Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft power plants – Mounting
Patent
1994-01-21
1996-03-12
Kashnikow, Andres
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft power plants
Mounting
248555, B64D 2900
Patent
active
054979617
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a gas turbine engine nacelle assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A convenient and common way of mounting a gas turbine engine on an aircraft is to suspend the engine from a pylon mounted on the underside of the aircraft's wing. For reasons of aerodynamic efficiency, the engine is enclosed in a nacelle; large holes being provided at the ends of the nacelle to respectively accommodate the engine air inlet and exhaust nozzle.
Typically, the engine is attached to the pylon and the nacelle is mounted either from the engine or directly from the pylon. In either arrangement, the nacelle intake and final nozzle portions are directly attached to the engine. This results in loads being imposed upon the engine's casing which are additional to those which result from normal engine operation. As a consequence the engine's casings have to be made stronger, and therefore heavier, than would otherwise be the case.
In GB2046193A there is disclosed a gas turbine engine installation in which the nacelle, rather than the engine which it contains, supports the engine air inlet and exhaust systems. The nacelle is divided into upper and lower parts, both of which provide engine support. The lower nacelle part is adapted to pivot away from the upper part to provide engine access. However to achieve this, the interconnections between the lower cowling part and the engine have to be disconnected. This prolongs and complicates the process of engine access and removal. Moreover, the interconnections between the engine and nacelle, particularly those at the rearward end of the engine, tend to obstruct air flow if the gas turbine engine is of the ducted fan type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved gas turbine engine nacelle assembly.
According to the present invention, a gas turbine engine nacelle assembly suitable for mounting on an aircraft comprises a pylon for the attachment of said assembly to said aircraft, a gas turbine engine and a nacelle, said nacelle enclosing said gas turbine engine and comprising, in axial flow series, an air intake, a mid-portion and a final nozzle, said nacelle mid-portion comprising an upper part which is structurally integral with said pylon, and a lower part which is attached to said upper part, said nacelle mid-portion upper part supporting said air intake, said final nozzle and at least part of the forward end of said gas turbine engine, the rearward end of said end gas turbine engine being directly supported by said pylon.
In such a gas turbine engine nacelle assembly, the gas turbine engine does not carry any significant nacelle portions and therefore may be of lighter construction than has heretofore been the case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a gas turbine engine nacelle assembly in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view on section line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view on section line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gas turbine engine nacelle assembly of FIG. 1 showing how part of the nacelle is pivotally mounted on a further portion of the nacelle to provide access to the gas turbine engine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, a gas turbine engine nacelle assembly generally indicated at 10 comprises a nacelle 11, a gas turbine engine 12 (shown in interrupted lines) and a pylon 13. The pylon 13 supports the assembly 10 from an aircraft wing 14. It will be appreciated however that the pylon 13 could, if so desired, be so configured as to support the assembly 10 directly from an aircraft fuselage. The ducted fan gas turbine engine 12, which is enclosed by the nacelle 11, is of conventional configuration. It will not, therefore, be described in any further detail.
The pylon 13 is likewise of generally conventional configuration. However a part 15 of the nacelle 11 is structurall
REFERENCES:
patent: 2863620 (1958-12-01), Vautier
patent: 3561707 (1971-02-01), Strock
patent: 3848832 (1974-11-01), Stanley et al.
patent: 3979087 (1976-09-01), Boris et al.
patent: 4013246 (1977-03-01), Nightingale
patent: 4266741 (1981-05-01), Murphy
patent: 4603821 (1986-08-01), White
Kashnikow Andres
Rolls-Royce plc
LandOfFree
Gas turbine engine nacelle assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gas turbine engine nacelle assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gas turbine engine nacelle assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2095658