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US 8,739,514 B2Granted
Low shock strength propulsion system
AssigneeGulfstream Aerospace Corporation
InventorTimothy R. Conners
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A supersonic nacelle design is disclosed herein that employs a bypass flow path internal to the nacelle and around the engine. By shaping the nacelle, the nacelle may function to reduce sonic boom strength, cowl drag, and /or airframe interference drag. The nacelle may also function to improve total pressure recovery and/or total thrust of the primary flow path through the engine.
Claims27
A supersonic nozzle for a supersonic engine, comprising:
- an outer wall;
- a bypass wall disposed within the outer wall, the bypass wall having a bypass wall leading edge positioned proximate an outer wall leading edge, the bypass wall being configured to continuously separate an aft directed airflow inside the outer wall into a primary flow portion and a bypass flow portion around the supersonic engine, the primary flow portion passing through the supersonic engine and the bypass flow portion passing through a bypass that bypasses the supersonic engine;
- a set of struts configured to couple the outer wall with the bypass wall, the set of struts configured to tailor a direction of the bypass flow portion, and
- an external compression inlet having an external compression surface upstream of the supersonic engine.
1 more element
A low shock supersonic nacelle, comprising:
- an engine;
- an external compression inlet having an external compression surface upstream of the engine;
- an outer wall;
- a bypass wall disposed within the outer wall, the bypass wall having a bypass wall leading edge positioned proximate an outer wall leading edge;
- a set of struts configured to couple the outer wall with the bypass wall;
- an inlet module comprising front portions of the outer wall and the bypass wall, the inlet module configured to decelerate an incoming airflow to a speed compatible with the engine;
- and
- a nozzle module comprising rear portions of the outer wall and the bypass wall, the nozzle module configured to accelerate an exhaust from the engine and a bypass;
- wherein the bypass wall continuously divides the incoming aft directed airflow into a primary flow portion directed into the engine and a bypass flow portion directed into the bypass around the engine wherein the bypass flow portion bypasses the engine.
6 more elements
A method of decelerating a supersonic flow for a supersonic propulsion system, the method comprising:
- cruising at a predetermined supersonic speed;
- receiving a supersonic flow in an external compression inlet having an external compression surface, a bypass splitter, and a cowl lip, the cowl lip spatially separated from and aft of the external compression surface;
- splitting a subsonic flow into a primary flow portion and a bypass flow portion around an engine, whereby the bypass flow portion receives and captures a substantial region of a flow distortion created by the inlet;
- diffusing the primary flow portion with a diffuser to a predetermined speed suitable for an engine;
- expanding the primary flow portion after the primary flow portion leaves the engine and reaches a nozzle;
- and
- directing the bypass flow portion into a substantially circumferentially uniform pattern prior to exhaust.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.