Exhaust nozzle control including tapered control effector for a gas turbine engine

An exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a duct having a first surface and a second opposing surface extending along a duct axis to define an exhaust flow path;
• wherein the duct defines a recess extending from the first surface;
• at least one effector positioned across the first surface, the at least one effector includes a body extending along an effector axis between a first effector-sidewall and an opposing second effector-sidewall and extending between an effector leading edge and an effector trailing edge with respect to the duct axis, the at least one effector pivotable about the effector axis to vary a throat area of the exhaust flow path, wherein the at least one effector having a tapering cross-section at positions along at least one of the effector leading edge and the effector railing edge with respect to the effector axis;
• wherein at least one of the effector leading edge and the effector trailing edge is pivotable away from the recess and into the exhaust flow path;
• wherein each of the effector leading edge and effector trailing edge slopes inwardly from the first effector-sidewall to the second effector-sidewall with respect to the effector axis;
• wherein the effector leading edge is received in the recess and the effector-trailing edge extends towards the second surface when the at least one effector is positioned in a first position;
• and
• wherein the effector trailing edge is received in the recess and the effector leading edge extends towards the second surface when the at least one effector is positioned in a second position;
• wherein the throat area is defined at a first axial location relative to the duct axis when the at least one effector is located in the first position, and the throat area is defined at a second, differential axial location relative to the duct axis when the at least one effector is located in the second position;
• and
• wherein the throat area is defined by the effector trailing edge at the first axial location, the throat area is defined by the effector leading edge at the second axial location, the body includes a first face and a second face joined at a ridge to bound the exhaust flow path, the ridge extending radially outward with respect to the effector axis and into the exhaust flow path, with the first face sloping from the ridge toward the effector leading edge and the second face sloping from the ridge toward the effector trailing edge, and each of the effector leading and effector trailing edge and said ridge sloping from the first effector-sidewall toward the second effector-sidewall with respect to the effector axis.

A gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a nacelle assembly including an exhaust nozzle coupled to the nacelle assembly, the exhaust nozzle comprising:
• a duct having a first surface and a second opposing surface extending along a duct axis to define an exhaust flow path;
• at least one effector having a body positioned in a recess across the first surface, the body extending axially along an effector axis between a first effector-sidewall and an opposing second effector-sidewall and extending transversely between an effector leading edge and an effector trailing edge with respect to the effector axis, the effector leading and trailing edges extending axially from the first effector-sidewall to the second effector-sidewall, the effector leading edge forward of the effector trailing edge with respect to the duct axis, the effector axis extending longitudinally through the at least one effector, the effector leading edge and the effector trailing edge pivotable about the effector axis to vary a throat area of the exhaust flow path, at least one of the effector leading edge and the effector trailing edge of the at least one effector tapering inwardly from the first effector-sidewall to the second effector-sidewall with respect to a distance from the effector axis;
• and
• wherein the at least one of the effector leading edge and the effector trailing edge is pivotable away from the recess and into the exhaust flow path.