Gas turbine engine including a third flowpath exhaust nozzle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003187-A1
Application number	US-201414768714-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbofan engine that includes a first flowpath, a second flowpath, a third flowpath, and a third flowpath exhaust nozzle is provided. The first flowpath is radially inboard of the second flowpath at a location upstream of a core section of the turbofan engine. The third flowpath is radially outboard of the second flowpath at the location upstream of the core section. The third flowpath exhaust nozzle defines a plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports through which gas traveling along the third flowpath may be discharged. An area or a geometry of each of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports is independently and selectively adjustable. A method for operating the turbofan engine includes independently and selectively adjusting an area or a geometry of at least one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports to achieve a desired engine operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A turbofan engine, comprising:
a first flowpath that is radially inboard of a second flowpath at a location upstream of a core section of the turbofan engine; a third flowpath that is radially outboard of the second flowpath at the location upstream of the core section of the turbofan engine; a third flowpath exhaust nozzle that defines a plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports through which gas traveling along the third flowpath may be discharged; and wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is configured so that an area or a geometry of each of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports is independently and selectively adjustable.

2 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , wherein by independently and selectively adjusting an area or a geometry of one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports, a characteristic of gas passing there through may be independently and selectively adjusted.

3 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , further comprising a primary exhaust nozzle that defines a primary exhaust exit port through which gas traveling along the first flowpath and the second flowpath may be discharged.

4 . The turbofan engine of claim 3 , wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is positioned on the turbofan engine so that gas discharged through the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports subsequently discharges through the primary exhaust exit port.

5 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , wherein, at a location downstream of a core section of the turbofan engine, the third flowpath is radially inboard of the second flowpath.

6 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , wherein the first flowpath, the second flowpath, and the third flowpath extend generally axially in a direction between an inlet section of the turbofan engine and an exhaust section of the turbofan engine.

7 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , further comprising an engine case that at least partially defines the first flowpath, the second flowpath, or the third flowpath.

8 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , further comprising an engine duct that at least partially defines the first flowpath, the second flowpath, or the third flowpath.

9 . The turbofan engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas traveling along the third flowpath has a temperature that is significantly lower than a temperature of the gas traveling along the first flowpath.

10 . An exhaust section of a turbofan engine, comprising:
a third flowpath exhaust nozzle that defines a plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports through which gas traveling along a third flowpath of the turbofan engine may be discharged; wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is configured so that an area or a geometry of each of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports is independently and selectively adjustable.

11 . The exhaust section of claim 10 , wherein the third flowpath is radially outboard of a second flowpath at a location upstream of a core section of the turbofan engine, and wherein the second flowpath is radially outboard of a first flowpath at the location upstream of the core section of the turbofan engine.

12 . The exhaust section of claim 11 , further comprising a primary exhaust nozzle that defines a primary exhaust exit port through which gas traveling along the first flowpath and the second flowpath may be discharged.

13 . The exhaust section of claim 12 , wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is positioned on the turbofan engine so that gas discharged through the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports subsequently discharges through the primary exhaust exit port.

14 . The exhaust section of claim 11 , wherein, at a location downstream of a core section of the turbofan engine, the third flowpath is radially inboard of the second flowpath.

15 . The exhaust section of claim 11 , wherein the first flowpath, the second flowpath, and the third flowpath extend generally axially in a direction between an inlet section of the turbofan engine and the exhaust section of the turbofan engine.

16 . The exhaust section of claim 11 , further comprising an engine case that at least partially defines the first flowpath, the second flowpath, or the third flowpath.

17 . The exhaust section of claim 11 , further comprising an engine duct that at least partially defines the first flowpath, the second flowpath, or the third flowpath.

18 . The exhaust section of claim 10 , wherein by independently and selectively adjusting an area or a geometry of one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports, a characteristic of gas passing there through may be independently and selectively adjusted.

19 . A method for operating a turbofan engine having a third flowpath exhaust nozzle that defines a plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports through which gas traveling along a third flowpath of the turbofan engine may be discharged, the third flowpath exhaust nozzle being configured so that an area or a geometry of each of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports is independently and selectively adjustable, the method comprising:
independently and selectively adjusting an area or a geometry of at least one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports to achieve a desired engine operation.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the desired engine operation is selected from the group that includes: thrust vectoring, noise reduction, enhanced plume mixing, aircraft drag reduction, and thermal protection of aircraft structure.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Roberge Gary D

Classifications

• F02K1/1292

  of three series of flaps, the upstream series having its flaps hinged at their upstream ends on a fixed structure, the internal downstream series having its flaps hinged at their upstream ends on the downstream ends of the flaps of the upstream series and at their downstream ends on the downstream ends of the flaps of the external downstream series hinged at their upstream ends on a substantially axially movable structure · CPC title

• F02K1/38

  Introducing air inside the jet (F02K1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2250/36

  in inner-outer relationship, e.g. shaft-bearing arrangements · CPC title

• F02K3/075

  controlling flow ratio between flows · CPC title

• F02K1/008

  in any rearward direction · CPC title