US 12,065,979 B2
Distributed electric and hybrid fans for distortion tolerance of turbofan engines
Robert W. Heeter, Indianapolis, IN (US); Daniel E. Molnar, Jr., Indianapolis, IN (US); Kathryn A. Sontag, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Michael G. Meyer, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US); and Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US); and Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Dec. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/088,974.
Prior Publication US 2024/0209795 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
Int. Cl. F02C 9/20 (2006.01); F02C 3/06 (2006.01); F02K 3/04 (2006.01); B64D 31/06 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 9/20 (2013.01) [F02C 3/06 (2013.01); F02K 3/04 (2013.01); B64D 31/06 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2260/60 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
11. A gas turbine engine comprising
a primary fan mounted for rotation about an axis of the gas turbine engine to provide thrust,
an engine core coupled to the primary fan and configured to drive the primary fan about the axis, and
an auxiliary fan system including an auxiliary fan array located axially forward or aft of the primary fan and a control unit coupled to the auxiliary fan array, the auxiliary fan array having a plurality of electric fans spaced apart around the axis of the gas turbine engine that are each configured to rotate about a fan axis, and the control unit configured to vary individually a rotation speed of each electric fan included in the auxiliary fan array in response to a pressure differential in a flow path of the gas turbine engine upstream of the engine core.