US 5,941,065 AGranted

Stowable mixer ejection nozzle

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsGary L. Lidstone, Larry T. Clark, Imre A. Szupkay, David L. Sandquist

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Abstract

An ejector nozzle (10) including an first cowling (12), a second cowling (14), and opposed upright sidewalls (16) that together form an internal nozzle exhaust path is provided. A reconfigurable plug assembly (18) having separable first and second diverters (20), (22) is located in the exhaust path to direct engine exhaust (24) in either dual paths formed around diverter outer surfaces (76), or dual paths formed between the diverter inner surfaces (74) and centerbody exterior surfaces. When the diverters direct exhaust airflow between themselves, first and second ejectors (26), (28) formed in the first and second cowlings (12), (14), respectively, are available to entrain ambient air (30) into the exhaust stream (24). The preferred ejectors include translatable aft flaps (32), (34). Mixing devices, such as a lobed mixer (90) are incorporated into the diverters (20), (22) to improve engine noise suppression. When the diverters (20), (22) direct exhaust airflow around themselves, the ejectors are closed and the mixing devices are positioned such that they are not significantly exposed to the engine exhaust 24. An actuation assembly moves the diverters (20), (22) and ejectors between various positions.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An aircraft engine ejector nozzle for maintaining engine performance while suppressing engine noise, the nozzle comprising:

(a) a reconfigurable plug assembly extending between upright nozzle sidewalls, the plug assembly comprising:
(i) separable first and second diverters each extending between the nozzle sidewalls and having a forward end and an aft end, each diverter including a mixing device located near each diverter's aft end;
the first and second diverters being positioned in a generally opposed longitudinal relationship about a centerbody, the forward ends of the diverters being rotatably connected to the aft ends;
and
(ii) the centerbody extending laterally between the nozzle sidewalls and elevationally between the first and second diverters;
(b) first and second outer cowlings located outboard of the plug assembly, each outer cowling including an ejector for directing ambient air into the exhaust airflow, the ejectors being located elevationally near the mixing devices;
and
(c) an actuation assembly for moving the reconfigurable plug assembly between at least two distinct configurations;
a first configuration including positioning the diverter forward ends apart from one another and the centerbody and the diverter aft ends apart from one another and the centerbody so as to direct exhaust between the first and second diverters though around the centerbody;
and a second configuration including positioning the diverter forward ends toward one another and the centerbody and the diverter aft ends toward one another and the centerbody so as to direct exhaust around the reconfigurable plug assembly and around an outer peripheral surface of the diverters.

7 more elements

An aircraft engine ejector nozzle for maintaining engine performance while suppressing engine noise, the nozzle comprising:

(a) a reconfigurable plug assembly extending between upright nozzle sidewalls, the plug assembly comprising:
(i) separable first and second diverters each extending between the nozzle sidewalls and having a forward end and an aft end, the first and second diverters each including a number of subsections rotatably connected end-to-end, each diverter including a lobed mixer located in an aft subsection of the diverter, the first and second diverters being positioned in a generally opposed longitudinal relationship about a centerbody assembly;
and
(ii) the centerbody assembly comprising a forward centerbody, an aft centerbody, and a middle centerbody located between the forward and aft centerbodies, each extending laterally between the nozzle sidewalls and elevationally between the first and second diverters;
(b) first and second outer cowlings located outboard of the plug assembly, each outer cowling including an ejector for directing ambient air into the exhaust airflow, the ejectors being located elevationally near the mixing devices, the ejector comprising a translatable aft flap pivotably and translatably connected to the upright sidewalls at an aft flap forward end;
and
(c) an actuation assembly for moving the reconfigurable plug assembly between at least two distinct configurations;
a first configuration including positioning the diverter forward ends apart from one another and the centerbody assembly and the diverter aft ends apart from one another and the centerbody assembly so as to direct exhaust between the first and second diverters though around the centerbodies;
and a second configuration including positioning the diverter forward ends toward one another and the centerbody assembly and the diverter aft ends toward one another and the centerbody so as to direct exhaust around the reconfigurable plug assembly and an outer peripheral surface of the diverters, at least one of the aft and middle centerbodies having openings to accommodate the lobed mixer during the reconfigurable plug assembly second configuration.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.