Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Grumman Aerospace Corporation

Northrop Gunman Corporation

Runyon H Tindell

Charles A Parente

James J Karanik

Warren Davis

In accordance with the present invention, an aerodynamic turbo engine nacelle, disposable about an engine having an engine face, for mitigating boundary layer separation of intake airflow comprises an engine inlet. The engine inlet is provided with an interior surface and a curved portion. The curved portion having a leading edge. The geometry of the engine inlet is such that the ratio of the circular area defined by the diameter defined by the leading edge of the curved portion to the minimum circular area defined by the interior surface of the engine inlet is less than 1.33. The engine nacelle is further provided with a pressurized fluid injecting device for injecting pressurized fluid at the engine inlet in a direction generally parallel to intake airflow in response to sensed airflow conditions.

Thin inlet lip design for low drag and reduced nacelle size

An air intake system disposable in an air vehicle turbo engine housing disposed in an exterior airflow for selectively reducing external engine boundary layer separation drag and external engine friction drag on the engine housing comprising an air inlet member for receiving engine intake air disposable within the engine housing. The air intake system further comprising a first air exit port disposed in fluid communication with the air inlet member, adapted to direct intake air from the air inlet member and to direct intake air substantially in the direction of exterior airflow, to reduce external engine boundary layer separation drag. The air intake system further comprising a second air exit port disposed in fluid communication with the air inlet member, adapted to direct intake air from the air inlet member and to direct intake air substantially in a direction perpendicular to the exterior airflow, to reduce external engine friction drag. The air intake system further comprising a control device for regulating intake airflow through the first and second air exit ports in response to sensed external engine conditions to mitigate at least one of external engine boundary layer separation drag and external engine friction drag.

Low drag inlet design using injected duct flow

A blockerless thrust reverser for an aircraft having a podded nacelle housing a turbofan engine which produces core flow and a fan exit stream. Reverse thrust is obtained by diverting the fan exit stream into an annular slot formed in an outer wall of the nacelle where it is turned and discharged forwardly. The fan exit stream is directed into the annular slot by injecting high pressure streams of core flow into the fan exit stream at positions which are upstream of and adjacent to the annular slot. Reverse thrust is selectively obtained by a control means which selectively opens and closes the annular slot and the core jet injectors.

Blockerless thrust reverser

This specification relates to a blockerless thrust reverser for an aircraft having a podded nacelle housing a turbofan engine which produces core flow and a fan exit stream. Reverse thrust is obtained by diverting the fan exit stream into an annular slot formed in an outer wall of the nacelle where it is turned and discharged forward. The fan exit stream is directed into the annular slot by injecting high pressure streams of core flow into the fan exit stream at positions which are upstream of and adjacent to the annular slot. Reverse thrust is selectively obtained by a control means which selectively opens and closes the annular slot and the core jet injectors.

The lower lip of an aircraft inlet cowl has a first transverse slot formed through an upper surface of the lower lip while a second transverse slot is formed through a lower surface of the lip. A rotating vane is transversely located in the interior of the lip, between the upper and lower slots. A duct located within the interior of the lower lip delivers pressurized engine bleed air to the rotating vane. Selectively driven gears position the vane so as to block either one or the other of the slots, depending upon aircraft speed, so that normal cowl inlet air is energized in the vicinity of the slot outlet. This prevents separation of the normal inlet airflow from the cowl surface - and reduces drag that would otherwise develop.

Slotted cowl inlet lip for introducing high pressure air

A blown boundary layer control system for an aircraft having a jet engine with an engine compressor, an inlet including a compression surface with an external part and internal part, a cowl lip including an internal lip surface and an external lip surface and an external afterbody. The system includes several ducts from the engine compressor. A series of nozzles and valves control and direct air flow to various surfaces. A computer is electrically connected to the valves to control the operation of the valves thereby controlling the blowing of air from a commanded number of nozzles. The computer controls the valves in position as functions of RPM of the engine, free stream flight conditions and aircraft attitude.

Blown boundary layer control system for a jet aircraft

The invention provides a flight attitude control augmentation arrangement and method which is effective at both low speeds and at high altitudes, under conditions in which traditional flight control surfaces cannot provide sufficient air pressure differentials to develop effective control moments. The invention provides flight control surfaces at the engine air intakes of an aircraft. The flight control surfaces are flaps whose angular position determines the amount by which the intake airstream is perturbed by the flap and the consequent reaction force on the aircraft fuselage, which in turn determines the magnitude of the control moments generated by the surfaces. The net moments resulting from asymmetric deployment of the flaps are used to augment flight control moments generated by conventional flight control such as a rudder.

Growing community of inventors

Old Bethpage, NY, United States of America

Runyon H Tindell