Variable-capture supersonic inlet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908633-B2
Application number	US-201514674170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

An engine inlet for efficient operation at both design Mach number and off-design Mach numbers has a fixed compression surface and a leading edge that is variably extendible over the fixed compression surface to simultaneously vary capture area, compression and shock wave position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine inlet for efficient operation at off-design Mach number comprising:
a fixed compression surface;
a mating scrubbing surface having a shape defined by a first radius from an axis; and
a single cowl incorporating a leading edge and having a shape defined by a second radius from the axis concentric with the scrubbing surface, said cowl rotatable about the axis to extend and retract the leading edge across a range of positions from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position over the fixed compression surface to simultaneously vary capture area, compression and shock wave position, said cowl closely received in sliding engagement by the mating scrubbing surface throughout the range of positions.

2. The engine inlet for efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 1 wherein the remote axis is perpendicular to a direction of airflow and transverse to the fixed compression surface.

3. The engine inlet for efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 1 wherein the leading edge is fully retracted at a design Mach number.

4. The engine inlet for efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 1 wherein the leading edge is fully extended at subsonic operation.

5. An aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number comprising:
an aerodynamic structure;
an inlet having
a fixed compression surface mounted on a surface of the aerodynamic structure; and,
a mating scrubbing surface in the inlet opposite the surface, having a shape defined by a first radius from an axis; and
a single cowl incorporating a leading edge and having a shape defined by a second radius from the axis concentric with the scrubbing surface, said cowl rotatable about the axis to extend and retract the leading edge across a range of positions from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position over the fixed compression surface to simultaneously vary capture area, compression and shock wave position, said cowl closely received in sliding engagement by the mating scrubbing surface throughout the range of positions.

6. The aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 5 wherein the remote axis is perpendicular to a direction of airflow and transverse to the fixed compression surface.

7. The aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 5 wherein the leading edge is fully retracted at a design Mach number.

8. The aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 5 wherein the leading edge is fully extended at subsonic operation.

9. The aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 5 wherein the aerodynamic structure is a fuselage and the surface is selected from a bottom surface and a top surface of the fuselage.

10. The aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 5 wherein the aerodynamic structure is a wing and the surface is selected from a bottom surface of the wing, a top surface of the wing.

11. The aircraft having efficient operation at off-design Mach number as defined in claim 5 wherein the aerodynamic structure is a wing and fuselage and the surface is selected from a top surface of the wing and a side surface of the fuselage.

12. A method for simultaneous modification of capture area and compression for an aircraft inlet with a fixed compression surface comprising
establishing a leading edge of an inlet on a cowl;
engaging the cowl with a mating scrubbing surface in the inlet, the scrubbing surface having a shape defined by a radius from an axis and the cowl having shape defined by a second radius from the axis concentric with the scrubbing surface to closely receive the cowl;
operating an aircraft with the inlet at a design Mach number with the leading edge and cowl fully retracted;
operating the aircraft at speeds less than the design Mach number; and
extending the leading edge over the compression surface by rotating the cowl about the axis with the scrubbing surface closely receiving the cowl in sliding engagement throughout the rotation to simultaneously vary compression and inlet area.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 further comprising scheduling extension of the leading edge from a maximum extended position at subsonic speeds to a fully retracted position at design Mach number.

14. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the compression surface is placed on a fuselage bottom, a fuselage top, a wing top, a wing bottom or a fuselage side.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Huynh Thuy
• Wilson David J

Classifications

• B64D33/02 Primary

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• B64D2033/0273

  for jet engines · CPC title

• F02C7/042

  having variable geometry · CPC title

• B64D2033/026

  for supersonic or hypersonic aircraft · CPC title

• F01K7/10

  characterised by the engine exhaust pressure (the engines being only of turbine type F01K7/16; the engines using steam of critical or over-critical pressure F01K7/32; the engines being of extraction or non-condensing type F01K7/34) · CPC title