enginehistory.org

[gryan]

In the latest Torque Meter magazine there is (on page 30) an interesting article discussing the General Electric GE36 unducted fan. The British patent number is cited. For those interested, there is a US member of the patent family for this invention. The equivalent US patent is US5079916. A fascinating innovation that perhaps we may yet see utilised.

Some years ago I heard of a electric drive compressor/turbine variant of the conventional turbo-fan. A UK based professor intended to drive a compressor with an electric motor that surrounding the compressor. The fan would be driven in like fashion. He intended to take power from the turbine with a generator (alternator) that surrounded said turbine. That electric power would be used to run the aircraft and, naturally enough, the fan and compressor as well. But you can't have an unducted fan unfortunately.

Nevertheless he thought there would be efficiency gains (can run components at whatever rpm suits each one at any time since they are not attached to each other). He also claimed that the designers of airframes would be able to take advantage of the ability to locate components freely (the fan can be out on the wing while the turbine could be elsewhere etc.). Intriguing.

If anyone knows what the patent number is I'd be keen to know as I could never locate it!


Regards

Gerald