Fluidic throat exhaust nozzle

• US 5,996,936 A
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mueller, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/939,384
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 244/64, 244/53 R, 244/73 R, 244/74, 60/230, 60/231, 60/271, 239/265.23, 239/265.17
• US Class Current: 244/53.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/04 of exhaust outlets or jet pipes exhaust outlets for combustion engines in general F01N; jet pipes or nozzles for jet-propulsion plants per se F02K; plants characterised by the form or arrangement of the jet pipe or nozzle F02K ; attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction B64C
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/00 Plants characterised by the form or arrangement of the jet pipe or nozzle; Jet pipes or nozzles peculiar thereto rocket nozzles F02K9/97
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/30 for varying effective area of jet pipe or nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/78 Other construction of jet pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/822 Heat insulating structures or liners, cooling arrangements, e.g. post combustion liners; Infrared radiation suppressors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes a converging inlet duct disposed in flow communication with a diverging outlet duct at a throat therebetween. An ejection slot is disposed at the throat, and compressed air from the engine is selectively injected through the slot for fluidically varying flow area at the throat for exhaust gases from the engine.

Claims

1. An exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a converging inlet duct for receiving exhaust gases from said engine;

a diverging outlet duct disposed in flow communication with said inlet duct at a throat;

a circumferentially extending injection slot disposed at said throat; and

means disposed at said injection slot for selectively injecting compressed air from said engine through said injection slot for varying flow area of said exhaust gases at said throat.

2. A nozzle according to claim 1 wherein said injecting means comprise a radially inwardly extending converging injection nozzle terminating at said injection slot.

3. A nozzle according to claim 2 wherein said injection nozzle is directed in part axially forward toward said injection slot to define an upstream injection angle for said injection air in said inlet duct.

4. A nozzle according to claim 3 wherein said injecting means further comprise:

an annular valve disposed at said injection nozzle to vary flow therethrough of said injection air; and

a plurality of actuators operatively joined to said valve to axially reciprocate said valve between open and closed positions.

5. A nozzle according to claim 4 wherein said injection nozzle comprises:

a forward flow guide being arcuate in radial section; and

an aft flow guide spaced axially aft from said forward guide, and being complementary therewith to converge to said injection slot.

6. A nozzle according to claim 5 wherein said injecting means further comprise:

a plenum surrounding said inlet duct and disposed in flow communication with said engine for receiving said compressed air therefrom; and

said plenum being sized to include said injecting means and provide thereto said compressed air under primarily only static pressure.

7. A nozzle according to claim 6 wherein said inlet and outlet ducts include fixed converging and diverging areas, and said throat flow area is varied solely by varying flow of said injection air from said injection slot.

8. A nozzle according to claim 6 wherein:

said inlet duct includes a circular leading edge and transitions to an elliptical trailing edge at said throat; and

said outlet duct is elliptical.

9. A nozzle according to claim 6 wherein:

said engine includes an augmenter having an annular bypass duct therearound for channeling said compressed air from a fan thereof; and

said plenum has an annular inlet sized to engage said bypass duct in flow communication for receiving therefrom said compressed air.

10. A nozzle according to claim 6 wherein said forward and aft flow guides are configured to effect said injection angle at about 60°

.

11. An exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a converging inlet duct for receiving exhaust gases from said engine;

a diverging outlet duct disposed in flow communication with said inlet duct at a throat;

a circumferentially extending injection slot disposed at said throat;

a plenum surrounding said inlet duct and disposed in flow communication with said engine for receiving compressed air therefrom; and

means disposed at said injection slot for selectively injecting said compressed air from said engine through said injection slot for decreasing flow area of said exhaust gases at said throat.

12. A nozzle according to claim 11 wherein said injecting means comprise:

a radially inwardly extending converging injection nozzle disposed in said plenum and terminating at said injection slot; and

an annular valve disposed in said plenum at said injection nozzle to vary flow therethrough of said injection air.

13. A nozzle according to claim 12 wherein said plenum is sized for collecting said compressed air from said engine under primarily only static pressure.