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US 9,845,768 B2Granted
Three stream, variable area, vectorable nozzle
AssigneeRolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
InventorsKenneth M. Pesyna, Anthony F. Pierluissi, Bryan H. Lerg, Justin N. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine may include a plurality of flap trains in the exhaust stream of the gas turbine engine. The flap trains are operable to selectively control three separate flow paths of gas that traverse the engine. A first stream of is the core airflow. The second stream of air is peeled off of the first stream to form a low pressure fan bypass air stream. The third stream of air traverses along the engine casing and is passed over a flap assembly to aid in cooling. The flaps are operable converge/diverge to control the multiple streams of air.
Claims20
A gas turbine engine having an exhaust nozzle, the engine comprising:
- a fan operable to direct intake air to an intake portion of the gas turbine engine, the intake air is separated into multiple streams of air throughout the engine and downstream from a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor of the gas turbine engine, the multiple streams of air include:
- a first stream of air that is directed to a core of the gas turbine engine;
- a second stream of air that is partitioned from the first stream of air, the second stream of air traverses a length of the engine, wherein the first and second streams of air rejoin prior to passing through a turbine of the gas turbine engine;
- a third stream of air that is separated from the second stream of air, the third stream of air traverses the length of the engine and is injectable to a plenum of a nozzle assembly;
- and
- the gas turbine engine further comprising the nozzle assembly that is selectively operable to control the flow of the first, second and third streams of air in order to accommodate varying flight operating demands, the nozzle assembly including a primary convergent flap and a secondary divergent flap that is attached to the primary convergent flap, the primary convergent flap pivotal inwardly and outwardly to define a throat area of the exhaust nozzle, and the secondary divergent flap pivotably attached to the primary convergent flap, the secondary divergent flap pivotable to control a flow rate of the third stream of air.
3 more elements
An exhaust nozzle for an engine comprising:
- a fan that generates first, second, and third streams of air, wherein the first and second streams of air diverge downstream of at least one compressor of the engine;
- the first stream of air that exits a core of the engine;
- the second stream of air that traverses a length of the nozzle and is directed to a plenum of the nozzle, wherein the first and second streams of air combine rejoin downstream of a combustor of the engine and prior to passing through a turbine of the engine;
- and
- the third stream of air is separated from the second stream of air, the third stream of air traverses the length of the engine and is injectable to the plenum of the nozzle, the third stream of air includes fan bypass air and is conditioned by a heat exchanger, the exhaust nozzle including a primary convergent flap and a secondary divergent flap that is attached to the primary convergent flap, the primary convergent flap pivotal inwardly and outwardly to define a throat area of the exhaust nozzle, and the secondary divergent flap pivotably attached to the primary convergent flap, the secondary divergent flap pivotable to control a flow rate of the third stream of air.
2 more elements
A method of transferring air through a gas turbine engine comprising:
- providing a first duct, a second duct, and a third duct;
- providing a fan to induce air into each of said ducts;
- providing a mechanical flap system of an exhaust nozzle;
- motivating the fan to cause first, second and third streams of air to be pushed through said first, second and third ducts, respectively, wherein the first and second streams of air diverge downstream of at least one compressor of the engine, the first stream of air that exits a core of the engine, the second stream of air that traverses a length of the exhaust nozzle and is directed to a plenum of the exhaust nozzle, and the third stream of air is separated from the second stream of air, the third stream of air traverses the length of the engine and is injectable to the plenum of the nozzle;
- combusting the first stream of air to form a combusted stream of air and then rejoining the combusted stream of air with the second stream of air to form a core outlet air stream prior to passing through a turbine of the engine;
- separating the air in the third duct into an air stream conditioned by a heat exchanger and into a bypass air stream;
- and
- manipulating the mechanical flap system to control the flow of the core outlet stream, the conditioned air stream, and the bypass air stream, the mechanical flap system of the exhaust nozzle including a primary convergent flap and a secondary divergent flap that is attached to the primary convergent flap, the primary convergent flap pivotal inwardly and outwardly to define a throat area of the exhaust nozzle, and the secondary divergent flap pivotably attached to the primary convergent flap, the secondary divergent flap pivotable to control a flow rate of the third stream of air.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.