Multifunction exhaust system for gas turbine engines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoseph Holowach, William Van Sutherland, William Harvey Wooten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) nozzle for a jet aircraft provides thrust reversing and thrust vectoring functions using two pairs of flaps. Each flap is independently actuated and controlled to allow for numerous exhaust gas exit configurations. A two dimensional or rectangular center plug extends across the nozzle throat region to allow one pair of flaps to selectively engage the plug for STOVL operation.
Claims19
A multifunction exhaust system for use with a jet engine, said system comprising:
- an exhaust duct for directing the flow of exhaust gasses therethrough;
- a pair of primary flaps operatively associated with said exhaust duct for selectively controlling the direction of said exhaust gasses through said system;
- a center plug extending transversely across said exhaust duct so as to define a pair of exhaust gas flowpaths within said exhaust duct;
- a pair of divergent flaps operatively associated with said exhaust duct for directing the flow of exhaust gasses downstream from said primary flaps;
- a primary pivoting means for pivoting at least one of said primary flaps through a primary flap angle of at least about 90 degrees with respect to said exhaust duct central axis;
- and
- a secondary pivoting means for pivoting at least one of said secondary flaps through a secondary flap angle of at least about 90 degrees with respect to said exhaust duct central axis.
A two-dimensional exhaust nozzle for use with an aircraft jet engine, said nozzle comprising:
- primary flap means pivotally mounted to said nozzle and effective for pivoting at least one primary flap through a primary flap angle of at least about 90 degrees with respect to an exhaust duct central axis;
- secondary flap means pivotally mounted to said nozzle downstream from said primary flap means and effective for pivoting at least one secondary flap through a secondary flap angle of at least about 90 degrees with respect to said exhaust duct central axis;
- and
- plug means mounted within said nozzle between said primary and secondary flap means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.