Gas turbine engine including a third flowpath exhaust nozzle
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.
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
a primary exhaust nozzle that defines a primary exhaust exit port through which a first gas flow travelling along the first flowpath and a second gas flow traveling along the second flowpath may be discharged;
wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is configured so that an area of each of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports is independently and selectively adjustable;
wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is positioned on the turbofan engine so that the gas discharged through the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports subsequently discharges through the primary exhaust exit port; and
wherein, at a location downstream of the core section of the turbofan engine, the third flowpath is radially inboard of the second flowpath.
2. The turbofan engine of claim 1 , wherein by independently and selectively adjusting an area of one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports, a characteristic of the gas passing there through may be independently and selectively adjusted.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The turbofan engine of claim 1 , wherein the gas traveling along the third flowpath has a temperature that is lower than a temperature of the first gas flow traveling along the first flowpath.
7. An exhaust section of a turbofan engine, comprising:
a first flowpath;
a second flowpath radially outboard of the first flowpath; and
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 radially outboard of the second flowpath; and
a primary exhaust nozzle that defines a primary exhaust exit port through which a first gas flow traveling along the first flowpath and a second gas flow traveling along the second flowpath 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;
wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is positioned on the turbofan engine so that the gas discharged through the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports subsequently discharges through the primary exhaust exit port; and
wherein, at a location downstream of a core section of the turbofan engine, the third flowpath is radially inboard of the second flowpath.
8. The exhaust section of claim 7 , wherein the third flowpath is radially outboard of the second flowpath at a location upstream of the core section of the turbofan engine, and wherein the second flowpath is radially outboard of the first flowpath at the location upstream of the core section of the turbofan engine.
9. The exhaust section of claim 8 , 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.
10. The exhaust section of claim 8 , further comprising an engine case that at least partially defines the first flowpath, the second flowpath, or the third flowpath.
11. The exhaust section of claim 8 , further comprising an engine duct that at least partially defines the first flowpath, the second flowpath, or the third flowpath.
12. The exhaust section of claim 7 , wherein by independently and selectively adjusting the area or the geometry of one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports, a characteristic of the gas passing there through may be independently and selectively adjusted.
13. 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 of at least one of the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports to achieve an engine operation;
wherein a first flowpath is radially inboard of a second flowpath at a location;
wherein the third flowpath is radially outboard of the second flowpath at the location;
wherein a primary exhaust nozzle defines a primary exhaust exit port through which a first gas flow traveling along the first flowpath and a second gas flow traveling along the second flowpath is discharged;
wherein the third flowpath exhaust nozzle is positioned on the turbofan engine so that the gas discharged through the plurality of third flowpath exhaust exit ports subsequently discharges through the primary exhaust exit port; and
wherein, at a location downstream of a core section of the turbofan engine, the third flowpath is radially inboard of the second flowpath.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the 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.