Variable area ejector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293375-B2
Application number	US-202016788384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2020
Priority date	Feb 12, 2020
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

An ejector assembly includes a primary nozzle in fluid communication with a primary fluid inlet, a secondary nozzle in fluid communication with a secondary fluid inlet, the primary nozzle being oriented concentrically within the secondary nozzle and the secondary nozzle having a venturi downstream of the primary nozzle, and the primary nozzle having a variable cross-sectional area. A gas turbine engine includes a source of high pressure air, a region of low pressure air, and an ejector assembly, the ejector assembly includes a primary nozzle in fluid communication with a primary fluid inlet, the primary fluid inlet in fluid communication with the source of high pressure air, a secondary nozzle in fluid communication with a secondary fluid inlet, the secondary fluid inlet in fluid communication with the region of low pressure air, the primary nozzle being oriented concentrically within the secondary nozzle and the secondary nozzle having a venturi downstream of the primary nozzle, and the primary nozzle having a variable cross-sectional area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ejector assembly, comprising:
a primary nozzle in fluid communication with a primary fluid inlet, the primary nozzle comprising an outlet;
a secondary nozzle in fluid communication with a secondary fluid inlet, the secondary nozzle comprising a venturi downstream from the outlet of the primary nozzle; and
at least one translatable ring that surrounds an outside surface of the primary nozzle, wherein the at least one translatable ring is configured to allow a primary air flow from the primary fluid inlet to enter the primary nozzle from a location that is radially outward from the primary nozzle;
wherein the primary nozzle is oriented concentrically within the secondary nozzle and the primary nozzle has a variable nozzle cross-sectional area.

2. The ejector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the variable nozzle cross-sectional area of the primary nozzle is variable as a function of pressure.

3. The ejector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the variable nozzle cross-sectional area of the primary nozzle increases with increased pressure of the primary air flow from the primary fluid inlet.

4. The ejector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary nozzle comprises a plurality of slots, wherein the at least one translatable ring is axially translatable to progressively expose the plurality of slots, wherein the primary air flow enters the primary nozzle through at least one of the plurality of slots.

5. The ejector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one translatable ring is assembled from a plurality of segments.

6. The ejector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a high pressure source and the secondary fluid inlet is in fluid communication with a low pressure source.

7. The ejector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one translatable ring that surrounds the outside surface of the primary nozzle is translatable in relation to both the primary nozzle and the secondary nozzle.

8. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a source of high pressure air;
a region of low pressure air; and
an ejector assembly, the ejector assembly comprising:
a primary nozzle in fluid communication with a primary fluid inlet, the primary fluid inlet in fluid communication with the source of high pressure air, the primary nozzle comprising an outlet;
a secondary nozzle in fluid communication with a secondary fluid inlet, the secondary fluid inlet in fluid communication with the region of low pressure air, the secondary nozzle comprising a venturi downstream from the outlet of the primary nozzle; and
at least one translatable ring that surrounds an outside surface of the primary nozzle, wherein the at least one translatable ring is configured to allow a primary air flow from the primary fluid inlet to enter the primary nozzle from a location that is radially outward from the primary nozzle;
wherein the primary nozzle is oriented concentrically within the secondary nozzle and the primary nozzle has a variable nozzle cross-sectional area.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the variable nozzle cross-sectional area of the primary nozzle is variable as a function of pressure.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 , wherein the variable nozzle cross-sectional area of the primary nozzle increases with increased pressure of the primary air flow from the primary fluid inlet.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the source of high pressure air is a bleed from a stage of a high pressure compressor.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the region of low pressure air is a sump.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the variable nozzle cross-sectional area of the primary nozzle increases when the gas turbine engine is operating in a high power condition.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 8 , wherein the primary nozzle comprises a plurality of slots, wherein the at least one translatable ring is axially translatable to progressively expose the plurality of slots, wherein the primary air flow enters the primary nozzle through at least one of the plurality of slots.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 14 , wherein the at least one translatable ring is configured to expose more slots of the plurality of slots when the gas turbine engine is operating in a high power condition and less slots of the plurality of slots when the gas turbine engine is operating in a low power condition.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 15 , wherein the ejector assembly comprises a backing plate and a plurality of springs, wherein the at least one translatable ring is configured to act upon the plurality of springs, which are backed by the backing plate.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Namadevan Arvind
• Thakur Hari Shanker
• Rambo Jeffrey Douglas
• Sen Arnab
• Pal Siddhartha

Classifications

• F04F5/461

  Adjustable nozzles · CPC title

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · 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

• F02K1/36

  having an ejector · CPC title

• F02C7/12 Primary

  Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P) · CPC title