United States Patent (15 3,641,766

Uehling (45) Feb. 15, 1972

54 GASTURBINE ENGINE CONSTANT Primary Examiner-Douglas Hart
SPEED THRUST MODULATION Attorney-Derek P. Lawrence, Thomas J. Bird, Jr., Lee H.
Sachs, Frank L. Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B.
72 Inventor: Donald E. Uehling, Cincinnati, Ohio Forman
73 Assignee: General Electric Company
22 Filed: Nov. 26, 1969 57 ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 880,136 A device is shown for modulating the thrust output of a gas
turbine engine without the necessity of varying the speed of
52 U.S. Cl.................................. 60/262, 60/39.66, 60/242, said engine. The device includes means for bypassing a por
60/264, 601271,239.1265.17 tion of the compressor discharge air to a manifold surrounding
(5ll int. Cli..........................................................F02k3/02 the engine tail pipe, and, as required, to the turbine cooling
58 Field of Search................. 60/262,264,39.66, 27, 242; flowpath for the purpose of transiently augmenting turbine
2391265.17, 127.3 cooling flow. The manifold is provided with a plurality of swirl
inducing nozzles having inlets in fluidic flow cooperation with
(56) References Cited the manifold and outlets in fluidic flow cooperation with the
UNITED STATES PATENTS
tail pipe such that bypass flow is provided to the tail pipe in
such a manner as to induce swirl within the main gas stream
2,597,253 5/1952 Melchior..............................60/39.66 thereby significantly increasing tail pipe pressure losses and
2,703,477 3/1955 Anxionnaz...............................60/262 thus reducing thrust output of the engine. Engine speed may
2,807,137 9/1957 Meulien..... .239.1265.7 be maintained during operation of this device and delay time
3,034,298 5/1962 White................................... 60/39.66 between increased thrust demand and actual thrust output are
3, l l 8,276 l/1964 Keenan.................................... 60/262 thereby lessened.
3,426,534 2/1969 Murphy...................................601271
FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures
1,122,800 5, 1956 France..................................... 60/262
PATENTEDFEB 51972 3,641,766

LS, TN

INVENTOR.
DONALD E. UE LNG
BY
 3,641,766
2
GASTURBINE ENGINE CONSTANTSPEED THRUST Briefly stated, the objects of this invention are carried out
MODULATON by providing a gas turbine engine with a thrust spoiling system
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION which is capable of operation at any engine operating speed.
The thrust spoiling system includes a bleed device which is
This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines and, capable of removing a percentage of compressor discharge air
more particularly, to apparatus for effectively modulating the and preventing the same from entering the combustion system
thrust output of gas turbine engines. of the gas turbine engine. Instead of dumping the bleed flow
In modern day high performance gas turbine engines used in overboard, it is introduced into the exhaust nozzle through a
the propulsion of aircraft it is extremely desirable to provide plurality of swirl inducing nozzles in order to significantly in
engine thrust modulation in the middle to upper end of normal O crease tail pipe pressure and momentum losses and thereby
operating thrust ranges with short engine time constants, i.e., reduce the nozzle thrust coefficient which causes an instan
short time between thrust demand and actual thrust output. taneous and additional increment of thrust reduction. It is in
This provision of more rapid thrust response is desired in any portant to note that, should limiting turbine metal tempera
number of flight conditions. As one example, faster thrust 15 tures become a factor, a portion of the aforementioned bleed
response is extremely important during instrument waveoff air would be diverted to the turbine cooling flowpath to
from final landing approach for both commercial and military transiently augment normal turbine cooling air flow, thereby
jet powered aircraft. automatically maintaining acceptable limits of turbine metal
Another extremely critical flight condition occurs in milita temperature during the thrust spoiling mode of operation.
ry aircraft during an emergency pull out from a carrier landing 20 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
approach path. This situation requires an extremely rapid
availability of full thrust power from the gas turbine engine While the specification concludes with a series of claims
because a high performance aircraft approaches an aircraft which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject
carrier at speeds which are near the minimum at which the air matter which the applicant regards as his invention, an un
craft wing will provide lift. In an emergency pull out from the 25 derstanding of the invention may be gained from the following
approach path a rapid availability of full power is required to detailed description of a preferred embodiment which is given
not only avoid loss of lift but to regain maneuverability which in light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
essentially is lost in the final moments of a low speed landing FIG. 1 is a plot of certain compressor relationships com
approach. In addition, more rapid thrust response is desirable 30 monly known as a compressor map;
in military aircraft to provide increased tactical maneuvera FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a simplified gas turbine engine;
bility for air-to-air or air-to-ground combat missions. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a gas turbine engine incor
With the number of people who utilize air travel increasing porating the swirl inducing nozzles in accordance with this in
almost daily, the need for development of practical vertical or vention; also shown is a parallel bleed air flowpath to augment
short takeoff or landing (V/STOL) aircraft is also increasing. 35 turbine cooling;
This type of aircraft generally uses a direct lift and/or FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
lift/cruise engine to provide its needed propulsion. In these FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of a common vortex valve;
types of engines the need for rapid thrust response is extreme FIG. 6 is a side sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG.
ly critical as the engines provide not only the forward thrust 5, and
but also the controlling moments about all three basic air vehi 40 FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view, with portions removed, of
cle axes. a swirl inducing nozzle constructed in accordance with the
In presently used gas turbine engine powered aircraft, thrust present invention.
output is normally scheduled as a function of the position of a Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals cor
pilot controlled throttle lever. Complicated fuel control respond to like elements throughout, reference is first made to
devices are provided in many engines in an attempt to reduce 45 FIG. 1 which illustrates what is commonly referred to as a
the time lag between thrust demand and actual thrust output. compressor map. The relationships illustrated on this com
Reduction of the thrust output is normally accomplished by pressor map are not intended to relate to any specific com
decreasing fuel supply and reducing the speed of the engine. pressor but simply illustrate the relationship of certain
In present day V/STOL aircraft the problem is normally parameters which are generally applicable to any compressor.
solved by not relying solely on variable thrust of the main en 50 Basically, this compressor map shows the relationship
gines but by employing additional reaction control devices, between the pressure rise across the compressor to the cor
such as air nozzles using turbine engine compression bleed air rected mass airflow through the compressor. (Pressure rise is
as their power source, or by using thrust vectoring nozzles or hereinafter referred to as P3/P2 wherein P3 is the pressure of
pivoting lift engines. Other solutions include the use of aug the air discharged from the compressor and P2 is the pressure
mented reaction control devices placed at or near the air vehi 55 of air entering the compressor). A stall line (labeled A on FIG.
cle extremities. Examples of this are control fans, bleed and 1) indicates the minimum airflow through the compressor for
burn nozzles, augmented ejectors, etc. any given P3/P2 value necessary to prevent stall (separation of
None of the above solutions is, of course, entirely satisfacto airflow from a compressor blade). Speed lines (labeled B),
ry in solving the time delay problem. In turbojet engines, the representing the corrected rate of rotation of the compressor
reduction in engine speed which is utilized to partially 60 rotor, illustrate that mass airflow generally increases as speed
decrease thrust is probably the greatest cause of time lag increases and that higher pressure ratios, and consequently
between thrust demand and actual thrust output. The addition higher energy output levels, are obtained at higher speeds.
of additional reaction control devices in V/STOL aircraft, of In steady state operation, there is a point on any speed line
course, adds undesirable weight and complications to the per wherein the pressure ratio and mass airflow provides an ener
formance of such aircraft. 65 gy output for maintaining a given thrust output from the en
gine. A plot of these points results in an operating line for
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION steady state conditions (labeled C). This operating line, as
rotor speed increases, eventually intersects the stall line (point
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide D) at what would be the theoretical maximum energy output
a thrust modulator for a gas turbine engine which operates 70 capability of the compressor. Conventionally, 100 percent en
without the necessity of reducing engine speed. gine speed is selected below the maximum energy capability of
it is a further object of this invention to provide an engine the compressor to give a margin of safety from stall and to pro
thrust modulator which is capable of use on both straight tur vide a reserve for aircraft maneuverability, other sources of
bojets and turbofans particularly in direct lift or lift/cruise ap inlet distortion/turbulence and additional short time emergen
plications. 75 cy energy output.
 3,641,766
3 4.
In prior art turbojet or turbofan engines, the speed of the pipe 19, however, the amount of thrust modulation would be
compressor rotor is controlled by regulating fuel flow to the minimal. Applicant therefore pumps the bleed flow through
main combustor in order to obtain the actual compressor thrust spoiling means, generally designed by the numeral 28,
speed for a desired thrust output. When it is desired to ac as shown in FIG. 3.
celerate the engine, an increase in the energy output of the As shown in both FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the thrust spoiling
compressor is required and is obtained by increasing the fuel means 28 take the form of a plurality of swirl inducing nozzles
flow to the combustor. For normal operations, such a control 30 positioned within a manifold 32, to which the bleed pipe 24
system is perfectly satisfactory. There are times, however, is connected. By means of the swirl inducing nozzles 30 the
when a faster thrust response is highly desirable. bleed flow is introduced into the tail pipe 19 so as to maximize
The present invention is designed to provide this faster O swirl of the gas flowing within the tail pipe 19, thereby signifi
thrust response upon setting of a thrust demand by the pilot cantly increasing the tail pipe pressure and momentum iosses
actuated throttle lever. Referring again to FIG. 1, consider the and reducing the nozzle thrust coefficient, which, in turn,
following example: a turbojet or turbofan engine is at rated, causes an instantaneous and additional increment of thrust
100 percent thrust conditions. At this time, the engine is reduction.
operating at a point marked E on the compressor map. It is 15
The swirl inducing nozzles 30 are positioned within the
now desired to reduce the thrust output quickly while essen manifold 32 such that inlets 34 of the swirl inducing nozzles 30
tially maintaining 100 percent speed. A portion of the desired are in fluidic flow cooperation with the manifold 32 and out
thrust reduction is obtained by shifting the engine operating lets 36 of the nozzles 30 are in fluidic flow cooperation with
point from point E to point F, also shown on the compressor
map. At point F it can be seen that the pressure rise across the 20 the tail pipe 19. As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the swirl inducing
nozzles 30 are positioned within the manifold 32 such that the
compressor had decreased while 100 percent rotor speed has outlets 36 are flush with an inner wall 38 of the tail pipe 19.
been maintained. Pressure rise across the compressor has Because of this, the nozzles 30 cause negligible energy loss to
decreased because the lower mass flow rate through the com the main exhaust stream when the valve 26 is closed and no
bustor and turbine presents less impedance or back pressure 25 bleed flow is being introduced into the tail pipe 19. When the
as seen by the compressor. This would result in an increment valve 26 is open, however, bleed air flows from the compres
of reduced net thrust output from the engine. Maintenance of sor discharge through the pipe 24 to the manifold 32. Air
the 100 percent rotor inertia, however, would permit restora within the manifold 32 is at a pressure close to compressor
tion to the thrust level of point E to be accomplished most discharge pressure and is therefore much higher than the pres
rapidly because the time delay associated with getting the 30 sure of the air within the tail pipe 19. For this reason, the noz
rotor back to full speed is eliminated. The balance of the zles 30 are formed of convergent-divergent shape as shown in
desired thrust reduction is obtained by the method of dispos FIG. 7 in order to maximize the velocity of the flow exiting
ing of the compressor discharge bleed air, as explained later. through the outlets 36 thereof.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a conventional turbojet engine,
designated by the numeral 10, is shown for purposes of ex 35 at As shown best in FIG.4, the swirl nozzles 30 are positioned
an angle a, nominally 45 to a radial line extending from the
plaining this invention. It should be noted that the invention is centerline of the engine 10. In this manner the flow exiting
capable of usage with any type of gas turbine engine, and is
especially adaptable to usage with direct lift or lift/cruise type through the outlets 36 enters the tail pipe 19 in a manner caus
engines for V/STOL aircraft. As shown in FIG. 2, the turbojet ing the maximum swirl to be induced within the main exhaust
engine 10 comprises a housing 12 which surrounds a compres 40 stream flowing within the tail pipe 19. While a nominal angle
sor 14, a combustion system 16, a turbine 18, a tail pipe 19, of 45 has been shown, it should be realized that thrust modiu
and an exhaust nozzle 20. As is generally known, air enters an lation would be obtained with any angle between 0°-90°. A
inlet 22 formed by the housing 12 and is compressed in the preferable angle would be between 30°-60°, however. The in
compressor 14, ignited along with high energy fuel in the com teraction of the bleed flow from the outlets 36 and the main
bustion system 16, performs work while expanding through 45 airflow stream from the turbine 18 creates a controlled vortex
the turbine 18, and finally exits through the exhaust nozzle 20 which significantly increases tail pipe pressure and momentum
whereby its high energy provides forward thrust to an aircraft losses and reduces the exhaust nozzle thrust coefficient thus
powered by the engine. Both the compressor 14 and the tur causing an instantaneous increment of thrust reduction when
bine 18 are normally comprised of a number of rows of rotat ever the valve 26 is opened.
ing blades having a cascade of stator vanes interposed 50 The interaction of the streams of the swirl inducing nozzles
between each row of rotating blades. The rotor portion of the 30 on the main gas stream is roughly analogous to the action
turbine 18 is normally connected to the rotor portion of the of a fluidic vortex valve control stream on the vortex supply
compressor 14 to drive the same. flow. For this reason, reference is now made to FIGS. 5 and 6
As shown schematically in FIG. 3, the turbojet engine 10 is wherein a standard vortex valve 50 is shown. As shown
provided with a bypass pipe 24 having a valve 26 interposed 55 therein, the vortex valve 50 comprises a housing 52 having a
therein. One end of the bypass pipe 24 is connected to the swirl chamber 54 provided with a tangential inlet or control
compressor 14 near its discharge end, and the valve 26 is actu port 56, a radial inlet port 58 and an axial outlet port 60. The
ated by the pilot to bleed off a certain percentage of compres port 56 is connected to a control flow, and the ports 58 and 60
sor discharge air thereby reducing the mass flow through the are interposed in a liquid or gas flow system in such a manner
combustion system 16 and the turbine 18. A portion of this 60 that the magnitude of the vortex created by the control flow
bleed air is provided to a turbine cooling flow path 27 from into the vortex chamber 54 through the port 56 will affect the
which it is delivered to various components of the turbine 18 amount of pressure drop (and thereby flow) between the inlet
to cool the same. It should be pointed out that the bypass pipe port 58 and the outlet port 60.
24 is capable of bypassing a much larger percentage of com In more detail, the operation of the vortex chamber 54 is as
pressor discharge air than is normally used for cooling pur 65 follows: when the control flow is shut off, as by a valve 62,
poses. This larger bypass flow is equal to approximately 10 fluid enters the swirl chamber 54 through the inlet port 58 and
percent or more of the total gas flow and is subsequently used leaves through the outlet port 60 with little or no effect being
for thrust modulating purposes, as will presently be described. caused by the swirl chamber 54. When the control valve 62 is
With reference still to FIG. 3, the novel feature of appli open, however, a vortex (shown generally by arrows 64) is in
cant's invention is shown in that the remaining portion of the 70 duced in the swirl chamber 54 which effectively creates a cen
bleed flow within the pipe 24 is piped from compressor trifugal force or pressure to counter the main inlet pressure at
discharge to the turbojet tail pipe 19 forward of the exhaust the inlet port 58, thus reducing or stopping the main flow
nozzle 20 and downstream of the turbine 18. The actual mass through the outlet port 60.
flow exiting through the exhaust nozzle 20 thus remains nearly Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the tail
constant. If the bleed flow were merely pumped into the tail 75 pipe 19 is roughly analogous to the swirl chamber 54 and the
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swirl inducing nozzles 30 are analogous to the control port 56. While a preferred embodiment of applicant's invention has
The exhaust nozzle 20, located downstream of the swirl induc been shown and described it should be obvious that certain
ing nozzles 30, is analogous to the outlet port 60. Thus, when changes could be made without departing from the broader
control flow enters the tail pipe 19 through the swirl inducing aspects of applicant's device. For example, in some applica
nozzles 30, the controlled vortex created causes both momen tions, it may be found that the plurality of swirl inducing noz
tum and pressure losses at the exhaust nozzle 20. The amount zles 30 could be replaced with a single nozzle or with one per
of thrust output associated with the engine 10 is thereby effec quarter sector, etc. While the above descriptions have been
tively reduced. limited to an engine operating at 100 percent speed, it should
In operation, the thrust modulation system works as follows: also be obvious that the device would be capable of operation
whenever full thrust output from the engine 10 is desired the 10 at any other operating speed. For these reasons, the appended
pilot sets the throttle at a certain level with the bleed valve 26 claims are intended to cover the broad aspects of applicant's
closed. At this time the engine 10 would be operating at point invention.
E (FIG. 1). When reduced thrust is desired the pilot directly What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters
or indirectly causes valve 26 to open, either completely or par Patent of the United States is:
tially, as required. Bypass flow through the pipe 24thus passes 15 1. In a gas turbine engine comprising a compressor, a com
into the manifold 32 and through the swirl inducing nozzles 30 bustion system, a turbine, a tail pipe, and a variable area ex
into the tail pipe 19. Flow also occurs through the turbine haust nozzle, a device for modulating the thrust output of said
cooling flowpath 27 as required to automatically limit turbine engine and for transiently augmenting turbine cooling air flow
temperatures to safe values. High energy losses are thus in without the necessity of varying the speed of said engine, said
duced in the tail pipe 19 and the thrust output declines. The
20 device comprising:
engine 10 is now operating at point F. When higher thrust is a manifold surrounding at least a portion of said tail pipe;
needed the pilot merely causes the closing of valve 26 thus a plurality of swirl inducing nozzles located in said manifold,
preventing further bypass flow to the manifold 32. Because said nozzles having inlets which lie in fluidic flow
engine speed has been maintained at 100 percent throughout, cooperation with said manifold and outlets in fluidic flow
the new thrust level is obtained almost instantaneously.
25 cooperation with said tail pipe, said outlets being flush
The above-described system is thus capable of thrust modu with the inner wall of said tail pipe, said nozzles being
lation without the necessity for changing the rotor speed of the disposed at an age to a radial line extending from the
centerline of said engine such that flow from said
compressor 14 and the turbine 18. It is recognized that the manifold through said nozzles is delivered to said tail pipe
reduction in flow across the turbine 18 plus the reintroduction 30 in a manner to maximize pressure and momentum losses
of the bleed air downstream of the turbine 18 will significantly in said tail pipe;
increase the cycle turbine inlet temperature required to main a turbine cooling flow path;
tain engine speed. Should the turbine components be incapa means for bypassing a substantial portion of compressor
ble of taking this transient increase in cycle temperature, even discharge air to said manifold and to said turbine cooling
with the automatically supplied additional increment of tur 35 flow path; and
bine cooling air through flowpath 27, a coincident increase in means for varying the amount of bypass flow delivered to
exhaust nozzle area would be needed. For this reason, the ex said manifold and to said turbine cooling flow path,
haust nozzle 20 would desirably be of the variable area type. whereby the thrust output of said engine may be varied
While rapid restoration of thrust can be obtained by simply while the speed of rotation of said turbine remains sub
shutting off the valve 26 and thereby eliminating the bleed 40 stantially constant.
flow used to provide tail pipe swirl. If the exhaust nozzle area 2. A thrust modulating device as recited in claim 1 wherein
has been increased, the area would also have to be returned to said substantial portion of compressor discharge air comprises
its rated value. The time delay normally associated with thrust at least 10 percent of said compressor discharge air.
modulation, even in the case where exhaust nozzle area is 3. A thrust modulating device as recited in claim 2 wherein
varied, is effectively minimized because the time delay as 45 one or more of said swirl inducing nozzles are of the converg
sociated with bringing the engine speed back to normal is ing-diverging type.
eliminated.

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