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US 8,276,364 B2Granted
Bladder type variable area fan nozzle
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorGlenn Levasseur
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable fan nozzle for use in a gas turbine engine includes a nozzle section, such as an inflatable bladder, associated with a fan bypass passage for conveying a bypass airflow. The nozzle section has an internal fluid pressure that is selectively variable to influence the bypass airflow.
Claims30
A variable fan nozzle for use in a gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a nozzle section associated with a fan bypass passage for conveying a bypass airflow, the nozzle section having an inflatable bladder that is selectively variable to influence the bypass airflow;
- and
- a first flap abutting the inflatable bladder and a second flap abutting the inflatable bladder, wherein the second flap is radially inwards of the first flap, and wherein the second flap moves between a plurality of positions in response to changes in the inflatable bladder, the first flap and the second flap abutting the inflatable bladder at each of the plurality of positions.
A gas turbine engine system comprising:
- a fan;
- a nacelle arranged about the fan having a radially innermost wall;
- a gas turbine engine core having a compressor and a turbine at least partially within the nacelle;
- a fan bypass passage downstream of the fan between the nacelle and the gas turbine engine, for conveying a bypass airflow from the fan;
- a nozzle associated with a fan bypass passage, the nozzle comprising:
- a first flap;
- a second flap that is radially inwards of the first flap;
- at least one bladder located between the first flap and the second flap, the at least one bladder having flexible walls and a contained internal fluid pressure that is selectively variable to influence the bypass airflow, wherein the second flap moves radially inwards of the radially innermost wall into the fan bypass passage in a first position in response to an increase in the contained internal fluid pressure;
- and
- a controller that selectively varies the contained internal fluid pressure.
7 more elements
A method for controlling a bypass airflow through a fan bypass passage in a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:
- selectively varying a contained internal fluid pressure within a flexible bladder of a nozzle section adjacent the fan bypass passage to thereby move at least a first flap or a second flap, located radially inwards of the first flap, that the flexible bladder is between and influence the bypass airflow, wherein the first flap and the second flap abut the inflatable bladder at each of a plurality of positions:
- and
- communicating a signal representing the distance between an inner cowl and the second flap.
A variable fan nozzle for use in a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a nozzle section associated with a fan bypass passage for conveying a bypass airflow, the nozzle section having a contained internal fluid pressure that is selectively variable to influence the bypass airflow;
- at least one flap adjacent the nozzle section that moves between a plurality of positions in response to changes in the contained internal fluid pressure, wherein the at least one flap moves into the fan bypass passage in a first position in response to an increase in the contained internal fluid pressure;
- and
- at least one sensor near the at least one flap that produces a signal representative of a relative position of the at least one flap, wherein the sensor is on the at least one flap.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.