Supersonic cruise airplane and engine
US4232515A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 1978 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 1980 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02C9/54
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A supersonic airplane has a fuselage, a wing, a vertical stabilizer, a canard and a pair of turbine engines mounted in the fuselage. Each engine is of relatively simple design with a fixed inlet, a compressor and a turbine with a single drive shaft interconnecting the turbine and compressor. The engine can employ either fixed or variable exhaust nozzle geometry, depending on whether an afterburner is installed. The engine is point designed to provide maximum design thrust at a given intermediate throttle setting when the airplane is being propelled by the engine at a predetermined supersonic cruise Mach number. Maximum allowable thrust at speeds below the predetermined cruise Mach number is achieved without variable geometry air inlets by maintaining the corrected airflow through the engine at a substantially constant value equivalent to the corrected airflow at the predetermined supersonic cruise Mach number. The engine corrected airflow is maintained at a constant value by monitoring an engine operating parameter indicative of corrected airflow and adjusting the fuel flow to the engine to reduce the actual speed of the compressor and turbine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.