公开(公告)号：US20240286754A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-29

申请号：US18404258

申请日：2024-01-04

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Honggang Wang ,  Brandon Wayne Miller ,  Michael Anthony Benjamin ,  Richard L. Hart ,  Randy M. Vondrell ,  Ryan St. Pierre

IPC: B64D37/32 ,  B64D27/355

CPC classification number: B64D37/32 ,  B64D27/355

Abstract: A system for an aircraft including: a fuel tank defining an interior; and a fuel cell assembly having a fuel cell defining an air outlet, wherein the air outlet of the fuel cell is in airflow communication with the interior of the fuel tank for providing an inerting airflow from the fuel cell to the interior of the fuel tank to reduce an oxygen content of the interior of the fuel tank.

公开(公告)号：US20240229719A9

公开(公告)日：2024-07-11

申请号：US17972720

申请日：2022-10-25

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Daniel John Oehrle ,  Randy M. Vondrell

IPC: F02C7/32 ,  B64D27/12

CPC classification number: F02C7/32 ,  B64D27/12

Abstract: A gas turbine engine defines an axial direction and a radial direction and comprises a turbomachine having an unducted primary fan, a core engine a combustor casing enclosing a combustor and defining an outer surface, a core cowl surrounding at least a portion of the core engine. The outer surface of the core cowl defines a peak cowl diameter (D) in the radial direction, and the outer surface of the combustor casing defines a maximum combustor casing diameter (d) along the radial direction. The core engine defines an overall core axial length (L) along the axial direction and an under-core cowl axial length (L1) along the axial direction. The gas turbine engine defines a core cowl diameter ratio (CDR) equal to the peak cowl diameter (D) divided by the maximum combustor casing diameter (d) and a core cowl length ratio (CLR) equal to the under-core cowl axial length (L1) divided by the overall core axial length (L). The CDR is between 2.7 and 3.5 and the CLR is between 0.25 and 0.50.

公开(公告)号：US20240190574A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-13

申请号：US18079072

申请日：2022-12-12

Applicant: General Electric Company ,  General Electric Deutschland Holding GmbH

Inventor： David Marion Ostdiek ,  William Joseph Solomon ,  Mohamed Osama ,  Arthur William Sibbach ,  Randy M. Vondrell

IPC: B64D27/24 ,  B64D33/08 ,  B64D35/02

CPC classification number: B64D27/24 ,  B64D33/08 ,  B64D35/02

Abstract: An electric propulsor is provided. The electric propulsor includes a core cowl and an outer cowl. A first air flowpath is defined radially outward of the outer cowl and a second air flowpath is defined between the core cowl and the outer cowl. The electric propulsor also includes one or more electric machines, a fan rotatably drivable by at least one electric machine, and a booster having a plurality of airfoils disposed at least in part in the second air flowpath, the booster being rotatably drivable by at least one electric machine for compressing air flowing along the second air flowpath. The electric propulsor further includes a heat exchanger disposed within the second air flowpath downstream of the booster, the heat exchanger being in thermal communication with at least one of the one or more electric machines and/or a gearbox mechanically coupled with the fan.

公开(公告)号：US11898518B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-13

申请号：US17892549

申请日：2022-08-22

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Thomas Ory Moniz ,  Randy M. Vondrell ,  Jeffrey Donald Clements ,  Brandon Wayne Miller

IPC: F02K3/075 ,  F02K3/06 ,  F02C7/36 ,  F02C3/13 ,  F02C3/107 ,  F02C7/20 ,  F01D21/04 ,  B64D29/02 ,  B64D27/12 ,  B64D33/04

CPC classification number: F02K3/075 ,  B64D27/12 ,  B64D29/02 ,  F01D21/045 ,  F02C3/107 ,  F02C3/13 ,  F02C7/20 ,  F02C7/36 ,  F02K3/06 ,  B64D33/04 ,  F05D2260/40 ,  F05D2300/433 ,  F05D2300/601 ,  F05D2300/6033

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.

公开(公告)号：US11827369B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-28

申请号：US16914635

申请日：2020-06-29

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Randy M. Vondrell ,  Anthony Austin Bouvette ,  Glenn David Crabtree

IPC: B64D27/24 ,  B60L50/16 ,  B64C21/06 ,  B64D27/12 ,  B64D27/18 ,  F02C6/20 ,  F02K3/04 ,  H02G5/10 ,  H02K7/18 ,  B64D27/02

CPC classification number: B64D27/24 ,  B60L50/16 ,  B64C21/06 ,  B64D27/12 ,  B64D27/18 ,  F02C6/206 ,  F02K3/04 ,  H02G5/10 ,  H02K7/1823 ,  B60L2200/10 ,  B64C2230/04 ,  B64D2027/026 ,  B64D2221/00 ,  Y02T50/10 ,  Y02T50/40 ,  Y02T50/60

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft can include an electric power source and an electric propulsion assembly having an electric motor and a propulsor. The propulsor can be powered by the electric motor. An electric power bus can electrically connect the electric power source to the electric propulsion assembly. The electric power source can be configured to provide electrical power to the electric power bus. An inverter converter controller can be positioned along the electric power bus and can be electrically connected to the electric power source at a location downstream of the electric power source and upstream of the electric propulsion assembly.

公开(公告)号：US20220403799A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-22

申请号：US17892549

申请日：2022-08-22

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Thomas Ory Moniz ,  Randy M. Vondrell ,  Jeffrey Donald Clements ,  Brandon Wayne Miller

IPC: F02K3/075 ,  F02K3/06 ,  F02C7/36 ,  F02C3/13 ,  F02C3/107 ,  F02C7/20 ,  F01D21/04 ,  B64D29/02 ,  B64D27/12

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.

公开(公告)号：US11421627B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-23

申请号：US15439167

申请日：2017-02-22

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Thomas Ory Moniz ,  Randy M. Vondrell ,  Jeffrey Donald Clements ,  Brandon Wayne Miller

IPC: F02K3/075 ,  F02K3/06 ,  F02C7/36 ,  F02C3/13 ,  F02C3/107 ,  F02C7/20 ,  F01D21/04 ,  B64D29/02 ,  B64D27/12 ,  B64D33/04

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.

公开(公告)号：US20220073199A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-10

申请号：US17329312

申请日：2021-05-25

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Randy M. Vondrell ,  Matthew Ryan Polakowski ,  Kurt David Murrow ,  Glenn Crabtree ,  Darek Tomasz Zatorski

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C27/28 ,  H02J50/10 ,  A61L9/12 ,  H02J7/00 ,  B64C21/06 ,  B64D27/14 ,  B64D27/24 ,  H02P9/04

Abstract: A propulsion system of an aircraft has at least one unducted fan and at least one ducted fan, the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan being powered by an electric power source and rotatable between a vertical thrust position and a forward thrust position, and a controller configured to distribute electrical power between the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan. During a first mode when the at least one unducted fan and the at least one ducted fan are in the vertical thrust position, the controller is configured to distribute the electrical power between the plurality of unducted fans and the plurality of ducted fans such that the at least one unducted fan is a primary source of thrust.

公开(公告)号：US11097850B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16503943

申请日：2019-07-05

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Daniel Alan Niergarth ,  Randy M. Vondrell ,  Brandon Wayne Miller ,  Patrick Michael Marrinan

IPC: B64D27/24 ,  F04D25/06 ,  F04D19/00 ,  F04D29/66 ,  B64C21/06 ,  B64D27/02 ,  F02K5/00 ,  B64D33/02

Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an electric propulsion engine configured to be mounted to the aircraft at an aft end of the aircraft. The electric propulsion engine includes a power gearbox mechanically coupled to an electric motor. The electric propulsion engine further includes a fan rotatable about a central axis of the electric propulsion engine by the electric motor through the power gearbox. Moreover, the electric propulsion engine includes an attachment assembly for mounting at least one of the electric motor or the power gearbox. The attachment assembly includes a torsional damper for accommodating a torsional vibration of the electric motor or the power gearbox.

公开(公告)号：US11046428B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-29

申请号：US16502913

申请日：2019-07-03

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Randy M. Vondrell ,  Matthew Ryan Polakowski ,  Kurt David Murrow ,  Glenn Crabtree ,  Darek Tomasz Zatorski

IPC: B64C29/00 ,  B64C27/28 ,  H02J50/10 ,  A61L9/12 ,  H02J7/00 ,  H02J7/02 ,  B64C21/06 ,  B64D27/14 ,  B64D27/24 ,  H02P9/04 ,  B64C3/38 ,  B64D27/02

Abstract: A method for operating a propulsion system of an aircraft includes moving a plurality of forward and aft propulsors to a vertical thrust position. While in the vertical thrust positions, the method also includes providing a first forward to aft ratio of electric power to the plurality of forward and aft propulsors. The method also includes moving the plurality of forward and aft propulsors to a forward thrust position. While in the forward thrust positions, the method also includes providing a second forward to aft ratio of electric power to the plurality of forward and aft propulsors. The first forward to aft ratio of electric power is different than the second forward to aft ratio of electric power to provide certain efficiencies for the aircraft.