Angled Core Gas Turbine Engine Mounting

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(12) (io) Patent No.:

United States Patent US 10,001,063 B2

(45) Jun.

Suciu et al. Date of Patent: 19,2018

(54) ANGLED CORE GAS TURBINE ENGINE (52) U.S. Cl.

CPC ................ F02C 7/20 (2013.01); B64D 27/20 MOUNTING (2013.01); B64D 33/02 (2013.01); B64D 203310286 (2013.01); F05D 22501314 (71) Applicant: United Technologies Corporation, (2013.01) Hartford, CT (US) (58) Field of Classification Search (72) Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Glastonbury, CT USPC ......... 60/805, 263, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, (US); Jesse M. Chandler, South 60/250, 39.37, 39.38 Windsor, CT (US) See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited (73) Assignee: United Technologies Corporation, Farmington, CT (US) U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis 3,318,095 A * 5/1967 Snell ................... B64C 29/0066 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 60/224 U.S.C. 154(b) by 474 days.

3,972,490 A 8/1976 Zimmermann et al.

(Continued) (21) Appl. No.: 14/440,698 OTHER PUBLICATIONS (22) PCT Filed: Mar. 14, 2013 International Search Report and Written Opinion for International (86) PCT No.: PCT/US2013/031197 Application No. PCT/US2013/031197 dated Dec. 4, 2013.

(Continued) § 371 (c)(1), (2) Date: May 5, 2015 Primary Examiner Binh Q Tran (87) PCT Pub. No.: W02014/074145 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Carlson, Gaskey & Olds P.C.

PCT Pub. Date: May 15, 2014 (57) ABSTRACT (65) Prior Publication Data A propulsion system for an aircraft includes first and second US 2015/0292411 Al Oct. 15, 2015 turbine engines mounted within a fuselage of the aircraft.

The first turbine engine includes a first engine core that Related U.S. Application Data drives a first propulsor disposed about a first propulsor axis.

(60) Provisional application No. 61/725,099,filed on Nov.

The second turbine engine includes a second engine core 12, 2012.

and a second propulsor disposed about a second propulsor axis parallel to the first propulsor axis. The first engine core (51) Int. Cl.

and the second engine core are mounted at an angle relative F02C 3/04 (2006.01) to corresponding ones ofthe first and second propulsor axes.

F02C 7/20 (2006.01) (Continued) 20 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets

US 10,001,063 B2

Page 2 8,015,796 B2 9/2011 Babu et al.

(51) Int. Cl.

8,167,239 B2 5/2012 Guering et al.

B64D 27/20 (2006.01) 8,186,617 B2 5/2012 Llamas Sandin B64D 33/02 (2006.01) 8,955,304 B2 * 2/2015 Suciu ........................ F02K 3/06 60/224 (56) References Cited 9,567,062 B2 * 2/2017 Chandler .................. B64C 5/06 2001/0011691 Al 8/2001 Provost U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2002/0190158 Al 12/2002 Franchet et al.

2004/0025493 Al 2/2004 Wojciechowski 4,500,055 A 2/1985 Krojer 2006/0144991 Al 7/2006 Frediani 5,131,605 A 7/1992 Kress 2010/0155526 Al 6/2010 Negulescu 6,543,718 B2 4/2003 Provost 2012/0272656 Al* 11/2012 Norris ..................... F02C 3/145 6,792,746 B2 9/2004 Saito et al.

60/772 6,918,244 B2 * 7/2005 Dickau ................... B64C 15/02 239/265.27 7,107,755 B2 9/2006 El Hamel et al.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS 7,162,859 B2 * 1/2007 Franchet ................. F02K 3/025 60/204 International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International 7,540,450 B2 6/2009 Brand et al.

Application No. PCT/US2013/031197 dated May 21, 2015.

7,770,377 B2 * 8/2010 Rolt .......................... F02K 3/06 60/226.1 7,775,834 B2 8/2010 Zauber et al. * cited by examiner

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Jun. Sheet 3 of 3 U.S. Patent 19,2018 US 10,001,063 B2

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ANGLED CORE GAS TURBINE ENGINE In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, a burst zone is defined about each of the first and second MOUNTING engine cores.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED 5 each ofthe first and second engine cores is disposed outside APPLICATION ofa burst zone defined about the other ofthe first and second engine cores.

This application claims priority to U.S.Provisional Appli- In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, cation No. 61/725,099 filed on Nov. 12, 2012.

the burst zone is defined as burst angle relative to a line extending perpendicular to each end of the corresponding STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY first and second engine core.

SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, the burst angle is at least about +/— fifteen (15) degrees.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, This invention was made with government support under the first and second engine cores include a reverse flow gas NASA Cooperative Agreement No. NNX11AB35A. The 15 turbine engine.

Government has certain rights in this invention.

An aircraft according to an exemplary embodiment ofthis disclosure, among other possible things includes a fuselage, BACKGROUND and a first turbine engine including a first engine core that drives a first propulsor. The first propulsor is disposed about Conventional aircraft architecture includes wing mounted a first propulsor axis. A second turbine engine includes a gas turbine engines. In some aircraft architectures gas tur- second engine core and a second propulsor. The second bine engines are mounted atop the fuselage or on opposite propulsor is disposed about a second propulsor axis parallel sides of the aircraft fuselage.

to the first propulsor axis. The first engine core and the Commercial aircraft typically utilize gas turbine engines second engine core are mounted at an angle relative a that in include a fan section driven by an engine core or gas corresponding one of the first and second propulsor axes.

generator. The engine core includes a compressor section, a In a further embodiment ofthe foregoing aircraft, the first combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the engine core is disposed about a first engine axis and the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the second engine core is disposed about a second engine axis.

combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited The first engine axis and the second engine axis are angled to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed 30 away from each other.

exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, drive the compressor and the fan section through a driven the first engine axis is disposed at an angle greater than shaft. ninety (90) degrees relative to the second engine axis.

Alternate aircraft architectures may require alternate In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, mounting locations of the gas turbine engines to enable the first engine axis and second engine axis are disposed at specific wing and fuselage configurations. However, con- an angle greater than about thirty (30)degrees relative to the ventional gas turbine engine configurations have been devel- corresponding first and second propulsor axes.

oped to operate with conventional aircraft architectures. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, Accordingly, alternate gas turbine engine configurations a burst zone is defined about each of the first and second may be required and developed to enable implementation of 40 engine cores.

favorable aspects of alternate engine architectures. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, each ofthe first and second engine cores is disposed outside SUMMARY ofa burst zone defined about the other ofthe first and second engine cores.

A propulsion system for an aircraft according to an 45 In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other the burst zone is defined as burst angle relative to a line possible things includes a first turbine engine including a extending perpendicular to each end of the corresponding first engine core that drives a first propulsor. The first first and second engine core.

propulsor is disposed about a first propulsor axis and the first In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, engine core is disposed about a first core axis that is skewed 50 the burst angle is at least about +/— fifteen (15) degrees.

from the first propulsor axis. A second turbine engine In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing aircrafts, includes a second engine core that drives a second propulsor. the first and second engine cores include a reverse flow gas The second propulsor is disposed about a second propulsor turbine engine.

axis parallel to the first propulsor axis. The second engine Although the different examples have the specific com- core is disposed about a second core axis that is skewed from 55 ponents shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this the one or both ofthe first propulsor axis and the second core disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations.

axis.

It is possible to use some ofthe components or features from In a further embodiment ofthe foregoing aircraft, the first one of the examples in combination with features or com- core axis and the second core axis are angled away from ponents from another one of the examples.

each other.

60 These and other features disclosed herein can be best In a further embodiment of any ofthe foregoing aircrafts, understood from the following specification and drawings, the first core axis is disposed at an angle greater than ninety the following of which is a brief description.

(90) degrees relative to the second core axis.

In a further embodiment of any ofthe foregoing aircrafts, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS the first core axis and second engine axis are disposed at an 65 angle greater than about thirty (30) degrees relative to the FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an aircraft including a corresponding first and second propulsor axes. propulsion system mounted within the fuselage.

US 10,001,063 B2

_►, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the example propulsion determined based on application specific considerations.

system. Moreover, airframe regulations may also define an angular span of the burst zones 36a-b and thereby the angle 38.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a burst zone defined about The relative orientation between the first and second the example propulsion system.

engine cores 20a-b defines the corresponding bust zones DETAILED DESCRIPTION 36a-b that does not interfere with the other engine core 20a-b to comply with application specific survivability Referring to the FIGS. 1 and 2 an aircraft 10 includes a requirements.

fuselage 12 having wings 16 and a tail 14. A propulsion Accordingly, because the gas generators are mounted in a system 18 is mounted aft end of the fuselage 12. The io configuration placing each outside of the others burst zone, propulsion system 18 includes first and second engine cores fuselage and substantially adjacent mounted propulsors are 20a-b, which are reverse core gas turbine engines that drive feasible within desired limitations. The side by side adjacent corresponding first and second propulsors that include mounting configuration further enables alternate aircraft respective fan sections 22a-b. The first and second fan architectures.

sections 22a-b provide the propulsive thrust ofthe disclosed 15 Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a propulsion system. worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that Each of the fan sections 22a-b are disposed about corre- certain modifications would come within the scope of this sponding first and second propulsor axis Al and A2.The first disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be and second engine cores 20a-b is disposed about a corre- studied to determine the scope and content ofthis disclosure.

sponding first and second engine axes Bl and B2. That is the 20 first engine core 20a is disposed about the first engine axis What is claimed is: Bl and drives the first propulsor about the first propulsor 1. A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising: axis Al. The second engine core 20b is disposed about the a first turbine engine including a first engine core that second engine axis B2 and drives the second fan section 20b drives a first propulsor, wherein the first propulsor is about the second propulsor axis A2. 25 disposed about a first propulsor axis and the first engine The illustrated reverse engine cores 20a-b are gas gen- core is disposed downstream from the first propulsor erators that include a compressor 24, a combustor 26 and a about a first core axis that is angled away from the first turbine 28. Air is drawn in through inlets 32a-b to the propulsor axis in a downstream direction; and compressor 24 is compressed and communicated to a com- a second turbine engine including a second engine core bustor 26. In the combustor 26, air is mixed with fuel and 30 that drives a second propulsor, wherein the second ignited to generate an exhaust gas stream that expands propulsor is disposed about a second propulsor axis through the turbine 28 where energy is extracted and utilized parallel to the first propulsor axis, and the second to drive the compressor 24 and corresponding fan 22a-b. In engine core is disposed downstream from the second this example the engine cores 20a-b drive the corresponding propulsor about a second core axis that is angled away fan 22a-b through a geared architecture 30a-b. 35 from the one or both of the first propulsor axis and the In the disclosed example, each ofthe first and second fans second core axis in the downstream direction.

22a-b and related gearing 30a-b is mounted substantially 2. The propulsion system as recited in claim 1, wherein parallel to each other about respective propulsor axes Al, the first core axis and the second core axis are angled away A2. The first and second engine axes Bl, B2 are disposed at from each other in a downstream direction.

an angle 34 relative to the corresponding propulsor axis Al, 40 3. The propulsion system as recited in claim 2, wherein A2. In this example the angle 34 is greater than about thirty the first core axis is disposed at an angle greater than ninety (30) degrees. As appreciated other angles are within the (90) degrees relative to the second core axis.

contemplation of this disclosure. 4. The propulsion system as recited in claim 2, wherein Referring to FIG. 3, with continued reference to FIG. 2, the first core axis and second engine axis are disposed at an gas turbine engines are not typically mounted next to each 45 angle greater than about thirty (30) degrees relative to the other due to practical limitations related to overall aircraft corresponding first and second propulsor axes.

survivability in the event of engine failure. A burst zone is 5. The propulsion system as recited in claim 2, wherein a defined between gas turbine engines within which another burst zone is defined about each of the first and second gas turbine engine is not permitted due to possible fragmen- engine cores.

tation from one failed engine disabling the second engine. 50 6. The propulsion system as recited in claim 5, wherein The disclosed engine cores 20a-b are disposed at the each ofthe first and second engine cores is disposed outside angle 34 relative to the corresponding propulsor axes Al and ofa burst zone defined about the other ofthe first and second A2 and to each other such that neither engine core 20a-b is engine cores.

disposed within a burst zone 36a-b of the other engine core 7. The propulsion system as recited in claim 5, wherein 20a-b. In other words, each of the engine cores 20a-b is 55 the burst zone is defined as burst angle relative to a line disposed at an angle away from the other engine core 20a-b extending perpendicular to each end of the corresponding such that each is orientated outside of the others bust zone first and second engine core.

36a-b. In this example, the engine cores 20a-b are angled 8. The propulsion system as recited in claim 7, wherein away from each other at an angle 42 (FIG. 2). In this the burst angle is at least about +/— fifteen (15) degrees.

example, the angle 42 is greater than about ninety (90) 60 9. The propulsion system as recited in claim 1, wherein degrees. As appreciated other angles 42 could be utilized the first and second engine cores comprise a reverse flow gas depending on the definition ofrespective burst zones 36a-b. turbine engine.

The respective bust zones 36a-b is defined as respective 10. An aircraft comprising; annular regions about the corresponding engine core 20a-b. a fuselage; In this example the annular region is disposed at an angle 38 65 a first turbine engine including a first engine core that outward from a line 40 perpendicular to the engine axis Bl, drives a first propulsor, wherein the first propulsor is B2. The example angle is at least fifteen (15) degrees and is disposed about a first propulsor axis; and

US 10,001,063 B2

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a second turbine engine including a second engine core 15. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein each ofthe first and second engine cores is disposed outside of a burst and a second propulsor, wherein the second propulsor zone defined about the other of the first and second engine is disposed about a second propulsor axis parallel to the cores.

first propulsor axis, and the first engine core and the 5 16. The aircraft as recited in claim 14, wherein the burst second engine core are mounted at an angle relative a zone is defined as burst angle relative to a line extending corresponding one of the first and second propulsor perpendicular to each end of the corresponding first and axes.

second engine core.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 10, wherein the first 17. The aircraft as recited in claim 16, wherein the burst engine core is disposed about a first engine axis and the angle is at least about +/— fifteen (15) degrees.

second engine core is disposed about a second engine axis, 18. The aircraft as recited in claim 10, wherein the first wherein the first engine axis and the second engine axis are and second engine cores comprise a reverse flow gas turbine engine.

angled away from each other in a downstream direction.

19. The aircraft as recited in claim 10, wherein first core 12. The aircraft as recited in claim 11, wherein the first engine is coupled to drive the first propulsor through a first engine axis is disposed at an angle greater than ninety (90) 15 geared architecture and the second core engine is coupled to degrees relative to the second engine axis.

drive the second propulsor through a second geared archi- 13. The aircraft as recited in claim 11, wherein the first tecture.

engine axis and second engine axis are disposed at an angle 20. The propulsion system as recited in claim 1, wherein greater than about thirty (30) degrees relative to the corre- first core engine is coupled to drive the first propulsor 20 through a first geared architecture and the second core sponding first and second propulsor axes.

engine is coupled to drive the second propulsor through a 14. The aircraft as recited in claim 11, wherein a burst second geared architecture.

zone is defined about each of the first and second engine cores.