Fan-turbine rotor assembly with integral inducer section for a tip turbine engine

Abstract

A fan-turbine rotor assembly for a tip turbine engine includes a fan hub with an outer periphery scalloped by a multitude of elongated openings which extend into a fan hub web. Each elongated opening defines an inducer section and a blade receipt section to retain a hollow fan blade section. The blade receipt section retains each of the hollow fan blade sections adjacent each inducer section. The inducer sections are cast directly into the fan hub which minimizes leakage between each fan blade section and each of the respective inducer sections to minimize airflow leakage and increase engine efficiency.

1 . A fan hub assembly for a tip turbine engine comprising:
 a fan hub defining a hub axis of rotation, said fan hub defining a multitude of elongated openings through an outer periphery of said fan hub;   a blade receipt section defined by each of said elongated openings; and   an inducer section defined within each of said elongated openings to turn an airflow from a generally axial direction to a generally radial direction.   
   
   
       2 . The fan hub assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said inducer section is cast within said fan hub. 
   
   
       3 . The fan hub assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a multitude of fan blades, each of said multitude of fan blade receivable within each of said blade receipt sections to receive an airflow through a core airflow passage defined within each of said fan blades. 
   
   
       4 . The fan hub assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said multitude of fan blades include a fan blade mount section receivable within each of said blade receipt sections. 
   
   
       5 . The fan hub assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein each of said fan blade mount sections are semi-cylindrical to radially lock said fan blade sections within said fan hub. 
   
   
       6 . A fan-turbine rotor assembly for a tip turbine engine comprising:
 a fan hub defining a hub axis of rotation, said fan hub defining a multitude of elongated openings through an outer periphery of said fan hub;   an inducer defined by each of said elongated openings to turn an airflow from a generally axial direction to a generally radial direction;   a blade receipt section defined by each of said elongated openings;   a multitude of fan blade sections which each define a core airflow passage therethrough; and   a fan blade mount section extending from each of said multitude of fan blade sections, each of said fan blade mount sections receivable within one of said multitude of blade receipt sections for retention therein to communicate said airflow from said inducer to each of said multitude of core airflow passages.   
   
   
       7 . The fan-turbine rotor assembly as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a diffuser about said multitude of fan blade sections, said diffuser in communication with each of said multitude of core airflow passages to turn said airflow from said radial direction to a second axial airflow direction. 
   
   
       8 . The fan-turbine rotor assembly as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a turbine which extends from said diffuser. 
   
   
       9 . The fan-turbine rotor assembly as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said turbine includes a first row of shrouded turbine blades and a second row of shrouded turbine blades.