Method of manufacture of plug nozzle with thrust reverser
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorsKenneth M. Pesyna, Andrew M. Simonich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion unit includes a gas turbine engine and an exhaust nozzle coupled to an aft end of the gas turbine engine. The exhaust nozzle is configured to interact with exhaust gases exiting the gas turbine engine in an aft direction. The exhaust nozzle includes an outer nozzle case and an inner plug that cooperate to define an exhaust flow path therebetween. The exhaust nozzle is configured to manipulate the exhaust gases to provide different thrust capabilities for the gas turbine engine.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a propulsion unit including a gas turbine engine and an exhaust nozzle coupled to an aft end of the gas turbine engine, the method comprising
- forming an outer nozzle case for the exhaust nozzle, the outer nozzle case extending circumferentially around a central axis of the gas turbine engine and having a radially inner surface defining at least a portion of an interior space radially inward of the outer nozzle case and a radially outer surface defining at least a portion of an exterior of the exhaust nozzle,
- forming a nozzle plug,
- attaching the nozzle plug to at least one of the gas turbine engine and the outer nozzle case to reside within the interior space and along the central axis, the nozzle plug cooperating with the outer nozzle case to define an annular exhaust flow path radially therebetween,
- forming a thrust reverser including a first thrust reverser panel, a second thrust reverser panel, and an actuator system coupled to the first and second trust reverse panels, and
- attaching the thrust reverser to the outer nozzle case,
- wherein the first and second thrust reverser panels each include an inner surface facing toward the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and an outer surface facing away from the outer surface of the outer nozzle case, and
- wherein forming the outer nozzle case includes forming a first panel receiving indentation into the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and forming a second panel-receiving indentation into the outer surface of the outer nozzle case, and
- wherein attaching the first and second thrust reverser panels to the outer nozzle case includes placing the first thrust reverser panel in the first panel-receiving indentation and placing the second thrust reverser panel in the second panel-receiving indentation such that the outer surface of both the first and second thrust reverser panels cooperate with the outer surface of the outer nozzle case to provide the exterior surface of the exhaust nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.