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EP-4741289-A1 - AIRCRAFT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING

EP4741289A1EP 4741289 A1EP4741289 A1EP 4741289A1EP-4741289-A1

Abstract

An aircraft (10) includes an engine (20) defining a centerline axis (24), the engine (20) comprising a fan (22) and a turbomachine (54) rotatably driving the fan (22), the turbomachine (54) including an exhaust section (36) comprising an outlet nozzle (38), the outlet nozzle (38) including a fixed portion (40) and a movable portion (42), wherein the movable portion (42) is movable from a first position to a second position, wherein when the movable portion (42) is in the first position, the movable portion (42) is aligned with the centerline axis (24), and wherein when the movable portion (42) is in the second position, the movable portion (42) is canted downward in the vertical direction and outward in the lateral direction relative to the centerline axis (24), and wherein the movable portion (42) includes an end (44) engaging the fixed portion (40), wherein when the movable portion (42) is in the first position, the end (44) defines a nonzero cant angle with the centerline axis (24).

Inventors

  • BLODGETT, KEITH EDWARD JAMES
  • Roberts, Alexa
  • BOWDEN, WILLIAM JOSEPH

Assignees

  • General Electric Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251105

Claims (15)

  1. An aircraft (10) defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a downstream direction, the aircraft (10) comprising: an engine (20) defining a centerline axis (24), the engine (20) comprising a fan (22) and a turbomachine (54) rotatably driving the fan (22), the turbomachine (54) including an exhaust section (36) comprising an outlet nozzle (38), the outlet nozzle (38) including a fixed portion (40) and a movable portion (42), wherein the movable portion (42) is movable from a first position to a second position, wherein when the movable portion (42) is in the first position, the movable portion (42) is aligned with the centerline axis (24), and wherein when the movable portion (42) is in the second position, the movable portion (42) is canted downward in the vertical direction and outward in the lateral direction relative to the centerline axis (24), and wherein the movable portion (42) includes an end (44) engaging the fixed portion (40), wherein when the movable portion (42) is in the first position, the end (44) defines a nonzero cant angle with the centerline axis (24).
  2. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the engine (20) is a turbofan engine (20), wherein during a takeoff operating condition, an amount of thrust from 5% to 25% of a total thrust of the turbofan engine (20) is provided from the airflow through the exhaust section (36).
  3. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the exhaust section (36) defines a plane at which the movable portion (42) contacts the fixed portion (40), wherein a vector normal to the plane is angled relative to the centerline axis (24) to define the nonzero cant angle with the centerline axis (24).
  4. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a takeoff component (46) downstream of the outlet nozzle (38), wherein when the outlet nozzle (38) is in the second position, the exhaust flows out from the outlet nozzle (38) in a direction away from the takeoff component (46).
  5. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the exhaust section (36) further comprises an actuator (94) configured to rotate the movable portion (42) along the fixed portion (40) from the first position to the second position.
  6. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator (94) is configured to rotate the movable portion (42) along the fixed portion (40) to a third position between the first position and the second position.
  7. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the exhaust section (36) further comprises a plug (48) disposed in the movable portion (42) and a strut (96) connecting the plug (48) to the movable portion (42).
  8. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet nozzle (38) defines a central axis (84), wherein the second position is in a range from 90 to 180 degrees away from the first position about the central axis (84) of the outlet nozzle (38).
  9. The aircraft (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the central axis (84) of the outlet nozzle (38) is angled relative to the centerline axis (24) of the engine (20) by the nonzero cant angle.
  10. A method (200) for operating an aircraft (10), the method (200) comprising: receiving operation data indicative of the aircraft (10) being in or initiating a takeoff operating condition; in response to receiving the operation data, moving a movable portion (42) of an outlet nozzle (38) of an exhaust section (36) of the aircraft (10) from a first position that is aligned with a fixed portion (40) of the outlet nozzle (38) to a second position that is angled away from the fixed portion (40) of the outlet nozzle (38); receiving second operation data indicative of the aircraft (10) terminating or having terminated the takeoff operating condition; and in response to receiving the second operation data, moving the movable portion (42) from the second position to the first position.
  11. The method (200) of claim 10, wherein, in the second position, an amount of exhaust flowing from the outlet nozzle (38) downward in the vertical direction is in a range from 5-25% of a total amount of exhaust flowing from the outlet nozzle (38).
  12. The method (200) of any of claims 10-11, wherein the one or more components (102) include at least one of a flap or a high lift device.
  13. The method (200) of any of claims 10-12, wherein moving the movable portion (42) from the first position to the second position further comprises moving the movable portion (42) away from the flap or the high lift device.
  14. The method (200) of any of claims 10-13, wherein moving the movable portion (42) further comprises actuating an actuator (94) disposed in the outlet nozzle (38) to rotate the movable portion (42) about a central axis (84) of the outlet nozzle (38).
  15. The method (200) of any of claims 10-14, wherein the second position is in a range from 90 to 180 degrees away from the first position about the central axis (84) of the outlet nozzle (38).

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine for an aircraft, specifically to an outlet nozzle for the gas turbine engine. BACKGROUND A gas turbine engine generally includes a turbomachine and a rotor assembly. Gas turbine engines, such as turbofan engines, may be used for aircraft propulsion. In the case of a turbofan engine, the rotor assembly may be configured as a fan assembly. Other types of engines include propfan engines, turbojet engines, turboshaft engines, turboprop engines, turbofan engines, and unducted turbine engines. For an aircraft with an under-wing open fan engine installation, the engine is close-coupled with the wing such that the engine may be pitched down relative to the aircraft to improve performance and noise. This arrangement may result in exhaust gases from the engine interacting with a trailing edge flap system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present disclosure, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective, schematic view of an exemplary engine of an aircraft.FIG. 2 is a magnified, schematic view of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1.FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional, schematic view of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a rear view of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1 with a movable portion of an outlet nozzle in a first position.FIG. 5 is a rear view of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1 with the movable portion of the outlet nozzle in a second position.FIG. 6A is a side, magnified view of the outlet nozzle of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1 in the first position.FIG. 6B is a side, magnified view of the outlet nozzle of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1 in the second position.FIG. 7 is a block diagram of components for controlling the outlet nozzle of the exemplary engine of FIG. 1FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an exemplary method for controlling the exemplary engine of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to present embodiments of the disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the disclosure. The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any implementation described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Additionally, unless specifically identified otherwise, all embodiments described herein should be considered exemplary. The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "at least one of" in the context of, e.g., "at least one of A, B, and C" refers to only A, only B, only C, or any combination of A, B, and C. The phrases "from X to Y" and "between X and Y" each refers to a range of values inclusive of the endpoints (i.e., refers to a range of values that includes both X and Y). A "third stream" as used herein means a non-primary air stream capable of increasing fluid energy to produce a minority of total propulsion system thrust. A pressure ratio of the third stream may be higher than that of the primary propulsion stream (e.g., a fan or propeller driven propulsion stream). The thrust may be produced through a dedicated nozzle or through mixing of an airflow through the third stream with a primary propulsion stream or a core air stream, e.g., into a common nozzle. The terms "coupled," "fixed," "attached to," and the like refer to both direct coupling, fixing, or attaching, as well as indirect coupling, fixing, or attaching through one or more intermediate components or features, unless otherwise specified herein. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the relative direction with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, "upstream" refers to the direction from which the fluid flows, and "downstream" refers to the direction to which the fluid flows. The terms "forward" and "aft" refer to relative positions within a gas turbine engine or vehicle and refer to the normal operational attitude of the gas turbine engine or vehicle. For example, with regard to a gas turbine engine, forward refers to a position closer to an engine inlet and aft refers to a position closer to an engine nozzle or exhaust. The present disclosure is generally related to an under-wing open fan engine installation for an aircraft. In such an installation, the engine is close-coupled with the wing such that the engine may be pitched down relative to the aircraft to improve performance and noise. This arrangement may result in exhaust gases from the engine interacting with a trailing edge flap system, which may cause unsteady