Blown boundary layer control system for a jet aircraft
AssigneeGrumman Aerospace Corporation
InventorRunyon H. Tindell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A blown boundary layer control system for an aircraft having a jet engine with an engine compressor, an inlet including a compression surface with an external part and internal part, a cowl lip including an internal lip surface and an external lip surface and an external afterbody. The system includes several ducts from the engine compressor. A series of nozzles and valves control and direct air flow to various surfaces. A computer is electrically connected to the valves to control the operation of the valves thereby controlling the blowing of air from a commanded number of nozzles. The computer controls the valves in position as functions of RPM of the engine, free stream flight conditions and aircraft attitude.
Claims14
A blown boundary layer control system for an aircraft having a jet engine with a generic inlet including a compression surface and diffusing duct, a cowl lip, and an external afterbody, the engine having a compressor, said system comprising:
- a plurality of nozzles at the generic inlet and external afterbody of the engine for blowing air from the engine compressor;
- and
- air flow control means for controlling air blown from said nozzles, said air flow control means including
- a. duct means interconnecting said nozzles and said engine compressor;
- b. valve means in said duct means for controlling the flow of air to selected nozzles;
- and
- c. computer means electrically connected to said valve means for controlling said valve means to control the flow of air to selected nozzles;
- wherein the compression surface of said inlet has an external portion and an internal portion, the internal portion being in the diffusing duct, a first of said nozzles being on the external portion of said compression surface and a second of said nozzles being on the internal portion of said compression surface.
A blown boundary layer control system for an aircraft having a jet engine with an engine compressor, an inlet including a compression surface with an external part, an internal part, a diffusing duct, a cowl lip including an internal lip surface and an external lip surface and an external afterbody, said system comprising:
- a plurality of ducts from the engine compressor;
- a first nozzle on the external part of the compression surface of the inlet and connected to a duct;
- a second nozzle on the internal part of said compression surface within the diffusing duct of said inlet and connected to a duct;
- a third nozzle on the external lip surface of the cowl lip of said inlet and connected to a duct;
- a fourth nozzle on the internal lip surface of said cowl lip of said inlet and connected to a duct;
- a fifth nozzle on the external afterbody of said engine and connected to a duct;
- a first valve in said duct for controlling the rate of air flow to said first, second, third, fourth and fifth nozzles and directing air flow to said fifth nozzle;
- a second valve in said duct for controlling the rate of air flow to said first and second nozzles;
- a third valve in said duct for controlling the rate of air flow to one of said third and fourth nozzles;
- a computer electrically connected to said first, second and third valves for controlling the operation of said valves, thereby controlling blowing of air from a commanded number of said nozzles.
A method of controlling blown boundary layer in an aircraft having a jet engine with an engine compressor, an inlet including a compression surface with an external part and an internal part, a cowl lip including an internal lip surface and an external lip surface and an external afterbody, said method comprising the steps of:
- connecting a plurality of ducts to the engine compressor;
- mounting a first nozzle on the external part of the compression surface of the inlet and connecting the first nozzle to a duct;
- mounting a second nozzle on the internal part of the compression surface of said inlet and connecting the second nozzle to said duct;
- mounting a third nozzle on the internal lip surface of the cowl lip of said inlet and connecting said third nozzle to a duct;
- mounting a fourth nozzle on the external lip surface of said cowl lip of said inlet and connecting said fourth nozzle to a duct;
- mounting a fifth nozzle on the external afterbody of said engine and connecting said fifth nozzle to a duct;
- connecting a first valve to said ducts for controlling the rate of air flow to said first, second, third, fourth and fifth nozzles and directly to said fifth nozzle;
- connecting a second valve in a duct for controlling the rate of air flow to said first and second nozzles;
- connecting a third valve in a duct for controlling the rate of air flow to one of said third and fourth nozzles;
- and
- controlling the operation of said valves, thereby controlling blowing of air from a commanded number of said nozzles.
A blown boundary layer control system for an aircraft having a jet engine with a generic inlet including a compression surface and diffusing duct, a cowl lip, and an external afterbody, the engine having a compressor, said system comprising:
- a plurality of nozzles at the generic inlet and external afterbody of the engine for blowing air from the engine compressor;
- and
- air flow control means for controlling air blown from said nozzles,
- wherein the compression surface of said inlet has an external portion and an internal portion, the internal portion being in the diffusing duct, a first of said nozzles being on the external portion of said compression surface and a second of said nozzles being on the internal portion of said compression surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.