US 11,725,526 B1
Turbofan engine having nacelle with non-annular inlet
Arthur William Sibbach, Boxford, MA (US); and Brandon Wayne Miller, Liberty Township, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,010.
Int. Cl. F01D 9/04 (2006.01); F01D 25/24 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 9/041 (2013.01) [F01D 25/24 (2013.01); F05D 2240/12 (2013.01); F05D 2240/14 (2013.01); F05D 2250/51 (2013.01); F05D 2260/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A turbofan engine defining a longitudinal axis, the turbofan engine comprising:
a fan comprising a plurality of fan blades;
a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath;
a nacelle surrounding and at least partially enclosing the fan, the nacelle including an inlet at a leading edge of the nacelle, the inlet defining an interior inlet surface that is non-annular; and
an inlet pre-swirl feature located upstream of the plurality of fan blades, the inlet pre-swirl feature attached to or integrated into the nacelle.