts portions of lateral walls of adjacent ducts therein.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure includes at least one closeout having an open-ended recess which accepts portions of lateral walls of adjacent ducts therein.

10. A flowpath apparatus for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

an annular central member;

a plurality of ducts arranged in a ring around the annular central member, each duct comprising a peripheral wall structure having a closed perimeter that defines a flow channel extending from an upstream end to a downstream end thereof;

at least one ring surrounding the plurality of ducts;

a radial array of radially-extending members extending between the central member and the at least one ring;

an additional annular member disposed partially axially forward or partially axially aft of the central member; and

a plurality of resilient tabs extending axially from the central member, wherein the distal ends of the resilient tabs are coupled to the additional annular member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the array of radially-extending members includes at least one closeout having an open-ended recess which accepts portions of lateral walls of adjacent ducts therein.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein radially inner ends of the radially-extending members are coupled to the central member using pins received in holes.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the central member is a sump housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the radially-extending members are struts disposed between adjacent ducts.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising at least one closeout having an open-ended recess which accepts portions of lateral walls of adjacent ducts therein.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the ducts comprise a ceramic-based composite material.