Method and nozzle for producing thrust

Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing a thrust force from an annular axial stream of gaseous products fed to a nozzle with a supercritical pressure drop and acceleration to subsonic speed. In the nozzle, the direction of the subsonic annular stream is changed from axial to radial and the radial stream is divided into a plurality of opposing jets which collide in a braking zone and change direction back to axial for discharge into the ambient atmosphere. A change in thrust intensity (modulus) is effected by changing the flow rate of the radial jets and/or the flow rate of the axial stream discharged into the ambient atmosphere. Adjustment of the angle of the thrust vector is effected by changing the angle of discharge of the axial stream into the ambient atmosphere. The nozzle comprises a housing, a central body with a flat base in the housing, and a casing surrounding the central body and having an end face with profiled outlet edges forming together with the flat base of the central body a radial channel with a critical cross section and an axial outlet. The casing is axially adjustable and the central body is angularly movable to adjust the flat base from a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle to an angular position relative thereto.