Document
United States Patent [191
11 11
Sorensen et al. WI
r54i AIRCRAFT ENGINE NOZZLE 3,436,020 4/1969 Duthion et al. ................. 239/245.33
- -
3,642,209 2/1972 Stahl ................................ 239/265.33
[75] Inventors: Norman E. Sorensen, Saratoga; Eldon
al. ... 239/265.23
3,897,001 7/1975 Helmintolller, Jr. et A. L.atbam, Sunnyvale, both of Calif.
Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves [73] Assignee: The U n i t e d States of America as Asshtant Examiner-Michael J. Forman represented by the Administrator of Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Darrell G. Brekke; John R.
the National Aeronautics and Space Manning; Armand McMillan Administration, Washington, D.C.
[571 ABSTRA(X [21] Appl. No.: 23,436 A variable area exit nozzle arrangement for an aircraft [22] Filed: Mar.23,1979 engine having a substantially reduced length and weight which comprises a plurality of longitudinally movable
[51] Int. C l . 3 .............................................. B64D 33/04
radial vanes and a plurality of fixed radial vanes, the [52] U . S . Cl. ................................... 2 3 9 / 1 2 7 . 3 ; 60/264; movable radial vanes being alternately disposed with 239/265.33 respect to the fixed radial vanes, and means for displac- [58] Field of Search ...................... 239/265.33, 265.19, 239/265.11, 127.3; 60/264, 271 ing the movable radial vanes along the longitudinal axis of the enghe relative to said fixed radial vanes, said [561 References Cited radial vanes radially extending across the main exhaust U . S . PATENT DOCUMENTS flow of the engine.
2,487,588 11/1949 Price ................................. 239A27.3
3,005,308 10/1961 Bader .............................. 239/265.33 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Jui. 29,1980 Sheet 1 of 4 4,214,703
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U.S. Patent JU~. 29, 1980 Sheet 2 of 4
4,214,703
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U.S.
Sheet 3 of 4 4,214,703
U.S. Patent J U ~ . 29, 1980 Sheet 4 of 4
4,214,703
4,214,703
1 2
known plug nozzle type. The plug translates to vary the AIRCRAm ENGINE NOZZLE exit nozzle and is, of course, much longer than the noz- zle of the present invention and accordingly, is much GOVERNMENT RIGHTS heavier than the nozzle of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. NO. 3,642,209, issued to Stahl, shows a noz- The invention herein wm made by employ-.
zle configuration which has little in common with the ees of the United States Government, and may be manu- present invention since the outer sleeves thereof trans- factured and used by or for the Government for govern- mental purposes without payment of any royalties late to vary the exit area. In addition, the nozzle, as thereon or therefor.
shown, is only a convergent nozzle wherein the exit lo area is the minimum area, and thus is suitable for only BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION subsonic and low supersonic applications.
1. Field of the Invention SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a short, light- weight jet engine nozzle that will operate efficiently Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention Over the ‘Prating Mach number range Of a to provide a short, light-weight, engine nozzle that will Or missile’ More the operate efficiently over the complete operating Mach present invention is directed to an engine which is pro- number range of a supersonic aircraft or missile.
vided with an arrangement for varying the area of the Another Object of the present invention is to provide nozzle thereof for altering the exhaust characteristics of nozzle wherein certain l’lozzle the en&e nozzle structure in accordance with opera- 20 a new and elements thereof can be translated to vary the nozzle
tion of an aircraft or -ae y t h the subsonic and
exit area, said translated and stationary elements form- supersonic ranges.
ing a smooth, continuous surface at all translated posi- 2. Description of the Prior A r t An exemplary prior art engine-nozzle combinations is tions, thereby not adversely affecting the aerodynamic illustrated in FIG. 1 of the present application which 25 performance of the engine.
shows a 1975 technology turbojet engine 8 and nozzle 9 A further object of the present invention is to provide combination. The nozzle 9 has many movable parts, a new type of multivane, convergent-divergent nozzle, among which are movable tail feathers 1, inner door which is much shorter than the prior art nozzles, the flaps 2, outer door flaps 3, secondary air Valves 4, and a shortness of the nozzle being directly related to the noise suppressor 5. Movement of these elements allows 30 number of contained wit^ the nozzle.
the to Operate at both su~rsonic and Other objects and further scope of applicability of the subsonic speeds with relatively low noise levels at take- present invention will become apparent from the de- Off ad approach speeds* However* tailed description given hereinafter; it should be under- binations in
’ suffer from a ‘IUUber Of
stood, however, that the detailed description and spe- disadvantages including their long length and also the 35 cific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments heavy weight of the nozzle. if sound sup- of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, pression is
at amff and approach speds, the
since various changes and modifications within the of the suppressor 5 is also a and spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent disadvantage.
Other examples ofthe prior art include u.S. pat. NOS. 40 to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
3,005,308,3,897,001 and 3,642,209. All of the inventions BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS in these patents have, in common with the present in- vention, translating nozzle parts to vary the nozzle exit The present invention will become more fully under- area. U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,308, issued to Bader, shows a stood from the detailed description given hereinbelow nozzle with alternate translating segments that vary the 45 and the accompanying drawings, which are given by area of a conventional convergent-divergent nozzle. way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of The variable area nozzle arrangement of the Bader the present invention, and wherdn: patent Can best be Seen in FIG. 3 which Shows a plural- FIG. 1 shows an engine-nozzle combjation which is ity of vane segments 26 to 3 4 , said vane segments being illustrative of the prior art, divided into two sets which include alternate members 50 FIG. 2 incorporates the present invention which thereof* A fust set Of segments members illustrates the much shorter, overall length of the en- 27,29,31 and 33, which are fixed, whereas a second set to the prior gine-nozzle com~jation when Of =pent’ which segment members 26, 28y 309 art. Of course, such a reduction in length will also re- 32 and 34 is axially, translatably movable with respect flect a reduction in overall weight; to the fixed segments. However, the nozzle disclosed in 55 FIG. 3 shows the nozzle of the present invention in its the Bader patent is much longer than that of the present supersonic Operating position; invention, and thus does not achieve the shortness in length and light weight of the engine of the present is an view Of the Of 3; FIG. 5 shows the nozzle of the present invention in its invention. fiso, increasing the number of translating segments does not change the overall length of the 60 takeoff and approach geometry; en@e of the Bader patent. In addition, when the seg- FIG. 6 is a cut-away perspective view of the nozzle O f the present invention in its supersonic design Mach merits are translated from their “all-together” position, number operating Position With all Of the vanes to- the nozzle is no longer smooth, but has many sharp gether; and comers and steps which lead to poor aerodynamic per- formance. FIG. 7 is a cut-away perspective view of the nozzle U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,001, issued to Helmintoller, Jr., et of the present invention in its subsonic and transonic al, merely pertains to an inlet engine nozzle system operating position with every other vane translated in wherein the nozzles shown therein are of the well- the aft direction.
a 4,214,703 3 4 of flow is formed in the V's 26, thus providing sound DETAILED DESCRIPTION O F THE suppression.
INVENTION FIG. 6 is a cut-away perspective view of the nozzle of the present invention in its supersonic operating posi- The main advantages of the present invention are shown in FIG. 2 which illustrates the substantial reduc- 5 tion with all of the vanes together, and FIG. 7 is a cut- away perspective view of the nozzle of the present tion in overall length which can be achieved by the present invention when compared to the prior art en- invention in the subsonic and transonic operating posi- tion with every other vane translated in the aft direc- gine-nozzle combinations as shown in FIG. 1 . As a 6 with FIG. 7 , it can be matter of fact, supersonic configuration of the engine- tion. By comparing FIG.
readily seen that by merely translating every other vane nozzle combination of the present invention represents of the nozzle, the throat area can be changed.
about a 71% reduction in length when measured from Alternate embodiments of the present invention can the turbine buckets 6 when compared to the prior art employ any number of vanes greater than four. Each engines. Such a reduction in length also represents a time the number of vanes is doubled, the nozzle length substantial reduction in weight, including a greatly is halved. Thus, the present invention is concerned with reduced overhanging weight. Also, because of its l5 a multiple-vane, convergent-divergent nozzle which is shorter length, the nozzle of the present invention has a much shorter than that of the prior art. Also, the trans- lower radar cross-section. In addition, at take-off and lated and stationary vanes of the present invention form landing speeds, a certain amount of sound suppression smooth, continuous surfaces at all translated positions, should be available from natural mixing of the external thus contributing to an advantageous aerodynamic per- and internal airflows, as will be explained hereinbelow.
2o formance.
Furthermore, in contrast to the prior art, the nozzle of The invention being thus described, it will be obvious the present invention only translates to provide variable that the same may be varied in many ways. Such varia- geometry for efficient operation at both supersonic and tions are not to be regarded as a departure from the subsonic speeds.
spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifica- FIG. 3 shows the nozzle of the present invention in its 25 tion as would be obvious to one skilled in the art, are supersonic operating design position. The nozzle is intended to be included within the scope of the follow- formed mainly by tapered, radial vanes 10 and 10, for ing claims.
example 1 6 in number, extending from the translating We claim: outer sleeve 11 and the main body 12 to the translating 1 . A variable area exit nozzle arrangement for an inner sleeve 1 3 and the main inner body 1 4 . Vanes 10 30 aircraft engine having a substantially reduced length are attached to the outer sleeve 11 and inner sleeve 1 3 so and weight which comprises a plurality of longitudi- that 10,ll and 1 3 translate as a unit. Similarly, vanes 10 nally movable radial vanes and a plurality of fixed radial are attached to the main body 12 and the main inner vanes, the movable radial vanes being alternately dis- body 14 so that elements 10,12 and 14 are fixed relative posed with respect to the fixed radial vanes, and means to the jet engine 1 5 . Hot gas flow from the turbine 35 for displacing the movable radial vanes along the longi- buckets 6 passes through throats 16 of the nozzles tudinal axis of the engine relative to said fixed radial formed by contours 17 of vanes 10 and 10. The saw- vanes, said radial vanes radially extending across the tooth cutouts 18, which can be 1 6 in number, follow the a taper main exhaust flow of the engine and each having final Mach rhombus of the extended exit hot gas flow in the downstream direction whereby the exit nozzle since the flow is fully expanded aft of the forward edges 40 area is varied when the movable radial vanes are dis- 1 8 ' of the cutouts 1 8 . The forward edges 1 8 ' of the outer placed with respect to the fixed radial vanes, said nozzle sleeve 11 extend to eight slots 1 9 which allows transla- including a translating outer sleeve and a translating tion of the outer sleeve 11 without interference with the inner sleeve connected by said movable radial vanes fixed tubes 2 0 . Also, the forward edges 18 of the main and a fixed main outer body and fixed main inner body body 12 extend around translating vanes 10 allowing 45 connected by said fixed radial vanes, said translating free translation. Similarly, slots 21 in the main inner outer and inner sleeves and movable radial vanes mov- body 14 extend around vanes 10 allowing free transla- ing as a unit relative to said fixed outer and inner bodies tion.
and said fixed radial vanes.
Since nozzle cooling is usually required, sixteen tubes 2 . The variable area exit nozzle arrangement of claim 20 and 20 direct high-pressure cooling air from the 1, wherein the fixed and movable radial vanes are ta- forward compressor stages or from the inlet ahead of 50 pered from the outer sleeve and body to the inner sleeve the engine through the hollow vanes 10 and 1 0 ' into and body, respectively.
chamber 26 through ports 23 communicating with the 3 . The variable area exit nozzle arrangement of claim open ends of fixed vanes 10, through the open ends of 1 , wherein a plurality of fixed tubes and a plurality of translating vanes 10, and exiting through secondary movable tubes provide communication between said nozzle 27 which also efficiently expands the cooling air 55 fixed radial vanes and movable radial vanes, respec- flow for maximum thrust generation. Surfaces 24 can tively, and engine bleed air for cooling said vanes.
also further expand the main nozzle flow. Since the 4 . The variable area exit nozzle arrangement of claim outer sleeve 11 translates in the aft direction for low- 3 , wherein the outer sleeve is provided with a plurality speed operation, every other tube 20 must telescope for of longitudinally disposed slots to accommodate said free translation.
60 plurality of movable tubes during the longitudinal trans- FIG. 5 shows the nozzle in its take-off and approach lation of said outer and inner sleeves.
geometry. Outer sleeve 11, vanes 10 and inner sleeve 1 3 5 . The variable area exit nozzle arrangement of claim are translated aft by four equally spaced actuators 25 so 1, wherein the fixed main inner body defines an inner that contours 17' now form the nozzle from the outer chamber which communicates with the fixed radial contours of translating vanes 10. V-shaped cutouts 26 65 vanes and movable radial vanes through apertures pro- allow outer air flow around the nozzle to be entrained in vided in said main inner body and translating inner the nozzle main exhaust flow, acting much like passage- sleeve.
* * * * *
way 7 shown in FIG. 1 . However, now a vortex pattern