Jet nozzle effective area control system for gas turbine engine
A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an outer bypass section wall, and a jet nozzle including at least one inflatable diaphragm. The at least one inflatable diaphragm is disposed along the outer bypass section wall. The gas turbine engine also includes a fluid pressure sensor configured to measure a fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm, an inlet valve configured to control a pressurized flow of a fluid into the at least one inflatable diaphragm in response to a command from a controller, and a release valve configured to control a release of the fluid from within the at least one inflatable diaphragm in response to a command from the controller.
1 . A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprising:
an outer bypass section wall surrounding a core engine, wherein the core engine comprises a core exhaust mixer;
a jet nozzle positioned downstream of the core exhaust mixer, the jet nozzle including:
at least one inflatable diaphragm, the at least one inflatable diaphragm disposed along the outer bypass section wall; and
a plurality of hinged panels disposed adjacent to the at least one inflatable diaphragm along the outer bypass section wall,
wherein each hinged panel from the plurality of hinged panels is configured to seat entirely within a recess defined within the outer bypass section wall when the plurality of hinged panels is retracted from the jet nozzle and to extend out of the recess into the jet nozzle when the plurality of hinged panels is deployed;
a fluid pressure sensor configured to measure a fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm;
an inlet valve configured to control a pressurized flow of a fluid into the at least one inflatable diaphragm in response to a command from a controller; and
a release valve configured to control a release of the fluid from within the at least one inflatable diaphragm in response to a command from the controller,
wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to:
expand into the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is increased such that an effective area of the jet nozzle is reduced; and
recede from the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is decreased such that the effective area of the jet nozzle is increased.
2 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluid is compressed air; and
the inlet valve is fluidly connected to receive the compressed air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine.
3 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is a single inflatable diaphragm having an annular shape.
4 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is disposed along a non-moving surface of the outer bypass section wall.
5 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to deploy the plurality of hinged panels into the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is increased such that an effective area of the jet nozzle is reduced.
6 . The gas turbine engine of claim 5 , wherein:
each hinged panel from the plurality of hinged panels has a tapered shape; and
each hinged panel from the plurality of hinged panels is configured to contact adjacent hinged panels from the plurality of hinged panels when the plurality of hinged panels is deployed within the jet nozzle.
7 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to retract the plurality of hinged panels from the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is decreased such that an effective area of the jet nozzle is increased.
8 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein each hinged panel from the plurality of hinged panels is hinged with a sprung hinge.
9 . The gas turbine engine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to provide even pressure to each panel from the plurality of hinged panels.
10 . A jet nozzle for a gas turbine engine for an aircraft, the gas turbine engine having a core engine with a core exhaust mixer, the jet nozzle comprising:
at least one inflatable diaphragm configured to be disposed along an outer bypass section wall of the gas turbine engine surrounding the core engine; and
a plurality of panels configured to be hinged along the outer bypass section wall of the gas turbine engine adjacent to the at least one inflatable diaphragm,
wherein each panel from the plurality of panels is configured to seat entirely within a recess defined within the outer bypass section wall when the plurality of panels is retracted from the jet nozzle and to extend out of the recess into the jet nozzle when the plurality of hinged panels is deployed, and
wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is further configured to:
couple with a fluid pressure sensor configured to measure a fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm;
couple with an inlet valve configured to control a pressurized flow of a fluid into the at least one inflatable diaphragm in response to a command from a controller; and
couple with a release valve configured to control a release of the fluid from within the at least one inflatable diaphragm in response to a command from the controller,
wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to:
expand into the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is increased such that an effective area of the jet nozzle is reduced; and
recede from the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is decreased such that the effective area of the jet nozzle is increased; and
wherein the jet nozzle is positioned downstream of the core exhaust mixer.
11 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein:
the fluid is compressed air; and
the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to receive the compressed air, via the inlet valve, from a compressor of the gas turbine engine.
12 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is a single inflatable diaphragm having an annular shape.
13 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to be disposed along a non-moving surface of the outer bypass section wall.
14 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to deploy the plurality of panels into the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is increased such that an effective area of the jet nozzle is reduced.
15 . The jet nozzle of claim 14 , wherein:
each panel from the plurality of panels has a tapered shape; and
each panel from the plurality of panels is configured to contact adjacent panels from the plurality of panels when the plurality of panels is deployed into the jet nozzle.
16 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to retract the plurality of panels from the jet nozzle when the fluid pressure within the at least one inflatable diaphragm is decreased such that an effective area of the jet nozzle is increased.
17 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of panels is configured to be hinged along the outer bypass section wall of the gas turbine engine with a sprung hinge.
18 . The jet nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one inflatable diaphragm is configured to provide even pressure to each panel from the plurality of panels.