Variable area nozzle including a plurality of convexly vanes with a crowned contour, in a vane to vane sealing arrangement and with nonuniform lengths
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsSteven M. Arnold, Nicholas Penney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable area nozzle comprising a concentric support and a plurality of convexly contoured self sealing vanes is disclosed and claimed. The vanes are circumferentially and rotatably mounted to the concentric support forming a nozzle infinitely positionable between a first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle. A closer, which is preferably a shape memory alloy (SMA), urges the nozzle toward the first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle. Periodically spaced openers act between adjacent vanes to urge the nozzle to a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle.
Claims60
A variable area nozzle comprising:
- a plurality of rotatable vanes;
- each of said vanes is rotatable with respect to a support;
- each of said vanes includes an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- each of said surfaces of said vanes includes a crowned contour;
- and,
- each of said vanes interengages another of said vanes sealing said vanes.
A variable area nozzle comprising:
- a circumferential support;
- a plurality of circumferentially arranged vanes rotatably mounted to said circumferential support;
- each of said vanes includes a male tongue portion and a female groove portion;
- and,
- said male tongue portion of each of said vanes interengages said female groove portion of each adjacent vane;
- each of said vanes includes an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- and,
- each of said surfaces of said vanes includes a crowned contour.
A variable area nozzle comprising:
- a concentric support;
- a plurality of convexly contoured vanes circumferentially and rotatably mounted to said concentric support forming a nozzle positionable between a first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle;
- and,
- each of said plurality of convexly contoured vanes engages an adjacent vane sealing said nozzle in a vane to vane sealing arrangement in all positions between and including said first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle.
A variable area nozzle comprising:
- a concentric support;
- and,
- a plurality of convexly contoured vanes circumferentially and rotatably mounted to said concentric support forming a nozzle positionable between a first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle;
- each of said plurality of convexly contoured vanes includes a seal which engages an adjacent vane sealing said nozzle in a vane to vane sealing arrangement in all positions between and including said first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle.
A variable area nozzle comprising:
- a concentric support;
- a plurality of convexly contoured vanes;
- each of said convexly contoured vanes has a length, said lengths of said convexly contoured vanes being nonuniform;
- and,
- said plurality of convexly contoured vanes circumferentially and rotatably mounted to said concentric support forming a nozzle positionable between a first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle.
A variable area nozzle for use in a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a support;
- a plurality of vanes rotatably moveable with respect to said support forming a number of frustum-shaped conic sections between an area of minimum cross section to an area of maximum cross section;
- and,
- each of said vanes is rotatable with respect to said support;
- each of said vanes includes an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- each of said surfaces of said vanes includes a crowned contour.
A variable area nozzle comprising:
- a support;
- a plurality of substantially trapezoidally shaped vanes circumferentially and rotatably mounted to said support forming a nozzle positionable between a first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and a second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle;
- each of said trapezoidally shaped vanes is rotatable with respect to said support;
- each of said trapezoidally shaped vanes includes an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- each of said surfaces of said trapezoidally shaped vanes includes a crowned contour;
- and,
- each of said plurality of said substantially trapezoidally shaped vanes engages an adjacent vane creating a dual seal;
- said nozzle being sealed in all positions between and including said first position corresponding to a minimum area nozzle and said second position corresponding to a maximum area nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.