2023 published patents show interesting and remarkable
innovations from jet engine manufacturers, with considerable
emphasis on the challenges of greater efficiency and reduced
environmental impact. In this first of a series of short blog
posts, I cover an elegant innovation from General Electric (GE),
which might be the key to unlocking the potential of the
“open rotor” architecture.
For those unfamiliar with open rotor engines, imagine the normal
turbofan jet engine of an airliner, but with a pair (normally) of
large contra-rotating rotors not enclosed in the
nacelle (engine casing). These contra-rotating rotors replace the
fan (the large bladed rotor you normally see at the front of a
turbofan engine). Open rotor engines have great efficiency
potential by comparison with conventional turbofans, but face
challenges associated with complexity, noise and managing
“blade-off” failures.
