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US 11,608,189 B2Granted
Multistage infrared suppression exhaust system
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsRobert Michael Laramee, Michael E. Rinehart, William Steyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment includes a multistage infrared suppression exhaust system for an aircraft, including: a stage one including a first exhaust conduit to receive a first exhaust air flow at a first temperature-pressure product T1P1, a second exhaust conduit to receive a second exhaust air flow at a second temperature-pressure product T2P2, and a flow integrator mechanically configured to mix the first exhaust air flow with the second exhaust air flow in an integration chamber while preventing back flow into the second exhaust conduit; and a stage two including a stage two cooling airflow to cool the mixed first and second exhaust air flows.
Claims28
A multistage infrared suppression exhaust system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a stage one comprising a first exhaust conduit extending along a first direction to receive a first engine exhaust air flow from a first engine at a first temperature-pressure product T1P1, a second exhaust conduit to receive a second engine exhaust air flow from a second engine at a second temperature-pressure product T2P2, and a flow integrator;
- and
- wherein the first exhaust conduit terminates in a mixing chamber;
- wherein the second exhaust conduit is disposed in the first engine exhaust air flow within the first exhaust conduit, the second exhaust conduit extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit, wherein the second exhaust conduit is defined by an elliptical cylindrical enclosure, with a plurality of integrator ports formed through the enclosure;
- and
- wherein the flow integrator comprises a plurality of angled chutes disposed to direct the second exhaust air flow from the plurality of integrator ports into the mixing chamber to form a mixed airflow comprising the first and second exhaust air flows, the angled chutes being oblique relative to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit;
- and
- a stage two comprising a stage two cooling airflow to cool the mixed first and second exhaust air flows.
5 more elements
A rotary aircraft, comprising:
- an airframe;
- a rotor;
- a primary engine bay comprising a primary engine to drive the rotor;
- a secondary power unit (SPU) bay comprising an SPU;
- and
- an exhaust system coupled to receive a primary engine exhaust and an SPU exhaust, comprising:
- a first exhaust inlet of a first exhaust conduit extending along a first direction, to receive the primary engine exhaust from the primary engine bay at a first temperature and pressure, wherein the first exhaust conduit terminates in a mixing chamber,
- a second exhaust inlet of a second exhaust conduit to receive the SPU exhaust from the SPU bay at a second temperature and pressure, wherein the second exhaust conduit is defined by an elliptical cylindrical enclosure disposed within the primary engine exhaust within the first exhaust conduit, the second exhaust conduit extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit, and a plurality of integrator ports being formed through the enclosure, and
- an exhaust integrator, wherein the exhaust integrator comprises a plurality of angled chutes disposed to direct the SPU exhaust from the plurality of integrator ports into the mixing chamber to form an integrated exhaust comprising the primary engine exhaust and the SPU exhaust, the angled chutes being oblique relative to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit.
6 more elements
A multi-stage exhaust cooling system, comprising:
- a first exhaust inlet of a first exhaust conduit extending along a first direction, to receive a first airflow from a first exhaust source comprising a first engine, the first airflow having a first mechanical vector and a first temperature, wherein the first exhaust conduit terminates in a mixing chamber;
- a second exhaust inlet extending along a second direction, to receive a second airflow from a second exhaust source comprising a second engine, the second airflow having a second mechanical vector and a second temperature, wherein the second exhaust conduit is disposed in the first airflow within the first exhaust inlet, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit, and the second exhaust conduit is defined by an elliptical cylindrical enclosure, with a plurality of integrator ports formed through the enclosure;
- a first stage comprising an airflow integrator to integrate the first airflow with the second airflow into a first-stage airflow having a third temperature between the first temperature and the second temperature, the airflow integrator comprising a plurality of angled chutes disposed to direct the second airflow from the plurality of integrator ports into the mixing chamber to form a mixed airflow comprising the first and second airflows, the angled chutes being oblique relative to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit;
- and
- a second stage, wherein the first-stage airflow is mixed with air from a first cool air source, the first cool air source having a fourth temperature lower than the third temperature, to provide a second-stage airflow having a fifth temperature between the third temperature and the fourth temperature.
2 more elements
An apparatus for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first exhaust conduit extending along a first direction to receive a first exhaust flow from a first exhaust source comprising a first engine, the first exhaust flow having a temperature-pressure profile T1P1, and flowing in the first direction, wherein the first exhaust conduit terminates in a mixing chamber;
- a second exhaust conduit extending along a second direction to receive a second exhaust flow from a second exhaust source comprising a second engine, the second exhaust flow having a temperature-pressure profile T2P2, and flowing in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
- wherein the second exhaust conduit is disposed in the first exhaust air flow within the first exhaust conduit, and is defined by an elliptical cylindrical enclosure, with a plurality of integrator ports formed through the enclosure;
- a first stage comprising a flow integrator to integrate the first and second exhaust flows to an integrated exhaust flow having a temperature-pressure profile T3P3,
- wherein the flow integrator comprises a plurality of angled chutes disposed to direct the second exhaust flow from the plurality of integrator ports into the mixing chamber to form a mixed airflow comprising the first and second exhaust flows,
- the angled chutes being oblique relative to the first direction of the first exhaust conduit;
- a second stage that mixes the integrated exhaust flow with a first cooling air to provide a cooled exhaust flow having a temperature-pressure profile T4P4;
- a third stage that mixes the cooled exhaust flow with a second cooling air to provide a final cooled exhaust flow having a temperature-pressure profile T5P5;
- and
- a fourth stage that expels the final cooled exhaust flow away from the aircraft.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.