Variable area bypass injector

Abstract

A variable area bypass injector (VABI) for a variable cycle gas turbine engine includes a circumferentially continuous valve with a conical surface sloping into a screech suppressor surface, a circumferentially segmented seal attached to the diffuser, and a valve actuator located outside the outer duct of the engine. Each seal segment is spring loaded to allow for different axial movement between circumferentially adjacent segments, and has a seat portion complimentary to the valve conical surface for sealingly engaging the valve when in closed position. Additionally, the seal segments are shaped with a low aerodynamic profile and cooperate with the VABI conical surface, when the valve is in an open position, to provide an annular conic channel that keeps the bypass flow attached to the VABI valve and core flowpath walls as it is injected into the core gas stream. Inner and outer crank arms transfer linear motion from the actuator through the outer duct wall, cooperating with idler arms to translate the valve and screech suppressor axially between open and closed valve positions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.