TURBOFAN ENGINE MIXER ASSEMBLY

• US 20130104555A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dindar, Mustafa, Kunze, Vaughn
• Granted Patent: US 8,984,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/770
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/045 having provisions for noise suppression
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/386 mixing devices in the jet pipe, e.g. for mixing primary and secondary flow
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/48 Corrugated nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/183 zigzag

Abstract

A mixer for mixing flows in a turbofan engine is provided. The mixer includes a plurality of chevron lobes, each of the plurality of lobes comprising a crown, a keel, a first trailing edge, a second trailing edge, and a first transverse edge extending between first trailing edge and second trailing edge, said mixer configured to receive two separate incoming exhaust flows and mix the two flows into at least one rotational exhaust flow that is ejected out at least one of said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge.

Claims

1. A mixer for mixing flows in a turbofan engine, said mixer comprising:

a plurality of chevron lobes, each of the plurality of lobes comprising a crown, a keel, a first trailing edge, a second trailing edge, and a first transverse edge extending between said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge, said mixer configured to receive two separate incoming exhaust flows and mix the two flows into at least one rotational exhaust flow that is ejected out at least one of said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge.

2. A mixer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a third trailing edge and a second transverse edge extending between said second trailing edge and said third trailing edge.

3. A mixer in accordance with claim 2, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a first chevron defined by said first trailing edge and said first transverse edge.

4. A mixer in accordance with claim 3, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a second chevron defined by said second trailing edge and said second transverse edge.

5. A mixer in accordance with claim 3, wherein said first chevron is configured to produce a first rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the first trailing edge.

6. A mixer in accordance with claim 4, wherein said second chevron is configured to produce a second rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the second trailing edge.

7. A mixer in accordance with claim 4, wherein said first chevron and said second chevron are configured to produce a third rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the third trailing edge.

8. A turbofan engine comprising:

a mixer for mixing flows in a turbofan engine, said mixer comprising a plurality of chevron lobes, each of the plurality of lobes comprising a crown, a keel, a first trailing edge, a second trailing edge, and a first transverse edge extending between said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge, said mixer configured to receive two separate incoming exhaust flows and mix the two flows into at least one rotational exhaust flow that is ejected out at least one of said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge.

9. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 8, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a third trailing edge and a second transverse edge extending between said second trailing edge and said third trailing edge.

10. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 9, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a first chevron defined by said first trailing edge and said first transverse edge.

11. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 10, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a second chevron defined by said second trailing edge and said second transverse edge.

12. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 10, wherein said first chevron is configured to produce a first rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the first trailing edge.

13. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 11, wherein said second chevron is configured to produce a second rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the second trailing edge.

14. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 11, wherein said first chevron and said second chevron are configured to produce a third rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the third trailing edge.

15. A aircraft comprising:

a turbofan engine comprising a mixer for mixing flows in a turbofan engine, said mixer comprising a plurality of chevron lobes, each of the plurality of lobes comprising a crown, a keel, a first trailing edge, a second trailing edge, and a first transverse edge extending between said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge, said mixer configured to receive two separate incoming exhaust flows and mix the two flows into at least one rotational exhaust flow that is ejected out at least one of said first trailing edge and said second trailing edge.

16. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 15, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a third trailing edge and a second transverse edge extending between said second trailing edge and said third trailing edge.

17. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 16, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a third trailing edge and a second transverse edge extending between said second trailing edge and said third trailing edge.

18. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 17, wherein said plurality of chevron lobes further comprises a second chevron defined by said second trailing edge and said second transverse edge.

19. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 17, wherein said first chevron is configured to produce a first rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the first trailing edge.

20. A turbofan engine in accordance with claim 18, wherein said second chevron is configured to produce a second rotational flow from the two separate incoming exhaust flows that is ejected from the second trailing edge.