Dual flowpath exhaust for fuel cooling in a hypersonic propulsion system
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorsNicholas Metzger, Todd S. Taylor, Kenneth M. Pesyna, Timothy Roesler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dual flow path exhaust assembly for use with a combined turbofan and ramjet engine includes a turbofan engine exhaust duct, a ramjet engine exhaust duct, a combined outlet, and door configured to move between an open position and a closed position to selectively isolate the turbofan engine exhaust duct from the combined outlet.
Claims20
A cooling system for use in a dual flow path exhaust assembly for a combined turbofan and ramjet engine including a turbofan engine configured to provide a first stream of pressurized exhaust and a ramjet engine configured to provide a second stream of pressurized exhaust, the cooling system comprising:
- a housing that includes a turbofan engine exhaust duct defining a first flow path configured to convey the first stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough, a ramjet engine exhaust duct defining a second flow path configured to convey the second stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough, and a combined outlet defining a combined flow path, the combined outlet defined by a confluence of an aft end of the turbine engine exhaust duct and an aft end of the ramjet engine exhaust duct, the combined outlet in fluid communication with the ramjet engine exhaust duct and in selective fluid communication with the turbofan engine exhaust duct and configured to receive the second stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough and to selectively receive and convey the first stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough;
- a door configured to selectively block the turbofan engine exhaust duct from the ramjet engine exhaust duct and the combined outlet;
- and
- an overlay coupled to at least one of an inner surface of one of the turbofan engine exhaust duct, the ramjet engine exhaust duct, the combined outlet, and the door, the overlay comprising:
- a skin configured to further define a corresponding one of the first flow path, the second flow path, and the combined flow path, the skin further configured to enable smooth flow of the corresponding one of the first stream of pressurized exhaust and the second stream of pressurized exhaust thereacross;
- and
- a heat exchanger coupled to the skin, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of cooling channels extending therethrough, each of the plurality of cooling channels configured to receive a liquid coolant at an inlet end thereof from a source of liquid coolant and to return the liquid coolant from an outlet end thereof to a liquid coolant receiver.
A cooling system for use in a dual flow path exhaust assembly for a combined turbofan and ramjet engine including a turbofan engine configured to provide a first stream of pressurized exhaust and a ramjet engine configured to provide a second stream of pressurized exhaust, the cooling system comprising:
- a housing including a first exhaust duct configured to convey the first stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough, a second exhaust duct configured to convey the second stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough, and a combined outlet configured to convey a combined stream of pressurized exhaust therethrough, the combined stream of pressurized exhaust comprising the first stream of pressurized exhaust and the second stream of pressurized exhaust;
- a door configured to selectively block the first exhaust duct from the second exhaust duct and the combined outlet;
- and
- an overlay coupled to an inner surface of one of the first exhaust duct, the second exhaust duct, the combined outlet, and the door, the overlay comprising:
- a skin defining a corresponding one of a first flow path conveying the first stream of pressurized exhaust, a second flow path conveying the second stream of pressurized exhaust, and a combined flow path conveying the first stream of pressurized exhaust and the second stream of pressurized exhaust;
- and
- a heat exchanger coupled to the skin, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of cooling channels extending therethrough, each of the plurality of cooling channels configured to receive a liquid coolant at an inlet end thereof from a source of liquid coolant and to return the liquid coolant from an outlet end thereof to a liquid coolant receiver.
A method for cooling a surface defining an exhaust duct of a combined turbofan engine and ramjet engine of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a dual flow path exhaust assembly for an aircraft including a first exhaust duct, a second exhaust duct, a combined outlet, and a door configured to selectively block the first exhaust duct from the second exhaust duct and the combined outlet;
- providing an overlay comprising;
- a skin defining an inner surface of a corresponding one of the first exhaust duct, the second exhaust duct, the combined outlet, and the door;
- and
- a heat exchanger coupled to the skin, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of cooling channels extending therethrough, each of the plurality of cooling channels configured to convey a liquid coolant therethrough,
- providing a source of liquid coolant;
- and
- conveying the liquid coolant through the plurality of cooling channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.