USOOS197855A

United States Patent 19 11) Patent Number: 5,197,855

Magliozzi et al. (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 30, 1993
54 EN XHA LADE INTE
(3) EEASTRADE INTERACTION FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
601 170 4/1948 United Kingdom.
75) Inventors: Bernard Magliozzi, West Suffield;
Donald B. Hanson, Broad Brook, OTHER PUBLICATIONS
both of Conn. Metzger, F. B.: "Aerodynamics and Acoustics of Pro
pellers', paper presented at conference of NATO's
73 Assignee: United Technologies Corporation, Advisory Group for Aerospace Research & Develop
Hartford, Conn. ment, Oct. 1-4, 1984.
21 Appl. No.: 727,258 Primary Examiner-Edward K. Look
22 Fied Jul. 1, 1991 Assistant Examiner-Todd Mattingly
22) s e 57 ABSTRACT
51) Int, C. .............................................. FOB 2/92 Noise is reduced on an aircraft engine of the type hav
52 U.S. C. .................................... 45/6 41.5/19; ing aft mounted propeller blades 10 which pass through
s 415/183; 415/185 exhaust gas streams 20 expelled from circumferentially
58 Field of Search ............... 415/19, 18, 151,159, spaced nozzles 14. The nozzles 14 are rotated, or the
415/167, 183, 185,208.1, 208.2; 60/268, 226.1, exhaust flow deflected, such that the high velocity ex
270.1; 24/69 haust streams 20a expelled from the nozzles 14 are di
rected away from their normal axial direction to impact
(56) References Cited the blades 10 at the same relative angle of attack 36a as
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS the relative angle of attack 34 of the low velocity ambi
3,613,827 10/197 Labussiere ..... 18/33 HC ent air stream 22 thereby reducing fluctuations in blade
4,738,589 4/1988 Wright ....... ...ie/, lift and the associated noise.
4,864,820 9/1989 Wynosky et al................... 60/270.1
4,883,240 1 1/1989 Adamson et al. ..................... 244A69 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
U.S. Patent Mar. 30, 1993 Sheet 1 of 2 5,197,855
U.S. Patent Mar. 30, 1993 Sheet 2 of 2 5,197,855

fig. 3
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1. 2
and low velocity ambient flow streams, thus signifi
ENGINE EXHAUST/BLADE INTERACTION cantly reducing interaction noise.
NOISE SUPPRESSION Additionally, the nozzle flow may be selectively di
rected by means of a retractable deflector, a swiveling
TECHNICAL FIELD nozzle, an adjustable vane nozzle, or some other means
This invention relates to noise reduction on aircraft for deflecting the exhaust flow stream during take-off
engines, and more particularly to the reduction of noise and approach to effectuate the desired noise reduction
generated by turbo props with aft mounted propellers. and then either redirect the exhaust flow stream axially
for better performance at cruising speeds and where
BACKGROUND ART 10 noise is less critical, or further adjust the nozzle flow
It is known that means must be provided for directing direction to best optimize the aerodynamic loading on
the engine exhaust past the aft mounted propellerblades the blades during the entire flight regime. This aerody
of a pusher prop engine. One typical method known as namic optimization may be effected by using an exhaust
a "warm' configuration uses a plurality of circumferen 15
angle that slightly increases the lift coefficient of the
tially spaced exhaust nozzles placed upstream of the blade as it passes through the higher velocity exhaust
propeller that diffuse the exhaust and promote a mixing stream. The slightly increased lift will balance the addi
of the exhaust with ambient air. The "warm' configura tional pressure load that the blade experiences as it
tion is disclosed in British Patent No. 601, 70 and in passes through the high velocity exhaust stream.
commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,820. The cir This invention has the incidental benefit of improving
cumferentially spaced exhaust nozzles are located on the low-speed aerodynamic performance of the aircraft
the aft engine body and are disposed to direct the high engine. This in turn may enable the aircraft to realize
velocity exhaust gas axially back to extract the maxi greater carrying capacity.
mum work from the engine. A problem with this system These and other objects, features and advantages of
however, is that the nozzles effectively split the exhaust the present invention will become more apparent in
into several high velocity gas streams thereby generat 25
light of the detailed description of a best mode embodi
ing a distorted flow-field into the propeller. As the ment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying draw
propeller rotates, each propeller blade alternately ling.
passes from the ambient air flow into and out of the
higher velocity flow of the exhaust gas being expelled BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
from each nozzle. This action in turn results in fluctuat 30
ing loads on the blades. These fluctuating blade loads FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the nozzle and propel
can result in the generation of significant, and at times ler arrangement on an aircraft engine having an aft
undesirable, levels of noise. This interaction has been mounted propeller;
shown in tests to be a dominant noise source. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the aircraft
engine of FIG. 1 showing one representative exhaust
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION nozzle directed in the axial direction;
FIG. 3 is a vector diagram of the velocity relation
An object of this invention is to reduce the noise ships that result when the propellerblade passes sequen
caused by the nozzle flow/blade interaction on an air tially through flow streams generated by ambient air
craft engine having an aft mounted propeller whose
blades alternately pass through exhaust streams and air and axially directed exhaust nozzles as depicted in FIG.
streams as the propeller rotates. Another object of the 2;
present invention is to suppress interaction noise during FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the aircraft
take-off and approach, while not adversely affecting the engine of FIG. 1 showing one representative angled
engine performance at cruise. exhaust nozzle according to the invention; and
A major step in the invention is the recognition of the 45 FIG. 5 is a vector diagram of the velocity relation
fact that much of the interaction noise generated by the ships that result when the propellerblade passes sequen
exhaust flow and the propeller as the propeller blades tially through flow streams generated by ambient air
alternately pass through exhaust streams and ambient and exhaust flow from an angled nozzle as depicted in
streams is due to the fact that each flow stream, the FIG. 4.
exhaust and ambient, results in a different relative angle SO BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
of attack, which leads to fluctuations in lift as the blade NVENTON
moves from one flow stream to the other flow stream.
The fluctuations in lift, in turn, cause the blade to radi Referring to FIG. 1, a propeller having a plurality of
ate noise. The different angles of attack result from the blades 10 is mounted by conventional means to the aft
difference in velocity of the high velocity exhaust and 55 end of the engine 12. A series of exhaust nozzles 14,
low velocity ambient flow streams when considered spaced circumferentially around the aft end of the en
with respect to the rotation of the propeller. gine forward of the propeller blades 10, direct the ex
According to the invention, noise generated when haust flow in the axial direction towards the propeller
the propeller blades pass alternately through exhaust blades 10. As the propeller rotates, the blades see a
streams and ambient air streams as the propeller rotates 60 distorted flow field as they alternately pass through
is substantially reduced by directing the normally axial high velocity exhaust streams discharging from the
flow of the jet exhaust as it emerges from the nozzles circumferentially spaced nozzles and low velocity an
(thus correcting for its higher velocity) so that it in bient air streams therebetween. In FIG. 2, the propeller
pacts the blade at nearly the same angle of attack as the blade 10 is depicted as it passes directly through the
ambient air stream. The invention reduces or eliminates 65 exhaust flow stream as the exhaust is expelled from
any differences in angles of attack so that the lift coeffi nozzle 14. The exhaust flow stream is indicated by vec
cient of the blade remains nearly constant as the blade tor 20, and the ambient air flow stream is indicated by
passes sequentially through the high velocity exhaust vector 22. The chord angle 16 of the blade 10 represents
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3 4.
the pitch of the blade 10 and is measured from the plane lift as illustrated in FIG. 3, as the blade 10 passes
of rotation of the blade 10, which is perpendicular to the through the exhaust flow.
axial flow stream. The reduced lift results because the resultant nozzle
Referring to FIG. 3, vector 20 represents the axial flow stream angle 32 approaches or becomes greater
velocity component of the exhaust expelled from a than the chord angle 16 of the blade 10 and the corre
nozzle 14. Vector 22 represents the axial velocity com sponding angle of attack 36 is reduced or becomes nega
ponent of the ambient air as it impacts the blade 10 tive. The ambient angle of attack 34 corresponds to the
when the blade is between the nozzles 14. The rota magnitude of the positive lift generated by the blade 10.
tional velocity of the blade 10 is represented by vector As the blade 10 moves into the flow from nozzle 14 and
24 and acts in a direction which is perpendicular to the O the resultant flow stream vector as experienced by the
axial flow. When the blade 10 is between exhaust noz blade 10 moves from ambient 26 to exhaust 30, the
zles 14, it passes through the ambient flow stream 22. resultant flow angle moves from 28 to 32 and the corre
The addition of the ambient flow vector 22 and the sponding angle of attack moves from 34 to 36. As the
rotational vector 24 produces the resultant ambient angle of attack so moves, the value of the positive lift
flow vector 26 which is representative of the relative 15 becomes increasingly smaller representing reduced lift.
ambient stream that the blade actually sees as it passes The lift exhibited by blade 10 actually becomes negative
between the exhaust nozzles 14. This resultant ambient when the resultant nozzle flow stream angle 32 exceeds
flow stream vector 26 impacts the blade 10 at an angle blade cord angle 16 generating a negative angle of at
28 to the plane of rotation of the blade 10. However, 20 tack 367 as shown in FIG. 3. This fluctuating lift gener
when the blade 10 is directly behind the nozzle 14 and ated as the blade 10 passes sequentially through ambient
in the exhaust stream, the larger exhaust flow stream air streams and exhaust flow streams in turn produces a
vector 20, when added to the rotational component 24, large fluctuating loading change on the blade which
produces a resultant velocity vector 30 which impacts radiates noise.
the blade 10 at an angle 32 to the plane of rotation of the According to the invention, this noise problem can be
blade 10. 25 reduced by directing the exhaust steams 20 discharging
During take-off and landing, the resultant flow angle from the nozzles 14 away from the axial direction
32 of each exhaust stream is significantly larger than the toward the blade 10, for example by rotating the nozzles
resultant flow angle 28 of each ambient air stream. This 14, such that the exhaust flow steam 20a impact the
difference in resultant angles is due to the relatively blade 10 at an angle of attack 36a that is nearly equiva
large disparity between the velocity of the exhaust noz 30 lent to he ambient flow steam angle of attack 34 as
zle flow 20 which typically may be 1200 feet per sec depicted in FIG. 4. In the vector diagram of FIG. 5,
ond, and the velocity of the ambient air flow 22 which nozzle flow 20a is directed at an angle 40 from the axial
direction such that when the exhaust vector is added to
is nominally the forward speed of the aircraft and which the
initially is near 0 feet per second as the aircraft begins to 35 steamrotational vector 24 of blade 10, the resultant flow
move down the runway. The resulting difference in blade 10 that isanessentially
30a has effective angle of attack 36a on the
equivalent to the effective
velocity of up to 1200 feet per second during take-off angle of attack 34 of the resultant ambient flow 26.
and landing is relatively high compared with the differ Therefore, there is no angle of attack
ence in typical flow velocities during cruise of 1000 feet blade 10 moves through the exhaust flowfluctuation stream
as
from
per second and 750 feet per second generated by the 40 nozzle 14. Since there is no angle of attack fluctuation,
nozzle exhaust and ambient air streams respectively, the fluctuating loading changes caused by variations in
which result in a velocity difference of only 250 feet per lift are subsequently reduced, greatly reducing the noise
second. generated. Additionally, the actual nozzle adjustment
The relatively large velocity difference of the flow angle 40 can be changed slightly so that a small change
streams during take-off and landing results in a large 45 in angle of attack 36a can be generated to cancel the
difference in resultant flow angles 28 and 32, which in change in dynamic pressure that blade 10 experiences as
turn correspond to large differences in effective angles it passes from the lower velocity ambient flow steam 26
of attack on the blade 10 which lead to large fluctua into the higher velocity exhaust flow steam 30. There
tions in blade lift as the coefficient of lift exhibited by fore, the angle of attack of the exhaust flow steam 36
the blade 10 varies in direct relationship to the effective may be adjusted to provide the best cancellation of
angle of attack on the blade 10. angle of attack differences and dynamic pressure effects
The resultant ambient flow stream angle 28 corre for the specific nozzle configuration, velocity, tempera
sponds to a positive angle of attack 34, which is equal to ture, tip speed, flight speed, etc.
the blade chord angle 16 minus the resultant angle 28, A principal aspect of the invention direct the nor
on the blade 10 as it passes through each air stream 22. 55 mally axial flow steam of the jet exhaust so that the
The larger resultant exhaust flow stream angle 32 corre exhaust stream angle of attack closely approximates the
sponds to a negative angle of attack 36, determined by ambient air stream angle of attack to the propeller
subtracting the resultant exhaust flow angle 32 from the blades to reduce fluctuations in blade lift coefficients
chord angle 16, on the blade 10 as it passes through each during take-off and landing.
exhaust stream 20. Especially during take-off and land It is also desirable to either redirect the exhaust flow
ing, as blade 10 passes sequentially through ambient air stream axially for better performance at cruising speeds
streams and exhaust flow streams, both the effective where noise is less critical, or further adjust the nozzle
angle of attack and the relative velocity of the flow flow direction to best optimize the aerodynamic loading
stream change significantly. Therefore, due to the di on the blades during the entire flight regime. Although
rect relationship between the effective angle of attack 65 it is desirable to use a means for rotating each exhaust
and blade coefficient of light, the significantly reduced nozzle to accomplish this result, the invention is not
angle of attack 36 results in the blade 10 exhibiting a limited to such configuration. Means for directing the
reduced coefficient of lift, possibly reaching negative exhaust stream may comprise, rather than a rotatable
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nozzle, moveable vanes, stationary vanes, retractable 2. The method according to claim 1 as further charac
deflectors, or any other means operatively associated terized by:
with a stationary nozzle, which, when activated, func selectively directing each of the exhaust streams
tion to selectively deflect each of said exhaust streams away from the axial direction toward said rotating
as they emerge from the nozzles towards said propeller 5 blades during a take-off and an approach portion of
blades at an angle away from the axial direction. Addi a flight; and
tionally, the invention is equally applicable to turbo redirecting each of the exhaust streams axially during
prop engines having more than one axially spaced aft a cruise portion of the flight.
mounted rotor such as a conventional counter rotating 3. A low noise turbo prop propulsion system of the
propeller, since the forward rotor, even in multi-rotor 10 type having a gas turbine engine, a plurality of exhaust
arrangements, is responsible for generating most of the nozzles disposed at circumferentially spaced intervals
propeller/exhaust interaction noise. about an aft portion of the engine, each said nozzle
Although the invention has been shown and de discharging a stream of exhaust in a generally axial
scribed with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it direction, and a propeller mounted to said engine aft of
should be understood by those skilled in the art that the 15 said exhaust nozzles, said propeller having a plurality of
foregoing and various other changes, omissions, and blades, each blade alternately passing as said propeller
additions in the form and detail thereof may be made rotates into and out of the circumferentially spaced
therein without departing from the spirit and scope of exhaust streams discharging from said nozzles, as char
the invention. acterized by:
We claim: 20 means for directing each of said exhaust streams
1. A method for reducing noise generated on an air towards said propeller blades at an angle away
craft propulsion system of the type having a gas turbine from the axial direction.
engine, a plurality of exhaust nozzles disposed at cir 4. The low noise turbo prop propulsion system of
cumferentially spaced intervals about an aft portion of claim 3 wherein said system is further characterized in
the engine, each said nozzle discharging a stream of 25 that:
exhaust in a generally axial direction, and a propeller . said nozzles comprise selectably rotatable nozzles for
mounted to said engine aft of said exhaust nozzles, said directing each of said exhaust streams towards said
propeller having a plurality of blades, each blade alter propeller blades at an angle away from the axial
nately passing as said propeller rotates into and out of direction.
the circumferentially spaced exhaust streams discharg- 30 5. The low noise turbo prop propulsion system of
ing from said nozzles, characterized by: claim 3 wherein said system is further characterized by:
selectively directing each of the exhaust streams selectively actuatible means for deflecting each of
away from the axial direction toward said rotating said exhaust streams towards said propeller blades
blades whereby each blade is impacted by said as the streams emerge from each of said nozzles at
exhaust streams at an effective angle of attack 35 an angle away from the axial direction, said deflec
which remains relatively constant as said blades tion means operatively associated with said noz
pass through and between the circumferentially zles.
spaced exhaust streams. e

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