Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and components thereof. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/428,787, filed Dec. 30, 2010, entitled GAS TURBINE ENGINE AND DIFFUSER, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to gas turbine engine components, such as a diffuser. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Gas turbine engines and components, such as diffusers and combustors, remain an area of interest. Some existing systems have various shortcomings, drawbacks, and disadvantages relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and components thereof. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a non-limiting example of some aspects of a gas turbine engine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a non-limiting example of some aspects of a diffuser splitter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a non-limiting example of some aspects of a combustor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a non-limiting example of some aspects of a combustor dome panel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nonetheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by the illustration and description of certain embodiments of the invention. In addition, any alterations and/or modifications of the illustrated and/or described embodiment(s) are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. Further, any other applications of the principles of the invention, as illustrated and/or described herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0011]    Referring to the drawings, and in particular  FIG. 1 , a non-limiting example of some aspects of a gas turbine engine  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is schematically depicted. In one form, gas turbine engine  10  is an aircraft propulsion power plant. In other embodiments, gas turbine engine  10  may be a land-based or marine engine. In one form, gas turbine engine  10  is a multi-spool turbofan engine. In other embodiments, gas turbine engine  10  may take other forms, and may be, for example, a turboshaft engine, a turbojet engine, a turboprop engine, or a combined cycle engine having a single spool or multiple spools. 
         [0012]    As a turbofan engine, gas turbine engine  10  includes a fan system  12 , a bypass duct  14 , a compressor  16 , a diffuser  18 , a combustor  20 , a turbine  22 , a discharge duct  26  and a nozzle system  28 . Bypass duct  14  and compressor  16  are in fluid communication with fan system  12 . Diffuser  18  is in fluid communication with compressor  16 . Combustor  20  is fluidly disposed between compressor  16  and turbine  22 . In one form, combustor  20  includes a combustion liner (not shown) that contains a continuous combustion process. In other embodiments, combustor  20  may take other forms, and may be, for example and without limitation, a wave rotor combustion system, a rotary valve combustion system or a slinger combustion system, and may employ deflagration and/or detonation combustion processes. 
         [0013]    Fan system  12  includes a fan rotor system  30 . In various embodiments, fan rotor system  30  includes one or more rotors (not shown) that are powered by turbine  22 . Bypass duct  14  is operative to transmit a bypass flow generated by fan system  12  to nozzle  28 . Compressor  16  includes a compressor rotor system  32 . In various embodiments, compressor rotor system  32  includes one or more rotors (not shown) that are powered by turbine  22 . Each compressor rotor includes a plurality of rows of compressor blades (not shown) that are alternatingly interspersed with rows of compressor vanes (not shown). Turbine  22  includes a turbine rotor system  34 . In various embodiments, turbine rotor system  34  includes one or more rotors (not shown) operative to drive fan rotor system  30  and compressor rotor system  32 . Each turbine rotor includes a plurality of turbine blades (not shown) that are alternatingly interspersed with rows of turbine vanes (not shown). 
         [0014]    Turbine rotor system  34  is drivingly coupled to compressor rotor system  32  and fan rotor system  30  via a shafting system  36 . In various embodiments, shafting system  36  includes a plurality of shafts that may rotate at the same or different speeds and directions. In some embodiments, only a single shaft may be employed. Turbine  22  is operative to discharge an engine  10  core flow to nozzle  28 . In one form, fan rotor system  30 , compressor rotor system  32 , turbine rotor system  34  and shafting system  36  rotate about an engine centerline  48 . In other embodiments, all or parts of fan rotor system  30 , compressor rotor system  32 , turbine rotor system  34  and shafting system  36  may rotate about one or more other axes of rotation in addition to or in place of engine centerline  48 . 
         [0015]    Discharge duct  26  extends between a discharge portion  40  of turbine  22  and engine nozzle  28 . Discharge duct  26  is operative to direct bypass flow and core flow from a bypass duct discharge portion  38  and turbine discharge portion  40 , respectively, into nozzle system  28 . In some embodiments, discharge duct  26  may be considered a part of nozzle  28 . Nozzle  28  is in fluid communication with fan system  12  and turbine  22 . Nozzle  28  is operative to receive the bypass flow from fan system  12  via bypass duct  14 , and to receive the core flow from turbine  22 , and to discharge both as an engine exhaust flow, e.g., a thrust-producing flow. In other embodiments, other nozzle arrangements may be employed, including separate nozzles for each of the core flow and the bypass flow. 
         [0016]    During the operation of gas turbine engine  10 , air is drawn into the inlet of fan  12  and pressurized by fan  12 . Some of the air pressurized by fan  12  is directed into compressor  16  as core flow, and some of the pressurized air is directed into bypass duct  14  as bypass flow, and is discharged into nozzle  28  via discharge duct  26 . Compressor  16  further pressurizes the portion of the air received therein from fan  12 , which is then discharged into diffuser  18 . Diffuser  18  reduces the velocity of the pressurized air, and directs the diffused core airflow into combustor  20 . Fuel is mixed with the pressurized air in combustor  20 , which is then combusted. The hot gases exiting combustor  20  are directed into turbine  22 , which extracts energy in the form of mechanical shaft power sufficient to drive fan system  12  and compressor  16  via shafting system  36 . The core flow exiting turbine  22  is directed along an engine tail cone  42  and into discharge duct  26 , along with the bypass flow from bypass duct  14 . Discharge duct  26  is configured to receive the bypass flow and the core flow, and to discharge both as an engine exhaust flow, e.g., for providing thrust, such as for aircraft propulsion. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , in one form, diffuser  18  includes a plurality of splitters  50 . In other embodiments, diffuser  18  may take other forms, and may be, for example and without limitation, a dump diffuser and/or one or more other diffuser types. Diffuser  18  is formed, in part, of a foam material. Splitters  50  are configured to form multiple passages within diffuser  18 . Splitters  50  form walls for diffusing pressurized air received from compressor  16  and for directing the flow of diffused air toward desired locations on and around combustor  20 . Each splitter  50  includes an upper splitter portion  52  and a lower splitter portion  54 . In one form, both upper splitter portion  52  and lower splitter portion  54  are formed of a foam material. In other embodiments, only one of upper splitter portion  52  and lower splitter portion  54  may be formed of a foam material. 
         [0018]    In one form, the foam material has a closed cell structure. In other embodiments, an open cell structure may be employed in addition to or in place of a closed cell structure. In one form, the foam material is a metal foam having a density substantially lower than the same material in a fully dense form. In some embodiments, upper splitter portion  52  and lower splitter portion  54  are formed by casting foamed metal, yielding a density as low as 4% of that of the same metal in a typical fully dense state. In other embodiments, other densities may be achieved. In one form, the metal foam is a high temperature nickel foam. In other embodiments, other metallic materials may be employed. In still other embodiments, the foam material may be an intermetallic foam and/or a ceramic foam in addition to or in place of metal foam. Examples of materials that may be used to create intermetallic and ceramic foams include, for example and without limitation, alumina and SIC. 
         [0019]    Upper splitter portion  52  and lower splitter portion  54  include respective flowpath surfaces  56  and  58 . In one form, disposed on flowpath surfaces  56  and  58  is a coating. In one form, the coating is applied directly over the foam material forming flowpath surfaces  56  and  58 . In other embodiments, other portions of upper splitter portion  52  and lower splitter portion  54  may have the coating disposed on other surfaces in addition to or in place of flowpath surfaces  56  and  58 . In still other embodiments, upper splitter portion  52  and lower splitter portion  54  may have any number of coatings disposed thereon. In one form, the coating is a ceramic material, for example and without limitation alumina and SiC. In other embodiments, other coating materials may be employed, for example and without limitation, metallic and/or intermetallic coatings such as high temperature capable nickel alloys. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in one form, combustor  20  includes a combustion liner  70  and plurality dome panels  72  disposed at a forward portion of combustion liner  70 . In other embodiments, only a single dome panel  72  may be employed. Combustion liner  70  includes an inner liner  74  and an outer liner  76 . In one form, inner liner  74  includes attachment features  78  and  80 ; and outer liner  76  includes attachment features  82  and  84 . Attachment  78 ,  80 ,  82  and  84  are configured to attach combustion liner  70  to engine  10 , and to secure dome panels  72  to combustion liner  70 . In one form, dome panels  72  are formed of a foam material. In one form, the foam material has a closed cell structure. In other embodiments, an open cell structure may be employed in addition to or in place of a closed cell structure. In one form, the foam material is a metal foam having a density substantially lower than the same material in a fully dense form. In some embodiments, dome panels  72 , inner liner  74  and outer liner  76  are formed by casting foamed metal, yielding a density as low as 4% of that of the same metal in a typical fully dense state. In other embodiments, other densities may be achieved. In one form, the metal foam is a high temperature nickel alloy. In other embodiments, other metallic materials may be employed. In still other embodiments, the foam material may be an intermetallic foam and/or a ceramic foam in addition to or in place of metal foam. Examples of materials that may be used to create intermetallic and ceramic foams include, for example and without limitation, alumina and SiC. 
         [0021]    Dome panel  72  is defined by a plurality of surfaces, some of which are illustrated as surfaces  72 A,  72 B,  72 C and  72 D. In one form, one or more surfaces of dome panel  72 , including but not limited to one or more of  72 A,  72 B,  72 C and  72 D and/or other surfaces not explicitly illustrated, have one or more coatings disposed thereon, including, for example and without limitation, thermal protection (high temperature resistant) coatings. Similarly, in various embodiments, one or more surfaces of combustion liner  70 , for example and without limitation, inner combustion surfaces  74 A and  76 A, have one or more coatings disposed thereon, including, for example and without limitation, thermal protection (high temperature resistant) coatings. In one form, the coatings include a coating formed of a ceramic material, for example and without limitation, alumina and SiC. In other embodiments, other coating materials may be employed, for example and without limitation, metallic and/or intermetallic coatings such as high temperature capable nickel alloys. It will be understood that the foam material and/or coating(s) disposed thereon may be the same or different for each of diffuser  18 , including upper splitter portion  52  and a lower splitter portion  54 , and for dome panels  72  and inner liner  74  and outer liner  76 . 
         [0022]    Embodiments of the present invention include a gas turbine engine, comprising: a compressor; a diffuser in fluid communication with the compressor; a combustor in fluid communication with the diffuser; and a turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, wherein the diffuser is formed at least in part of a first foam material. 
         [0023]    In a refinement, the diffuser includes a splitter; and wherein the splitter is formed of the first foam material. 
         [0024]    In another refinement, the splitter includes an upper splitter and a lower splitter. 
         [0025]    In yet another refinement, both the upper splitter and the lower splitter are formed of the first foam material. 
         [0026]    In still another refinement, the first foam material has a closed cell structure. 
         [0027]    In yet still another refinement, the first foam material is a metal foam. 
         [0028]    In a further refinement, the gas turbine engine further comprises a coating disposed on the first foam material. 
         [0029]    In a yet further refinement, the coating is a ceramic material. 
         [0030]    In a still further refinement, the coating is a metallic material. 
         [0031]    In a yet still further refinement, the combustor includes a dome panel; and wherein the dome panel is formed of a second foam material. 
         [0032]    Embodiments of the present invention include a diffuser for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a first splitter component; and a second splitter component, wherein one or both of the first splitter component and the second splitter component are formed of a foam material. 
         [0033]    In a refinement, both the first splitter component and the second splitter component are formed of the foam material. 
         [0034]    In another refinement, first foam material has a closed cell structure. 
         [0035]    In yet another refinement, the foam material is a metal foam. 
         [0036]    In still another refinement, the diffuser further comprises a coating disposed on the foam material. 
         [0037]    In yet still another refinement, the coating is a ceramic material. 
         [0038]    In a further refinement, the coating is a metallic material. 
         [0039]    In a yet further refinement, the first splitter component and the second splitter component each have a flowpath surface; and wherein the coating is disposed on the flowpath surface of each of the first splitter component and the second splitter component. 
         [0040]    Embodiments of the present invention include a gas turbine engine, comprising: a compressor; means for diffusing pressurized air received from the compressor; a combustor in fluid communication with the means for diffusing; and a turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, wherein the means for diffusing is formed at least in part of a first foam material. 
         [0041]    In a refinement, the combustor includes a dome panel; wherein the dome panel is formed of a second foam material. 
         [0042]    In another refinement, the gas turbine engine further comprises a thermal protection coating disposed on the second foam material. 
         [0043]    In yet another refinement, the combustor includes a combustion liner formed at least in part of a third foam material. 
         [0044]    In still another refinement, the gas turbine engine further comprises a thermal protection coating disposed on the third foam material. 
         [0045]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment(s), but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as permitted under the law. Furthermore it should be understood that while the use of the word preferable, preferably, or preferred in the description above indicates that feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and any embodiment lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, that scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one” and “at least a portion” are used, there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item may include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.