Jet engine, flying object, and operation method of jet engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248562-B2
Application number	US-201616071980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2016
Priority date	Mar 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A jet engine has an inlet 11 configured to introduce air, and a combustor 12 having a fuel injection port 30a that injects a fuel, and configured to combust the fuel injected from the fuel injection port 30a by using the air. The combustor 12 has a separation section 14 defining the air passage FA through which the air flows, between a rear end 15 of the inlet and the fuel injection port 30a. A plurality of turbulent flow generating sections (20;25) are arranged in the separation section 14 to makes the air flow turbulent. Each of the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections (20;25) contains a member (21;22;25B) which can restrain the turbulence of the air flow by moving or disappearing. It can be prevented that a high-pressure region reaches the inlet so that the thrust of the jet engine is reduced.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A jet engine comprising:
an inlet configured to introduce air; and
a combustor having a fuel injection port from which a fuel is injected and configured to combust the fuel injected from the fuel injection port by using the air,
wherein the combustor comprises a separation section defining an air passage through which the air flows, between a rear end of the inlet and the fuel injection port,
wherein a plurality of turbulent flow generating sections are arranged in the separation section to make an air flow in the air passage turbulent, and
wherein each of the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections comprises:
a first member configured to create turbulence in a boundary layer of the air flow on a wall surface of the separation section as it protrudes from the wall surface towards the air passage, and to lessen the turbulence in the boundary layer of the air flow by moving from a first position in which the first member protrudes from the wall surface of the separation section to a second position in which the first member lies against the wall surface of the separation section; and
a second member configured to support the first member in the first position, and further configured to disappear automatically from the wall surface of the separation section by a thermal influence or an aerodynamic influence in flight so that the first member moves automatically to the second position.

2. The jet engine according to claim 1 , wherein the first member has a prominence which is prominent for the air passage.

3. The jet engine according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the first member on the wall surface of the separation section does not overlap a position of the fuel injection port, viewing in a direction of the air flow through the air passage.

4. The jet engine according to claim 3 , wherein the combustor comprises a first wall surface where the fuel injection port has been arranged and a second wall surface where the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections have been arranged, and
wherein the second wall surface is a wall surface that is different from the first wall surface.

5. The jet engine according to claim 1 , wherein the first member is a movable member relative to the air passage.

6. The jet engine according to claim 5 , wherein the combustor has a flame stabilizer, and
wherein a position of the movable member overlaps a position of the flame stabilizer, viewing in a direction of the air flow through the air passage.

7. A flying object comprising a jet engine which comprises:
an inlet configured to introduce air; and
a combustor having a fuel injection port from which a fuel is injected and configured to combust the fuel injected from the fuel injection port by using the air,
wherein the combustor comprises a separation section defining an air passage through which the air flows, between a rear end of the inlet and the fuel injection port,
wherein a plurality of turbulent flow generating sections are arranged in the separation section to make an air flow in the air passage turbulent, and
wherein each of the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections comprises:
a first member configured to create turbulence in a boundary layer of the air flow on a wall surface of the separation section as it protrudes from the wall surface towards the air passage, and to lessen the turbulence in the boundary layer of the air flow by moving from a first position in which the first member protrudes from the wall surface of the separation section to a second position in which the first member lies against the wall surface of the separation section; and
a second member configured to support the first member in the first position, and further configured to disappear automatically from the wall surface of the separation section by a thermal influence or an aerodynamic influence in flight so that the first member moves automatically to the second position.

8. An operation method of a jet engine,
wherein the jet engine comprises:
an inlet configured to introduce air; and
a combustor having a fuel injection port from which a fuel is injected and configured to combust the fuel injected from the fuel injection port by using the air,
wherein the combustor comprises a separation section defining an air passage through which the air flows, between a rear end of the inlet and the fuel injection port, and
wherein a plurality of turbulent flow generating sections are arranged in the separation section to make an air flow in the air passage turbulent,
the operation method comprising:
combusting the fuel injected from the fuel injection port by using the air while making a boundary layer of the air flow on a wall surface of the separation section turbulent by first members of the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections respectively protruding from the wall surface toward the air passage in a first stage of operation;
automatically moving the first members of the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections from a first position in which the first members are supported by second members of the plurality of turbulent flow generating sections and protrude from the wall surface of the separation section to a second position in which the first members lie against the wall surface of the separation section by an automatic disappearance of the second members due to a thermal influence or an aerodynamic influence in flight; and
combusting the fuel injected from the fuel injection port by using the air while lessening turbulence in the boundary layer of the air flow on the wall surface of the separation section in a second stage of operation.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Hirokane Mariko
• Ando Keisuke
• Ueno Yoshihiko

Classifications

• F23R3/22 Primary

  movable, e.g. to an inoperative position; adjustable, e.g. self-adjusting · CPC title

• F23R2900/00015

  Trapped vortex combustion chambers · CPC title

• F02C7/26

  Starting; Ignition · CPC title

• F02C7/00

  Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) · CPC title

• F23R3/20

  incorporating fuel injection means · CPC title