Compound ejector

Claim 1

In ejector apparatus immersed in a body of secondary flow fluid and producing an augmented thrust vector oriented along an ejector longitudinal axis, in combination: perimeter injector means having opposed discharge slots that are positioned at opposite sides of said longitudinal axis and that are oriented and sized to each discharge primary fluid flowed therethrough in a direction toward and substantially at right angles to said longitudinal axis at a discharge velocity greater than approximately 0.7 Mach number; convergent inlet surfaces each extending from immediately adjacent a respective one of said perimeter injector means opposed discharge slots and continuing in the direction of fluid flow along said longitudinal axis through a rotational angle in the range of approximately 80* to 110* to form an ejector apparatus throat having a minimum dimension D in a direction normal to said longitudinal axis; center injector means having a discharge nozzle that is positioned intermediate said perimeter injector means discharge slots and above said ejector apparatus throat minimum dimension D and that is oriented and sized to discharge primary fluid flowed therethrough in a direction generally along said longitudinal axis at a discharge velocity greater than approximately 0.7 Mach number; divergent diffuser surfaces continuing from said convergent inlet surfaces in the region of said ejector apparatus throat minimum dimension D to a termination at an interface with said body of secondary flow fluid and with an average divergence with respect to each other of angle 2 Alpha ; and duct means flowing high energy primary flow fluid to said perimeter injector means discharge slots and to said center injector means discharge nozzle at pressure ratios greater than approximately 1.3 relative to said body of secondary flow fluid and at flow rates sufficient for maintaining said discharge velocities, said perimeter injector means opposed discharge slots and said divergent diffuser surfaces termination being separated in a direction along said longitudinal axis by a distance L that is less than approximately 2.5 times said ejector apparatus throat minimum dimension D, and said divergent diffuser surfaces average divergence angle 2 Alpha being at least approximately 15*.

Claim 8

A method of augmenting the thrust of a primary fluid flow in ejector apparatus which is immersed in a body of secondary fluid and which has joined in succession along a longitudinal axis a convergent inlet section, a throat section of minimum dimension D in a direction normal to said longitudinal axis, and a divergent diffuser section, comprising the steps of: injecting part of said primary fluid flow into said ejector apparatus in a direction generally along said longitudinal axis as a free core jet centrally of a secondary fluid inlet opening in said convergent inlet section and generally from above and toward said throat section at a discharge velocity greater than approximately 0.7 Mach number and entraining and mixing secondary fluid flowed through said inlet opening into and with primary fluid from said free core jet; simultaneously injecting the balance of said primary fluid flow into said ejector apparatus in a direction generally at right angles to said longitudinal axis as wall jets and from opposite sides of said secondary fluid inlet opening in said convergent inlet section, toward said longitudinal axis, and at discharge velocities greater than approximately 0.7 Mach number over opposed curved inlet surfaces in said convergent inlet section adjacent thereto; turning said primary fluid flow injected as wall jets over said curved inlet surfaces in said convergent inlet section and entraining and mixing additional secondary fluid flowed through said secondary fluid inlet opening in said convergent inlet section into and with the primary fluid of said wall jets; diffusing said free core jet and wall jet primary fluid flow and entrained and mixed secondary fluid in said ejector apparatus intermediate opposed wall surfaces extending from said throat section and defining said divergent diffuser section; and discharging said diffused free core jet and wall jet primary fluid flow and entrained and mixed secondary fluid from said ejector apparatus and into said body of secondary fluid a distance from the region at which said primary fluid flow is injected into said ejector apparatus that is in the direction of said longitudinal axis greater than approximately 1.0 times but less than approximately 2.5 times said throat section minimum dimension D, said primary fluid flow and entrained and mixed seconary fluid thereby having a thrust at the region of discharge into said body of secondary fluid at least 50 percent greater in magnitude than the magnitude of thrust of said primary fluid flow.

Claim 9

A method of augmenting the thrust of a primary fluid flow in ejector apparatus which is immersed in a body of secondary fluid and which has joined in succession along a longitudinal axis a convergent inlet section, a throat section of minimum dimension D in a direction normal to said longitudinal axis, and a divergent diffuser section, comprising the steps of: injecting part of said primary fluid flow into said ejector apparatus in a direction generally along said longitudinal axis as a free core jet centrally of a secondary fluid inlet opening in said convergent inlet section and generally from above and toward said throat section at a discharge velocity greater than approximately 0.7 Mach number and entraining and mixing secondary fluid flowed through said inlet opening into and with primary fluid from said free core jet; simultaneously injecting the balance of said primary fluid flow into said ejector apparatus in a direction generally at right angles to said longitudinal axis as wall jets and from opposite sides of said secondary fluid inlet opening in said convergent inlet section, toward said longitudinal axis, and at discharge velocities greater than approximately 0.7 Mach number over opposed curved inlet surfaces in said convergent inlet section adjacent thereto; turning said primary fluid flow injected as wall jets over said curved inlet surfaces in said convergent inlet section and entraining and mixing additional secondary fluid flowed through said secondary fluid inlet opening in said convergent inlet section into and with the primary fluid of said wall jets; diffusing said free core jet and wall jet primary fluid flow and entrained and mixed secondary fluid in said ejector apparatus intermediate opposed wall surfaces extending from said throat section and defining said divergent diffuser section; and discharging said diffused free core jet and wall jet primary fluid flow and entrained and mixed secondary fluid from said ejector apparatus and into said body of secondary fluid a distance from the region at which said primary fluid flow is injected into said ejector apparatus that is in the direction of said longitudinal axis greater than approximately 1.0 times but less than approximately 2.5 times said throat section minimum dimension D, said primary fluid flow and entrained and mixed seconary fluid thereby having a thrust at the region of discharge into said body of secondary fluid at least 50 percent greater in magnitude than the magnitude of thrust of said primary fluid flow.