Adjustable fan track liner with dual slotted array active fan tip treatment for distortion tolerance

12209,541

18/660065

May 09, 2024

A gas turbine engine includes a fan and a fan case assembly. The fan includes a fan rotor configured to rotate about an axis of the gas turbine engine and a plurality of fan blades coupled to the fan rotor for rotation therewith. The fan case assembly extends circumferentially around the plurality of fan blades radially outward of the plurality of the fan blades.

Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. (Indianapolis, IN, US); Rolls-Royce Corporation (Indianapolis, IN, US)

Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. (Indianapolis, IN, US), Rolls-Royce Corporation (Indianapolis, IN, US)

1. A fan case assembly adapted for use with a gas turbine engine, the fan case assembly comprising a case that extends circumferentially at least partway about a central axis of the fan case assembly to define an outer boundary of a gas path of the gas turbine engine, the case formed to define a plenum that extends circumferentially at least partway about the central axis, a plurality of drums arranged in the plenum and spaced circumferentially about the central axis, each drum of the plurality of drums shaped to include a first slot and a second slot spaced apart axially along the drum that each extend through the corresponding drum, each drum of the plurality of drums configured to rotate about a respective drum axis between a closed position in which the first slot and the second slot of the corresponding drum are both closed off from the gas path to block fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through either the first slot or the second slot, a first open position in which the first slot of the corresponding drum is open to the gas path to allow fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through the first slot while the second slot remains closed off from the gas path, and a second open position in which the second slot of the corresponding drum is open to the gas path to allow fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through the second slot while the first slot remains closed off from the gas path, and a control unit configured to rotate the plurality of drums about the respective drum axis between the closed position, the first open position, and the second open position in response to preselected operating conditions to minimize negative effects pressure and swirl distortions in the gas turbine engine to improve stall margin.

2. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first slot is disposed closer to a first axial end of the drum that the second slot and the second slot is disposed closer to a second axial end of the drum than the first slot, the second axial end opposite from the first axial end.

3. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first slot is disposed closer to a leading edge of a fan blade that the second slot and the second slot is disposed closer to a trailing edge of the fan blade than the first slot.

4. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first slot extends through the corresponding drum at a first angle relative to the gas path and the second slot extend through the corresponding drum at a second angle relative to the gas path, the second angle different from the first angle.

5. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of drums includes a first set of drums and a second set of drums and the control unit is configured to rotate the first set of drums between the closed position, the first open position, and the second open position independent of the second set of drums.

6. The fan case assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first set of drums are alternated circumferentially between the second set of drums.

7. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein each drum of the plurality of drums has a cylindrical shape that defines a first end, a second end spaced apart axially from the first end, and an outer surface that extends axially between the first end and the second end and circumferentially about the corresponding drum axis, and wherein the outer surface of each drum of the plurality of drums cooperates with an inner surface of the gas path to define a portion of the outer boundary of the gas path when each drum of the plurality of drums is in the closed position to block fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum.

8. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein each drum of the plurality of drums has a cylindrical shape that defines a first end, a second end spaced apart axially from the first end, and an outer surface that extends axially between the first end and the second end and circumferentially about the corresponding drum axis, and wherein the outer surface of each drum of the plurality of drums at an axial position of the second slot cooperates with an inner surface of the gas path to define a portion of the outer boundary of the gas path when each drum of the plurality of drums is in the first open position to block fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum at the second slot.

9. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein each drum of the plurality of drums has a cylindrical shape that defines a first end, a second end spaced apart axially from the first end, and an outer surface that extends axially between the first end and the second end and circumferentially about the corresponding drum axis, and wherein the outer surface of each drum of the plurality of drums at an axial position of the first slot cooperates with an inner surface of the gas path to define a portion of the outer boundary of the gas path when each drum of the plurality of drums is in the second open position to block fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum at the first slot.

10. The fan case assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes at least one actuator coupled to the plurality of drums and configured to drive rotation of the plurality of drums between the closed position, the first open position, and the second open position, and a controller coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to direct the at least one actuator to move the plurality of drums to the closed position when the gas turbine engine is in a cruise condition included in the preselected operating conditions.

11. The fan case assembly of claim 10 , wherein the control unit further includes a memory coupled to the controller, the memory including a plurality of preprogrammed aircraft maneuvers that each correspond to one of the closed position, the first open position, and the second open position, and wherein the controller is configured to detect a preprogrammed aircraft maneuver included in the plurality of preprogrammed aircraft maneuvers on the memory and direct the at least one actuator to move the plurality of drums to a corresponding position in response to detecting the preprogrammed aircraft maneuver.

12. The fan case assembly of claim 10 , wherein the control unit further includes at least one sensor coupled to the controller and configured to measure one of pressure, air speed, altitude, blade tip timing, blade rotational speed, attitude, and acceleration, and wherein the controller is configured to receive a measurement from the at least one sensor and direct the at least one actuator to move the plurality of drums to a corresponding position in response to the measurement of the at least one sensor.

13. A gas turbine engine comprising a fan including a fan rotor configured to rotate about an axis of the gas turbine engine and a plurality of fan blades coupled to the fan rotor for rotation therewith and a fan case assembly adapted for use with the gas turbine engine, the fan case assembly comprising a case that extends circumferentially at least partway about a central axis of the fan case assembly to define an outer boundary of a gas path of the gas turbine engine, the case formed to define a plenum that extends circumferentially at least partway about the central axis, a plurality of drums arranged in the plenum, each drum of the plurality of drums shaped to include a first slot and a second slot spaced apart axially from the first slot that each extend through the corresponding drum, each drum of the plurality of drums configured to rotate about a respective drum axis between a closed position in which both the first slot and the second slot of the corresponding drum are closed off from the gas path to block fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through either the first slot or the second slot, and an open position in which one of the first slot and the second slot of the corresponding drum is open to the gas path to allow fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through one of the first slot and the second slot while the other of the first slot and the second slot is closed off from the gas path, and a control unit configured to rotate the plurality of drums about the respective drum axis between the closed position and the open position in response to preselected operating conditions.

14. The fan case assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first slot is disposed closer to a first axial end of the drum that the second slot and the second slot is disposed closer to a second axial end of the drum than the first slot, the second axial end opposite from the first axial end.

15. The fan case assembly of claim 13 , where each of the plurality of fan blades includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein the first slot is located closer to the leading edge of the plurality of fan blades than the second slot, and the second slot is located closer to the trailing edge of the plurality of fan blades than the first slot.

16. The fan case assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first slot extends through the corresponding drum at a first angle relative to the gas path and the second slot extend through the corresponding drum at a second angle relative to the gas path, the second angle different from the first angle.

17. The fan case assembly of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of drums includes a first set of drums and a second set of drums and the control unit is configured to rotate the first set of drums between the closed position and the open position independent of the second set of drums.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , wherein the first set of drums are alternated circumferentially between the second set of drums.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the control unit includes at least one actuator coupled to the plurality of drums and configured to drive movement of the plurality of drums between the closed position and the open position and a controller coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to direct the at least one actuator to move the plurality of drums to the closed position when the gas turbine engine is in a cruise condition included in the preselected operating conditions.

20. A method comprising providing a fan case assembly adapted for use with a gas turbine engine, the fan case assembly including a case that extends circumferentially at least partway about a central axis of the gas turbine engine and formed to define an outer boundary of a gas path of the gas turbine engine, the case formed to define a plenum that extends circumferentially at least partway about the central axis, and a plurality of drums, each drum of the plurality of drums shaped to include a first slot and a second slot extending through the corresponding drum, each drum of the plurality of drums configured to rotate about a respective drum axis, locating the plurality of drums in a closed position in which both the first slot and the second slot of the corresponding drum are closed off from the gas path to block fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through either the first slot or the second slot, and rotating the plurality of drums to an open position in which one of the first slot and the second slot of the corresponding drum is open to the gas path to allow fluid communication between the gas path and the plenum through one of the first slot and the second slot while the other of the first slot and the second slot is closed off from the gas path.

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