Multi-nozzle flow diverter for jet engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920710-B2
Application number	US-201313888967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2013
Priority date	May 7, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An exhaust system for a variable cycle aircraft engine. The exhaust system comprises a core exhaust for bypass air and hot gases of combustion. The core exhaust includes a convergent-divergent nozzle. The convergent-divergent nozzle is formed from a plurality of flaps and seals. The exhaust system comprises a third air duct for a third stream of air. The third stream of air is selectively exhausted from the third duct through a secondary nozzle or divergent slots in the convergent-divergent nozzle, or both depending upon the flight mode. A diverter valve is positioned in the third stream duct to selectively control the flow of third stream air through the secondary nozzle, the divergent slots and combinations thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft turbofan engine, having a fan portion providing three streams of air flow to the aircraft turbofan engine, comprising:
an engine core receiving core air flow that is exhausted through a primary nozzle;
a bypass duct receiving bypass air flow; and
a third air duct receiving third stream air flow, the third stream airflow flowing through the third air duct, the third air duct having an air inlet and an air outlet, the air outlet of the third air duct further comprising a secondary nozzle, the primary nozzle and a flow diverter valve to direct the third stream air flow to at least one of the secondary nozzle or the primary nozzle, wherein the secondary nozzle is positioned to direct the third stream air flow over outer flaps of the primary nozzle.

2. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the air outlet for third stream airflow that includes the primary nozzle further includes fluid communication between the flow diverter valve along divergent slots formed in divergent flaps and seals in the primary nozzle.

3. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the flow diverter valve is a passive valve.

4. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 3 wherein the flow diverter valve is biased into a first position by a pressure of the third stream air flow in the third air duct to provide fluid communication to the primary nozzle and to the secondary nozzle.

5. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 4 wherein the flow of third stream air to the primary nozzle further provides cooling to divergent flaps and seals in the primary nozzle.

6. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 3 wherein the flow diverter valve biases to a second position overcoming a pressure of the third stream air flow in the third air duct to block fluid communication between the third air duct and the primary nozzle, directing third stream air flow to the secondary nozzle only.

7. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 6 wherein the flow diverter valve biases to the second position that blocks a backflow of hot gases from the primary nozzle into the third air duct.

8. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the flow diverter valve is an active valve.

9. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 8 wherein the flow diverter valve is in communication with a controller that determines and controls the position of the flow diverter valve.

10. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 9 wherein the third air duct further includes pressure sensors monitoring an air pressure in communication with the controller.

11. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 10 wherein the controller determines a first position of the flow diverter valve providing fluid communication to both the secondary nozzle and the primary nozzle when the air pressure within the third air duct exceeds a predetermined pressure.

12. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 10 wherein the controller determines a second position of the flow diverter valve providing fluid communication to the secondary nozzle while blocking fluid communication to the primary nozzle when the air pressure within the third air duct is at or below a predetermined pressure.

13. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 8 wherein the flow diverter valve is in communication with an engine FADEC.

14. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 13 wherein the engine FADEC determines the position of the flow diverter valve based on operating conditions of the aircraft turbofan engine.

15. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein a pressure and temperature of the third stream air flow in the third air duct is at a lower pressure and temperature than a pressure and temperature of the bypass air flow.

16. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the third stream air flow provided to the third air duct is from the fan portion of the aircraft turbofan engine fore of bypass air.

17. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein third stream air flow is provided to the third air duct by a blade-on-fan or FLADE™, the third stream air flow in the third air duct being sealed from the core air flow and the bypass air flow.

18. The aircraft turbofan engine of claim 1 wherein the flow diverter valve is located within the third air duct adjacent to primary nozzle cross section A7, where A7 is the cross-sectional area at an upstream end of convergent flaps and seals.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Dawson David Lynn
• Lariviere Erin Lee
• Petersen Brian Joseph
• Ellerhorst Robert Jerome

Classifications

• F02K3/075

  controlling flow ratio between flows · CPC title

• Y02T50/675

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02K3/077 Primary

  the plant being of the multiple flow type, i.e. having three or more flows · CPC title

• F02K3/025

  the by-pass flow being at least partly used to create an independent thrust component · CPC title

• F02K1/822

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