Mixed flow augmentation system

Claim 2

In an axial flow reaction engine a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of motive fluid flow passages; a second plurality of motive fluid flow passages, the passages of said first and second pluralities having openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the axis of the engine; and a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality upstream of the openings thereof, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system.

Claim 3

In an axial flow reaction engine a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of contoured fluid flow passages; a second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, the passages of said first and second pluralities having downstream openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the axis of an engine; and a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the passages of said second plurality and downstream of a plane of contour in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages wherein walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality so that the overall flow diffusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid flow passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities.

Claim 4

In an axial flow reaction engine a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of contoured fluid flow passages; a second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, the passages of said first and second pluralities having downstream openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the axis of an engine; and a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the passages of said second plurality and downstream of a plane of contour in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages wherein walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality so that the overall flow diffusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid flow passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities.

Claim 5

In a reaction engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means, the passages of said first and second pluralities having downstream openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the engine axis; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality upstream of the openings thereof; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second plurality of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system.

Claim 6

In a reaction engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means, the passages of said first and second pluralities having downstream openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the engine axis; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality upstream of the openings thereof; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second plurality of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system.

Claim 7

In a gas turbine engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct Means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation stream; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off, and second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, said first and second fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 8

In a gas turbine engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct Means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation stream; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off, and second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, said first and second fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 9

In a gas turbine engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said contoured diffusion passages, said third means injecting fuel in said second plurality of contoured diffusion passages only for engine bypass ratios of up to approximately 1.25 and injecting fuel in both said second plurality and said first plurality of passages for bypass ratios above 1.25, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 10

In a gas turbine engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said contoured diffusion passages, said third means injecting fuel in said second plurality of contoured diffusion passages only for engine bypass ratios of up to approximately 1.25 and injecting fuel in both said second plurality and said first plurality of passages for bypass ratios above 1.25, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 11

In a gas turbine engine comprising bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentor system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein said flow blockage members are located downstream of a plane of contour in said flow passage pluralities and walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality so that the overall flow diffusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities.

Claim 12

In a gas turbine engine comprising bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means spaced within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentor system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein said flow blockage members are located downstream of a plane of contour in said flow passage pluralities and walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality so that the overall flow diffusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities.

Claim 13

In a turbofan engine comprising bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein said flow blockage members are located downstream of a plane of contour in said flow passage pluralities and walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality so that the overall flow diffusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid flow passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; and second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, said first and second fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 14

In a turbofan engine comprising bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein said flow blockage members are located downstream of a plane of contour in said flow passage pluralities and walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality so that the overall flow diffusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid flow passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; and second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, said first and second fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 15

In a turbofan engine comprising bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means; a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein said flow blockage members are located downstream of a plane of contour in said flow passage pluralities and walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality, so that the overall flow diFfusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid flow passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, said third means being adapted to inject fuel in said second plurality of contouredfluid flow passages only for engine bypass ratios of up to approximately 1.25 and in both said second plurality and said first pluralies of passages for bypass ratios above 1.25, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 16

In a turbofan engine comprising bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means; a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein said flow blockage members are located downstream of a plane of contour in said flow passage pluralities and walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of said plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is continually increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality, so that the overall flow diFfusion ratio of said mixed flow augmentation system is reduced and the length of the pluralities of fluid flow passages minimized by diffusion sharing between adjacent passages of said first and second pluralities; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, said third means being adapted to inject fuel in said second plurality of contouredfluid flow passages only for engine bypass ratios of up to approximately 1.25 and in both said second plurality and said first pluralies of passages for bypass ratios above 1.25, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 17

In a turbofan engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means, the passages of said first and second pluralities having downstream openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the engine axis; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality upstream of the openings thereof; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 18

In a turbofan engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of flow passages in communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of flow passages in communication with said hot gas generator duct means, the passages of said first and second pluralities having downstream openings interspersed in circumferential alternation about the engine axis; a plurality of radially-extending flow blockage members located entirely within the flow passages of said second plurality upstream of the openings thereof; a circumferentially-extending flow blockage member in communication with the inner ends of said radially-extending members and located in the path of a portion of the hot gas generator stream, wherein the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said members is co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between the bypass and hot gas generator motive fluid streams of said first and second pluralities of flow passages, respectively, to facilitate flow mixing and combustion stability in said mixed flow augmentation system; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 19

In a turbofan engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of contoured fluid flow passages in flow communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages in flow communication with said hot gas generator duct means,the passages of said first and second pluralities being interspersed in circumferential alternation about the axis of said engine, wherein walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of a plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof, and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality; a plurality of radially-extenDing flameholders located entirely within the passages of said second plurality, the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said flameholders being co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between said bypass and said hot gas generator streams, said flameholders being located downstream of said plane of contour; a circumferential flameholder in communication with the inner ends of said radial flameholders and in the path of a portion of said hot gas generator stream, the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said circumferential flameholder being co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between said first and second passage pluralities; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.

Claim 20

In a turbofan engine including bypass duct means and hot gas generator duct means concentric to and within said bypass duct means, a mixed flow augmentation system comprising: a first plurality of contoured fluid flow passages in flow communication with said bypass duct means; a second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages in flow communication with said hot gas generator duct means,the passages of said first and second pluralities being interspersed in circumferential alternation about the axis of said engine, wherein walls common to both of said passage pluralities are configured so that upstream of a plane of contour the flow area of each passage of both pluralities is increasing in a downstream direction, and downstream of said plane of contour the nominal flow area of each of said second plurality of passages increases at a greater rate per unit length than upstream thereof, and the flow area of each of said first plurality of passages is decreasing substantially in direct proportion to the area change in said second plurality; a plurality of radially-extenDing flameholders located entirely within the passages of said second plurality, the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said flameholders being co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between said bypass and said hot gas generator streams, said flameholders being located downstream of said plane of contour; a circumferential flameholder in communication with the inner ends of said radial flameholders and in the path of a portion of said hot gas generator stream, the plane of maximum aerodynamic flow blockage of said circumferential flameholder being co-planar with the plane of static pressure balancing between said first and second passage pluralities; and staged fuel injection means comprising: first means for injecting fuel locally of said circumferential flow blockage member for augmentation light-off; second means for injecting fuel locally of said radial flameholders for intermediate power requirements of said engine, and third means for injecting fuel uniformly substantially upstream of the plane of said radial flameholders in said second plurality of contoured fluid flow passages, said first, second and third fuel injection means being operable sequentially for smooth thrust modulation over a wide range of engine operating speeds.