# US 10,119,449 B2 · Systems and methods for restraining exhaust gas ducts

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- Number: US 10,119,449 B2
- Document ID: US10119449B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/226,451
- Filed: 2016-08-02
- Published: 2018-02-08
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-02
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Applicants: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Eric Matthews Boekeloo; William Preston Keith; Michael Best; Aristidis Sidiropoulos; Thomas Richardson Pinney
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119449B2

## CPC

- F01N 13/082: {of tailpipe, e.g. with means for mixing air with exhaust for exhaust cooling, dilution or evacuation (F01N13/20 takes precedence)}
- B64D 29/00: Power-plant nacelles, fairings or cowlings
- B64D 33/04: of exhaust outlets or jet pipes
- F02K 1/48: Corrugated nozzles
- F02K 1/80: Couplings or connections
- B64D 2033/045: {comprising infrared suppressors}
- F01N 2590/00: Exhaust or silencing apparatus adapted to particular use, e.g. for military applications, airplanes, submarines
- F05D 2260/30: Retaining components in desired mutual position
- F05D 2260/96: Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

Methods and systems for restricting movement in a flow mixer of an exhaust duct, the flow mixer having a first row of flutes and a second row of flutes generally opposite to the first row of flutes, each flute being elongated and defining an elongated axis. At least two flute ties connect, or couple, together at least two flutes from the first row of flutes and at least two flutes from the second row of flutes. A retainer is coupled to the flute ties and extends generally perpendicularly to the elongated axis of each of the flutes from the first and second rows of flutes. The combination of the retainer and flute ties is configured to generally restrain relative movement between the flutes from the first row and the flutes from the second row.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A duct for directing a flow of exhaust gases, the duct comprising:
a wall portion defining a passageway having an inlet portion adapted to receive the flow of exhaust gases and an outlet portion adapted to discharge the flow of exhaust gases;
a plurality of flutes defined at the outlet portion, the plurality of flutes including a first flute and a second flute spaced from the first flute, the first flute having a first peak, a first trough, a first height dimension, and a first width dimension generally perpendicular to the first height dimension, the second flute having a second peak, a second trough, a second height dimension, and a second width dimension generally perpendicular to the second height dimension; and
at least one retainer coupled to the first trough and the second trough and extending generally parallel to at least one of the first width dimension and the second width dimension, wherein the at least one retainer is configured to restrain relative movement between the first flute and the second flute and relative movement among the first flute, the second flute, and at least one of the inlet portion and the outlet portion during the flow of exhaust gases through the duct.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The duct of claim 1, further comprising:
a third flute generally opposed to the first flute;
a fourth flute generally opposed to the second flute; and
at least one flute tie;
wherein the at least one flute tie comprises:
a first flute tie coupled to the third flute and the first flute; and
a second flute tie coupled to the fourth flute and the second flute; and
wherein the at least one retainer is coupled to the first flute tie and the second flute tie.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The duct of claim 2, wherein a first axis corresponds to the first height dimension, the third flute has a third height dimension, and a third axis corresponds to the third height dimension, and
wherein the first axis and the third axis are generally collinear with respect to one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The duct of claim 2, wherein the third flute has a third height dimension and a third axis corresponds to the third height dimension, and the fourth flute has a fourth height dimension and a fourth axis corresponds to the fourth height dimension, and
wherein the third axis and the fourth axis are generally parallel to one another.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The duct of claim 2, wherein:
the first flute is adjacent the second flute;
the third flute is adjacent the fourth flute; and
the first flute tie is generally parallel to the second flute tie.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The duct of claim 1, wherein a first axis corresponds to the first height dimension and a second axis corresponds to the second height dimension, and
wherein the first axis and the second axis are generally parallel to one another.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The duct of claim 1, wherein the outlet portion has a centerline, a first axis corresponds to the first height dimension, and a second axis corresponds to the second height dimension, and
wherein the first axis and the second axis extend generally radially with respect to the centerline.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The duct of claim 1, further comprising:
a third flute generally opposed to the first flute;
a fourth flute generally opposed to the second flute;
a fifth flute between the first flute and the second flute;
a sixth flute generally opposed to the fifth flute; and
at least one flute tie;
wherein the at least one flute tie comprises:
a first flute tie coupled to the third flute and the first flute; and
a second flute tie coupled to the fourth flute and the second flute.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The duct of claim 8, wherein the at least one retainer is coupled to the first flute tie and the second flute tie, and
wherein the third flute is configured to have freedom of movement with respect to at least one of the at least one retainer, the first flute, the second flute, and the fourth flute.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The duct of claim 8, further comprising a third flute tie coupled to the fifth flute and the sixth flute.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The duct of claim 10, wherein the at least one retainer is coupled to the first flute tie, the second flute tie, and the third flute tie.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The duct of claim 1, further comprising:
a third flute generally opposed to the first flute;
a fourth flute generally opposed to the second flute;
a fifth flute;
a sixth flute generally opposed to the fifth flute;
a seventh flute;
an eighth flute generally opposed to the seventh flute; and
at least one flute tie;
wherein the at least one flute tie comprises:
a first flute tie coupled to the third flute and the first flute;
a second flute tie coupled to the fourth flute and the second flute.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The duct of claim 12, further comprising:
a third flute tie coupled to the fifth flute and the sixth flute; and
a fourth flute tie coupled to the seventh flute and the eighth flute.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The duct of claim 13, wherein the at least one retainer comprises a first retainer and a second retainer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The duct of claim 13, wherein the at least one retainer is coupled to the first flute tie, the second flute tie, the third flute tie, and the fourth flute tie.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The duct of claim 14, wherein the first retainer is coupled to at least the first flute tie and the second flute tie, and
wherein the second retainer is coupled to at least the third flute tie and the fourth flute tie.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The duct of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of flutes is configured to have freedom of movement with respect to at least one other of the plurality of flutes.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The duct of claim 1, wherein the first height dimension is greater than the first width dimension, and
wherein the second height dimension is greater than the second width dimension.

### Claim 19

A stiffener mechanism for an exhaust duct, the exhaust duct including a first row of flutes and a second row of flutes generally opposite to the first row of flutes, each flute being elongated along a respective axis, the stiffener mechanism comprising:
at least two flute ties coupling together at least two flutes from the first row of flutes to at least two flutes from the second row of flutes; and
at least one retainer coupled to the at least two flute ties and extending generally perpendicularly to the axis of each of the at least two flutes from the first row of flutes and the at least two flutes from the second row of flutes;
wherein the at least one retainer is configured to generally restrain relative movement between the at least two flutes from the first row of flutes and the at least two flutes from the second row of flutes.

### Claim 20

A method of increasing a resonant frequency of an exhaust system having at least one duct, the at least one duct including a plurality of flutes, each flute including a trough and an elongated portion with a respective axis and a lateral portion extending generally perpendicular to the respective axis, wherein a length of the elongated portion is greater than a width of the lateral portion, the method comprising:
selecting a first flute from the plurality of flutes, the first flute having a first axis;
selecting a second flute from the plurality of flutes, the second flute having a second axis generally parallel to the first axis;
orienting a retainer to extend generally perpendicular to the first and second axes; and
coupling a first portion of the retainer to the trough of the first flute and a second portion of the retainer to the trough of the second flute such that the retainer generally restrains movement between the first flute and the second flute.