US 12,228,096 B1
Plug nozzle and thrust reverser for high mach gas turbine engines
Kenneth M. Pesyna, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Andrew M. Simonich, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Aug. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/233,671.
Int. Cl. F02K 1/60 (2006.01); F02K 1/76 (2006.01)
CPC F02K 1/60 (2013.01) [F02K 1/763 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An exhaust nozzle for a turbine engine, the exhaust nozzle comprising
an outer nozzle case arranged to extend around a central axis, the outer nozzle case having an outer surface facing away from the central axis and an opposite inner surface facing toward the central axis and defining an interior space radially inwardly from the inner surface,
a nozzle plug located at least partially within the interior space and along the central axis and configured to interact with hot exhaust gases flowing through the interior space in an aft direction to guide the hot exhaust gases out of the interior space through an exhaust outlet at an aft end of the outer nozzle case, and
a thrust reverser coupled to the outer nozzle case and configured to redirect the hot exhaust gases to provide reverse thrust in a forward direction opposite the aft direction, the thrust reverser including a first thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case, a second thrust reverser panel coupled to the outer nozzle case and located on an opposite side of the outer nozzle case from the first thrust reverser panel, and an actuator system coupled with the first and second thrust reverser panels and configured to move the first and second thrust reverser panels between: (i) a stored configuration, in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are in contact with the outer surface of the outer nozzle case, (ii) a reverse-thrust configuration, in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are spaced apart from the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and engage the exhaust nozzle plug aft of the exhaust outlet to direct at least a portion of the hot exhaust air exiting the exhaust outlet in the forward direction and radially outward away from the central axis through first and second reverse thrust passageways defined between the nozzle plug and an inner surface of the first and second thrust reverser panels, respectively, and (iii) an intermediate, noise-reduction configuration between the stored configuration and the reverse-thrust configuration, in which the first and second thrust reverser panels are locked in spaced apart relation to the outer nozzle case and the nozzle plug to direct ambient air in the aft direction and radially inward toward the hot exhaust air exiting the exhaust outlet through first and second cold-air passages defined between the outer surface of the outer nozzle case and the inner surface of the first and second thrust reverser panels, respectively, to reduce noise produced by the hot exhaust gases exiting the exhaust outlet.