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US 12,460,601 B2Granted
Plug nozzle and thrust reverser for high mach gas turbine engines
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. The exhaust nozzle includes a thrust reverser configured to be retained by the inner plug.
Claims21
An exhaust nozzle for a turbine engine, the exhaust nozzle comprising
- an outer nozzle case arranged to extend around a central axis, the outer nozzle case having an outer surface facing away from the central axis and an opposite inner surface facing toward the central axis and defining an interior space radially inwardly from the inner surface,
- a nozzle plug located at least partially within the interior space and along the central axis and configured to interact with hot exhaust gases flowing through the interior space in an aft direction to guide the hot exhaust gases out of the interior space through an exhaust outlet at an aft end of the outer nozzle case, and
- a thrust reverser coupled to the outer nozzle case and configured to redirect the hot exhaust gases to provide reverse thrust in a forward direction opposite the aft direction, the thrust reverser including a first thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and a second thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and located on an opposite side of the outer nozzle case from the first thrust reverser panel, the first and second thrust reverser panels being configured to move between and including a stored configuration in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are in contact with the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and a reverse-thrust configuration in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are spaced apart from the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and engage the nozzle plug aft of the exhaust outlet to direct at least a portion of the hot exhaust gases exiting the exhaust outlet in the forward direction and radially outward away from the central axis through first and second reverse thrust passageways defined between the nozzle plug and an inner surface of the first and second thrust reverser panels, respectively,
- wherein the first and second thrust reverser panels each include a panel body, wherein at least one of the first and second thrust reverser panels includes a first panel retainer coupled to an aft end of the panel body, and wherein the first panel retainer is configured to engage the nozzle plug in the reverse-thrust configuration to block movement of the respective thrust reverser panel toward the stored configuration.
1 more element
An exhaust nozzle for a turbine engine, the exhaust nozzle comprising
- an outer nozzle case having an outer surface and an inner surface and arranged to extend around a central axis and defining an interior space radially inwardly from the inner surface,
- a nozzle plug located at least partially within the interior space and along the central axis that guides hot exhaust gases out of the interior space through an exhaust outlet, and
- a thrust reverser coupled to the outer nozzle case and configured to redirect the hot exhaust gases to provide reverse thrust in a forward direction opposite an aft direction, the thrust reverser including a first thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and configured to be arranged in a reverse-thrust configuration in which the first thrust reverser panel is spaced apart from the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and engages the nozzle plug aft of the exhaust outlet to direct at least a portion of the hot exhaust gases exiting the exhaust outlet in the forward direction and radially outward,
- wherein the first thrust reverser panel includes a first panel retainer coupled to an aft end of a panel body of the first thrust reverser panel, and wherein the first panel retainer is configured to engage the nozzle plug in the reverse-thrust configuration to block movement of the respective thrust reverser panel toward a stored configuration.
1 more element
A method comprising
- arranging an outer nozzle case having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer nozzle case extending around a central axis and defining an interior space radially inwardly from the inner surface,
- arranging a nozzle plug at least partially within the interior space and along the central axis that guides hot exhaust gases out of the interior space through an exhaust outlet,
- coupling a thrust reverser to the outer nozzle case, the thrust reverser being configured to redirect the hot exhaust gases to provide reverse thrust in a forward direction opposite an aft direction, the thrust reverser including a first thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and configured to be moved between a stored configuration in which the first thrust reverser panel is in contact with the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and a reverse-thrust configuration in which the first thrust reverser panel is spaced apart from the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and engages the nozzle plug aft of the exhaust outlet to direct at least a portion of the hot exhaust gases exiting the exhaust outlet in the forward direction and radially outward, and
- coupling a first panel retainer to an aft end of a panel body of the first thrust reverser panel, wherein the first panel retainer is configured to engage the nozzle plug in the reverse-thrust configuration to block movement of the respective thrust reverser panel toward the stored configuration.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.