Actively controlled cooling air exhaust door on an aircraft engine nacelle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10487690-B2
Application number	US-201414462106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2014
Priority date	Aug 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

An assembly is provided for a turbofan engine. This turbofan engine assembly includes a cowling, a door and an actuation mechanism configured to actuate movement of the door in response to receiving a control signal. The cowling is configured to form a compartment at least partially around a case of the turbofan engine. The cowling includes an exhaust port that is fluidly coupled with the compartment. The door is configured to at least partially open and close the exhaust port. This variable exhaust port may be opened in case increased airflow is needed through the compartment, such as when increased cooling airflow is needed through an environmental air precooler that cools compressed air for the aircraft cabin and the precooler exhausts its cooling air into the compartment.

First claim

We claim:

1. An assembly for a turbofan engine, the assembly comprising:
an inner fixed structure configured to form a core compartment, the inner fixed structure including a variable area exhaust with an actuation mechanism; and
a case for housing an engine core of the turbofan engine, wherein the core compartment is formed radially by and between the inner fixed structure and the case;
the variable area exhaust fluidly coupled with the core compartment; and
the actuation mechanism configured to actuate the variable area exhaust in response to receiving a control signal;
the variable area exhaust comprising a door configured to at least partially open and close an exhaust port in a cowling included with the inner fixed structure; and
the actuation mechanism comprising a latch and an actuator, the latch configured to unlatch the door in response to receiving the control signal, and the actuator configured to move the door from a closed position to an open position when the door is unlatched.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner fixed structure further includes a fixed area exhaust fluidly coupled with the compartment.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to receive the control signal from an electronic controller.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to close the door.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to hold the door in the open position.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the door is configured to move radially outward, relative to the cowling, as the door moves from the closed position to the open position.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the door is configured to move radially inwards, relative to the cowling, as the door moves from the closed position to the open position.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bifurcation cowling extending radially outward from the cowling.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger fluidly coupled between an inlet duct and the core compartment.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the latch is configured discrete from the actuator.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a second actuator, and the latch is spaced from and is between the actuator and the second actuator.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Woolworth Kevin
• Pretty Michael S
• Shetzer Daniel J
• Channell Martin
• Holt Thomas

Classifications

• F01D25/24 Primary

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• F02K1/70

  using thrust reverser flaps or doors mounted on the fan housing · CPC title

• F02K1/763

  with actuating systems or actuating devices; Arrangement of actuators for thrust reversers · CPC title

• F02K1/805

  Sealing devices therefor, e.g. for movable parts of jet pipes or nozzle flaps · CPC title

• F02K1/76

  Control or regulation of thrust reversers · CPC title