Quiet and efficient high-pressure fan assembly
A high-pressure vane-axial fan assembly is provided. A rotor assembly has a plurality of rotor blades disposed circumferentially around and extending radially outward from a hub. Each rotor blade has an airfoil cross-section and is constructed to define a straight-ruled leading edge that extends outward from the hub. The rotor blade is rotated along its span relative to the straight-ruled leading edge. The plurality of rotor blades defines a solidity of greater than 1. A stator assembly has a plurality of stator vanes disposed circumferentially around and extending radially from the frame. There are a lesser number of stator vanes than rotor blades. The stator assembly is positioned adjacent the rotor assembly such that an axial gap is defined between the trailing edge of the rotor blades and the leading edge of the stator vanes. The axial gap increases with radial distance from the hub as defined by the shape of the trailing edge of the rotor blades and the shape of the leading edge of the stator vanes. The axial gap is a minimum of the rotor blade's axial chord length along a central portion thereof.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
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Michael E. Yu-Tai
Slipper Lee