US 12,338,837 B2
Turbofan engine having angled inlet pre-swirl vanes
Arthur William Sibbach, Oxford, MA (US); and Brandon Wayne Miller, Liberty Township, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 26, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/755,054.
Application 18/755,054 is a division of application No. 17/676,454, filed on Feb. 21, 2022, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2024/0344530 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. F04D 29/66 (2006.01); F01D 9/04 (2006.01); F01D 25/24 (2006.01); F02C 7/045 (2006.01); F04D 29/54 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 29/66 (2013.01) [F01D 9/041 (2013.01); F01D 25/24 (2013.01); F02C 7/045 (2013.01); F04D 29/54 (2013.01); F04D 29/663 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2240/127 (2013.01); F05D 2240/14 (2013.01); F05D 2260/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A 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 defining a radius and a longitudinal axis; and
an inlet pre-swirl vane located upstream of the plurality of fan blades and defining a chord, the inlet pre-swirl vane coupled to the nacelle, wherein the inlet pre-swirl vane is angled at a first angle with respect to the radius of the nacelle, and wherein the chord of the inlet pre-swirl vane is angled at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nacelle, wherein the inlet pre-swirl vane is one of a plurality of part span inlet guide vanes extending from the nacelle upstream of the plurality of fan blades and aft of an inlet of the nacelle, wherein the plurality of part span inlet guide vanes includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the plurality of part span inlet guide vanes are angled at the first angle with respect to the radius of the nacelle, and wherein the second portion of the plurality of part span inlet guide vanes are angled at a third angle with respect to the radius of the nacelle, wherein the first angle is different than the third angle.