US-12617540-B2 - Aft air inlet particle separator for turbine engine

US12617540B2US 12617540 B2US12617540 B2US 12617540B2US-12617540-B2

Abstract

A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a gas generating core engine, a propulsor that is driven by an exhaust gas flow that is generated by the core engine, and an inlet assembly where an inlet airflow is communicated to the core engine. The inlet assembly is disposed aft of the core engine and includes a turning duct that directs inlet air into the core engine, and a particle exhaust outlet that directs particulates away from the core engine.

Inventors

Neil J. Terwilliger
Joseph B. Staubach

Assignees

RTX CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240105

Claims (11)

1 . A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising: a gas generating core engine disposed about an engine axis; a propulsor driven by an exhaust gas flow generated by the gas generating core engine; an inlet assembly where an inlet airflow is communicated to the gas generating core engine, the inlet assembly is disposed aft of the gas generating core engine and includes an inlet opening to a turning duct directing inlet air into the gas generating core engine, a particulate passage radially outward of the turning duct, an annular particulate inlet, and a particle exhaust outlet directing particulates away from the gas generating core engine, wherein the turning duct is centered along and across the engine axis and the particle exhaust outlet is disposed along the engine axis aft of the turning duct.
2 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 1 , including an exhaust duct routing an exhaust gas flow away from the gas generating core engine, the exhaust duct spaced radially apart from the inlet opening of the turning duct.
3 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the exhaust duct is spaced radially apart from the particle exhaust outlet.
4 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 2 , including a nacelle surrounding the gas generating core engine and defining a bypass flow path, wherein the exhaust duct is disposed within the nacelle.
5 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 1 . wherein the annular particle inlet is aft of the inlet opening for inlet airflow.
6 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the gas generating core engine includes a turbine section engine forward of a combustor section and a compressor section and the inlet assembly communicates inlet airflow into the compressor section.
7 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 6 , including a power turbine coupled to drive the propulsor, the power turbine is engine forward of the turbine section and is rotatable independent of the turbine section by at least a portion of the exhaust gas flow.
8 . A propulsion system for an aircraft comprising: a gas generating core engine where an exhaust gas flow is generated to drive a turbine section that is engine forward of a combustor section and a compressor section; a propulsor driven by the exhaust gas flow generated by the gas generating core engine; a power turbine coupled to drive the propulsor, the power turbine is engine forward of the turbine section and is rotatable independent of the turbine section by at least a portion of the exhaust gas flow; an inlet assembly where an inlet airflow is communicated to the gas generating core engine, the inlet assembly is disposed aft of the gas generating core engine and includes an inlet opening, a turning duct where inlet airflow is communicated engine forward into the compressor section, a particle passage, an annular particle inlet, and a particle exhaust outlet that directs particulates away from the gas generating core engine, wherein the turning duct is centered along and across the engine axis and the particle exhaust outlet is disposed along the engine axis aft of the turning duct; and an exhaust duct routing the exhaust gas flow away from the gas generating core engine, the exhaust duct spaced radially apart from particle exhaust outlet.
9 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 8 , including a nacelle surrounding the gas generating core engine and defining a bypass flow path, wherein at least a portion of the exhaust duct is disposed within the nacelle.
10 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the turning duct is configured to turn the inlet airflow radially inward and axially forward through an outlet where the inlet airflow is directed axially forward into the gas generating core engine, wherein the inlet assembly includes the annular particle inlet disposed radially outward from the turning duct, the annular particle inlet is where particles within the inlet airflow are directed radially inward toward the particulate exhaust outlet.
11 . The propulsion system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the annular particle inlet is aft of the inlet opening for inlet airflow.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.: 63/443,106 filed on Feb. 3, 2023. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT This invention was made with Government support under Contract DE-AR0001561 awarded by the United States Department of Energy, Office of ARPA-E. The Government has certain rights in this invention. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a turbine engine with an aft air inlet duct and more particularly to a particle separator for an aft inlet. BACKGROUND Reduction and/or elimination of carbon emissions generated by aircraft operation is a stated goal of aircraft manufacturers and airline operators. Gas turbine engines compress incoming core airflow, mix the compressed airflow with fuel that is ignited in a combustor to generate a high energy exhaust gas flow. Alternative fuels and steam injection can reduce undesired engine emissions but present new challenges. Alternate engine architectures may provide increased engine efficiencies that further enable use of alternate fuels. The addition of steam injection can further increase engine efficiencies. Such engine architecture can include an aft air inlet where inlet air is driven engine forward. An aft inlet is more susceptible to mixing of particulate matter with the expelled gas flows. Turbine engine manufacturers continue to seek further improvements to engine performance including improvements to reduce environmental impact while improving propulsive efficiencies. SUMMARY A propulsion system for an aircraft according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure includes, among other possible things, a gas generating core engine, a propulsor that is driven by an exhaust gas flow that is generated by the core engine, an inlet assembly where an inlet airflow is communicated to the core engine, the inlet assembly is disposed aft of the core engine and includes a turning duct that directs inlet air into the core engine, and a particle exhaust outlet that directs particulates away from the core engine. In a further embodiment of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes an exhaust duct that routes an exhaust gas flow away from the core engine. The exhaust duct is spaced radially apart from an inlet of the turning duct. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing propulsion systems, the exhaust duct is spaced radially apart from the particle exhaust outlet. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes a nacelle that surrounds the core engine and defines a bypass flow path. The exhaust duct is disposed within the nacelle. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes a mounting structure that attaches the engine to a portion of an airframe. At least a portion of the exhaust duct is disposed within the mounting structure or the portion of the airframe. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes a fluid flow path where a pressurized fluid flow is introduced into the exhaust duct and mixed with the exhaust gas flow to prevent mixing with particulates that are exhausted through the particulate exhaust outlet. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow. A portion of the water extracted from the exhaust gas flow is pressurized and communicated through the fluid flow path as the pressurized fluid flow. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes an evaporator where at least a portion of water extracted by the condenser is transformed into a steam flow and the steam flow is injected into the core engine. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing propulsion systems, the inlet assembly includes an annular inlet opening that communicates an inlet airflow to the turning duct. The turning duct is configured to turn the inlet airflow radially inward and axially forward through an outlet where the inlet airflow is directed axially forward into the core engine. The inlet assembly includes a particle inlet that is disposed radially outward from the turning duct. The particle inlet is where particles within the inlet airflow are directed toward the particulate exhaust outlet. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing propulsion systems, the particle inlet is an annular opening that is aft of the annular inlet opening for inlet airflow. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing propulsion systems, the core engine includes a turbine section engine forward of a combustor section and a compressor section and the inlet assembly communicates inlet airflow into the compressor section. In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing, the propulsion system includes a power turbine that is coupled to drive the propulsor. The power turbine is engine forward of the turbine section and is rotatable inde