Nozzle area measurement

Claim 2

Apparatus for determining the area of an opening defined by components of a jet engine, comprising a radiation source mounted within said engine for directing electromagnetic radiation towards said opening to impinge on said components defining said opening and to pass through said opening, a radiation detector mounted within said engine for receiving radiation reflected from said components defining said opening, and for providing an output signal related to the intensity of the received reflected radiation representing the area of the opening.

Claim 3

Apparatus for determining the area of a variable opening defined by variable vanes in a jet engine, comprising antenna means mounted within said engine for directing electromagnetic radiation towards said movable vanes and for receiving radiation reflected therefrom, and radar means connected to said antenna means for generating a signal for radiation by said antenna means and for receiving reflected radiation, said radar means providing an output signal related to the intensity of the received reflected radiation representing the area of the opening.

Claim 4

Apparatus for determining the area of a variable opening defined by variable vanes in a jet engine, comprising antenna means mounted within said engine for directing electromagnetic radiation towards said movable vanes and for receiving radiation reflected therefrom, and radar means connected to said antenna means for generating a signal for radiation by said antenna means and for receiving reflected radiation, said radar means providing an output signal related to the intensity of the received reflected radiation representing the area of the opening.

Claim 5

Apparatus for determining nozzle exit area in a jet engine having a diffuser, a tailpipe and a variable nozzle, said variable nozzle having a plurality of movable vanes defining the nozzle exit area opening, said apparatus comprising antenna means mounted in said diffuser for directing radiation towards said nozzle for impingement upon said vanes and for receiving radiation reflected from said vanes, and radar means connected to said antenna means for generating a signal for radiatiOn by said antenna means and for receiving reflected radiation, said radar means providing an output signal related to the amount of received reflected radiation representing nozzle exit area.

Claim 6

Apparatus for determining nozzle exit area in a jet engine having a diffuser, a tailpipe and a variable nozzle, said variable nozzle having a plurality of movable vanes defining the nozzle exit area opening, said apparatus comprising antenna means mounted in said diffuser for directing radiation towards said nozzle for impingement upon said vanes and for receiving radiation reflected from said vanes, and radar means connected to said antenna means for generating a signal for radiatiOn by said antenna means and for receiving reflected radiation, said radar means providing an output signal related to the amount of received reflected radiation representing nozzle exit area.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said antenna means is a perabolic reflector type antenna and in which said radar means is a probe type transmitter and receiver and includes means for effectively disconnecting said receiver during pulse generation.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said antenna means is a transmitting and a receiving radar antenna, and in which said radar means is a continuous wave radar transmitter connected to the transmitting antenna and a radar receiver connected to the receiving antenna.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 and further including apparatus for utilizing said output signal representing nozzle exit area A8 for determining gross thrust of said engine and providing a final output signal representing gross thrust comprising first pressure responsive means for detecting static pressure at the nozzle entrance PSN and for providing a signal representing PSN, first computer means connected to said radar receiver and to said first pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8 and PSN and for providing a signal representing total pressure at the nozzle entrance PTN according to the relationship PTN PSN.f(A8) second pressure responsive means for detecting ambient static pressure PSO and for providing a signal representing PSO, second computer means connected to said radar receiver, to said first computer means, and to said second pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8 and PTN and PSO and for providing a final output signal representing gross thrust FG according to the relationship FG g(A8, PTN, PSO).

Claim 10

Apparatus for determining gross thrust in a jet engine having a diffuser, an afterbody in the diffuser, a tailpipe and a variable nozzle, said variable nozzle having a plurality of movable vanes defining an opening having an opening area A8, said apparatus comprising a radar antenna mounted on said afterbody for directing a cone of radiation towards said nozzle, the peripheral portion of said cone of radiation impinging upon said vanes, and for receiving radiation reflected from said vanes, a pulse radar transmitter connected to said antenna for generating a pulse radar signal for radiation from said antenna, a radar receiver connected to said antenna for receiving reflected radiation related to the area A8 and for providing an output signal representing A8, first pressure responsive means for detecting static pressure at the nozzle entrance PSN and for providing a signal representing PSN, first computer means connected to said radar receiver and to said first pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8 and PSN and for providing a signal representing total pressure at the nozzle entrance PTN according to the relationship PTN PSN.f(A8) second pressure responsive means for detecting ambient static pressure PSO and for providing a signal representing PSO, second computer means connected to said radar receiver, to said first computer means and to said second pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8, PTN and PSO and for providing a signal representing gross thrust FG according to the relationship FG g(A8, PTN, PSO).

Claim 11

Apparatus for determining gross thrust in a jet engine having a diffuser, an afterbody in the diffuser, a tailpipe and a variable nozzle, said variable nozzle having a plurality of movable vanes defining an opening having an opening area A8, said apparatus comprising a radar antenna mounted on said afterbody for directing a cone of radiation towards said nozzle, the peripheral portion of said cone of radiation impinging upon said vanes, and for receiving radiation reflected from said vanes, a pulse radar transmitter connected to said antenna for generating a pulse radar signal for radiation from said antenna, a radar receiver connected to said antenna for receiving reflected radiation related to the area A8 and for providing an output signal representing A8, first pressure responsive means for detecting static pressure at the nozzle entrance PSN and for providing a signal representing PSN, first computer means connected to said radar receiver and to said first pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8 and PSN and for providing a signal representing total pressure at the nozzle entrance PTN according to the relationship PTN PSN.f(A8) second pressure responsive means for detecting ambient static pressure PSO and for providing a signal representing PSO, second computer means connected to said radar receiver, to said first computer means and to said second pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8, PTN and PSO and for providing a signal representing gross thrust FG according to the relationship FG g(A8, PTN, PSO).

Claim 12

Apparatus for determining gross thrust in a jet engine having a diffuser, an afterbody in the diffuser, a tailpipe and a variable nozzle, said variable nozzle Having a plurality of movable vanes defining an opening having an opening area A8, said apparatus comprising a transmitting and a receiving radar antenna each mounted on said afterbody both facing said nozzle, said transmitting antenna adapted and arranged to direct a cone of radiation towards said nozzle, the peripheral portion of said cone of radiation impinging upon said vanes, and said receiving antenna for receiving radiation reflected from said vanes, a radar transmitter connected to said transmitting antenna for generating a continuous radar signal for radiation from said antenna, a radar receiver connected to said receiving antenna for receiving reflected radiation related to the area A8 and for providing an output signal representing A8, first pressure responsive means for detecting static pressure at the nozzle entrance PSN and for providing a signal representing PSN, first computer means connected to said radar receiver and to said first pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8 and PSN and for providing a signal representing total pressure at the nozzle entrance PTN according to the relationship PTN PSN.f(A8) second pressure responsive means for detecting ambient static pressure PSO and for providing a signal representing PSO, second computer means connected to said radar receiver, to said first computer means and to said second pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8, PTN and PSO and for providing a signal representing gross thrust FG according to the relationship FG g(A8, PTN, PSO).

Claim 13

Apparatus for determining gross thrust in a jet engine having a diffuser, an afterbody in the diffuser, a tailpipe and a variable nozzle, said variable nozzle Having a plurality of movable vanes defining an opening having an opening area A8, said apparatus comprising a transmitting and a receiving radar antenna each mounted on said afterbody both facing said nozzle, said transmitting antenna adapted and arranged to direct a cone of radiation towards said nozzle, the peripheral portion of said cone of radiation impinging upon said vanes, and said receiving antenna for receiving radiation reflected from said vanes, a radar transmitter connected to said transmitting antenna for generating a continuous radar signal for radiation from said antenna, a radar receiver connected to said receiving antenna for receiving reflected radiation related to the area A8 and for providing an output signal representing A8, first pressure responsive means for detecting static pressure at the nozzle entrance PSN and for providing a signal representing PSN, first computer means connected to said radar receiver and to said first pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8 and PSN and for providing a signal representing total pressure at the nozzle entrance PTN according to the relationship PTN PSN.f(A8) second pressure responsive means for detecting ambient static pressure PSO and for providing a signal representing PSO, second computer means connected to said radar receiver, to said first computer means and to said second pressure responsive means for receiving signals representing A8, PTN and PSO and for providing a signal representing gross thrust FG according to the relationship FG g(A8, PTN, PSO).