Geared Turbofan Pylon Mounting for Structural Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to maintain a minimum distance between a gas turbine engine and a runway while minimizing weight and maximizing mounting options, particularly for wing-mounted engines, where larger landing gear increases weight and reduces engine mounting flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A geared turbofan engine with a mounting structure to a pylon, featuring a fan with a geared architecture and a fan drive turbine, where the turbine to fan diameter ratio is substantially less than 45%, allowing for a compact design with a smaller low-pressure turbine and increased structural support, enabling efficient mounting configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If larger landing gear is employed to raise the aircraft and gas turbine engine relative to the runway, then the minimum distance between the engine and runway is maintained, but the weight of the aircraft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of engine architecture by introducing a geared turbofan design with a reduced turbine-to-fan diameter ratio (less than 45%). This allows the engine to be positioned lower on the pylon while maintaining adequate clearance, thereby eliminating the need for oversized landing gear and reducing overall aircraft weight
2Length of stationary object
If larger landing gear is employed to raise the aircraft, then the minimum distance between the engine and runway is maintained, but the mounting options for the gas turbine engine are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By fundamentally changing the engine's internal geometry (turbine-to-fan diameter ratio), the patent enables flexible mounting configurations on standard pylons. The reduced ratio allows the engine to accommodate various pylon designs and mounting positions without requiring specialized large-scale landing gear systems
Solution Approach 2:
The geared turbofan engine design with reduced diameter ratio creates a universal mounting solution that can be adapted to multiple pylon configurations and aircraft types, restoring versatility to engine mounting options
3Power
If the fan section is made larger, then thrust capability is improved, but the number of options for mounting the gas turbine engine is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the turbine-to-fan diameter ratio parameter to less than 45%. This allows larger fan sections to generate increased thrust while the compact turbine and geared architecture enable the engine to fit within standard pylon mounting configurations, maintaining adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine includes a mounting structure for mounting the engine to a pylon. A propulsor section includes a fan having a fan diameter. A geared architecture drives the fan. A generator section includes a fan drive turbine that drives the geared architecture. A turbine to fan diameter ratio is substantially less than 45%.