Divergent flap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016237948-A1
Application number	US-201515028141-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A divergent flap includes a hinge joint to connect the divergent flap to a convergent flap, a plow structure, a first wall, a second wall, and two side walls. The plow structure is at a plow end of the flap opposite the hinge joint. The first wall and the second wall each extend from the hinge joint to the plow end. The second wall is spaced apart from the first wall by the two side walls to form at least one cooling channel extending between the hinge joint and the plow end. The divergent flap is integrally formed in layer-by-layer fashion as a single piece.

First claim

1 . A divergent flap comprising:
a hinge joint to connect the divergent flap to at least a convergent flap; a plow structure at a plow end of the flap opposite the hinge joint; a first wall extending from the hinge joint to the plow end; two side walls; and a second wall extending from the hinge joint to the plow end, the second wall spaced apart from the first wall by the two side walls to form at least one cooling channel extending between the hinge joint and the plow end; wherein the divergent flap is integrally formed in layer-by-layer fashion as a single piece.

2 . The flap of claim 1 , wherein the second wall includes a plurality of effusion cooling holes fluidly connected to the cooling channel.

3 . The flap of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first wall and the second wall varies between the hinge joint and the plow end.

4 . The flap of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of at least one of the first wall and the second wall does not vary between the hinge joint and the plow end.

5 . The flap of claim 1 , further including at least one interior wall between the two side walls and extending from the first wall to the second wall to form with the first wall, the second wall, and the two side walls, a plurality of cooling channels extending between the hinge joint and the plow end.

6 . The flap of claim 5 , wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of the cooling channels is not equal to the cross-sectional area of another of the cooling channels.

7 . The flap of claim 5 , wherein a distance between the interior wall and the two side walls varies between the hinge joint and the plow end.

8 . The flap of claim 7 , wherein a distance between the first wall and the second wall varies between the hinge joint and the plow end.

9 . A convergent and divergent nozzle comprising:
a plurality of convergent flaps arranged circumferentially around an axis of the nozzle; and a plurality of divergent flaps arranged circumferentially around the axis of the nozzle, each of the divergent flaps pivotally mounted to a convergent flap, each of the divergent flaps including:
a hinge joint to connect the divergent flap to the convergent flap;
a plow structure at a plow end of the flap opposite the hinge joint;
a first wall extending from the hinge joint to the plow end;
two side walls; and
a second wall facing the axis of the nozzle and extending from the hinge joint to the plow end, the second wall spaced apart from the first wall by the two side walls to form at least one cooling channel extending between the hinge joint and the plow end;
wherein the divergent flap is integrally formed in layer-by-layer fashion as a single piece.

10 . The nozzle of claim 9 , wherein the second wall of each of the divergent flaps includes a plurality of effusion cooling holes fluidly connected to the cooling channel.

11 . The nozzle of claim 9 , wherein a distance between the first wall and the second wall of each of the divergent flaps varies between the hinge joint and the plow end.

12 . The nozzle of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of at least one of the first wall and the second wall of each of the divergent flaps does not vary between the hinge joint and the plow end.

13 . The nozzle of claim 9 , wherein each of the divergent flaps further includes at least one interior wall between the two side walls and extending from the first wall to the second wall to form with the first wall, the second wall, and the two side walls, a plurality of cooling channels extending between the hinge joint and the plow end.

14 . The nozzle of claim 13 , wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of the cooling channels of each of the divergent flaps is not equal to the cross-sectional area of another of the cooling channels.

15 . The nozzle of claim 13 , wherein a distance between the interior wall and two side walls of each of the divergent flaps varies between the hinge joint and the plow end.

16 . The nozzle of claim 15 , wherein a distance between the first wall and the second wall of each of the divergent flaps varies between the hinge joint and the plow end.

17 . A method for making a divergent flap for a convergent and divergent nozzle, the method comprising:
building the divergent flap by a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing process; forming, while building the divergent flap, a hinge joint and a plow structure at a plow end of the flap opposite the hinge joint; and integrally forming at least one cooling channel together with the hinge joint and the plow structure, the cooling channel extending between the hinge joint and the plow end.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further including integrally forming with the at least one cooling channel, a plurality of effusion cooling holes fluidly connecting the cooling channel to an exterior surface of the divergent flap.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further including integrally forming a plurality of cooling channels together with the hinge joint and the plow structure, each of the plurality of cooling channels extending between the hinge joint to the plow end.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein additively manufacturing includes using laser powder deposition.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Harris Meggan

Classifications

• B64D33/04

  of exhaust outlets or jet pipes · CPC title

• F02K1/1223 Primary

  of two series of flaps, the upstream series having its flaps hinged at their upstream ends on a fixed structure and the downstream series having its flaps hinged at their upstream ends on the downstream ends of the flaps of the upstream series · CPC title

• F05D2240/128

  Nozzles · CPC title

• F02K1/822

  Heat insulating structures or liners, cooling arrangements, e.g. post combustion liners; Infrared radiation suppressors · CPC title

• F02K9/972

  Fluid cooling arrangements for nozzles (F02K9/64 takes precedence) · CPC title