Inflected Nozzle Throat for Thrust Vectoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight vehicle propulsion and thrust vectoring systems have limitations in providing efficient and flexible thrust direction control, particularly in reducing parasitic drag and enhancing maneuverability.
Innovation Solution
A flight vehicle propulsion system featuring a nozzle system with an inflected throat and multiple fluidic injectors that allow for independent control of thrust direction, enabling vectored thrust in various directions by altering the flow through the nozzle's throat portions, thereby reducing the need for extensive fluidic injection and minimizing drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If extensive fluidic injection is used for thrust vectoring, then thrust direction control is achieved, but drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle throat is divided into multiple independent throat portions (first throat portion, second throat portion, etc.), each capable of independently directing flow in different directions. This segmentation allows selective activation of specific throat portions to achieve thrust vectoring without requiring extensive fluidic injection, thereby reducing drag while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the thrust vectoring function from the fluidic injection system and relocates it to the nozzle throat geometry itself. By using inflected throat portions that naturally direct flow in different directions, the system eliminates the need for extensive fluidic injection, thereby reducing drag while preserving thrust direction control capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fluidic injectors are activated for thrust vectoring, then maneuverability is enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the thrust vectoring function from the complex fluidic injection system and implements it through simple geometric inflections in the nozzle throat. The inflected throat portions naturally direct flow in different directions without requiring complex fluidic injection mechanisms, thereby enhancing maneuverability while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle throat geometry itself provides the thrust vectoring function through its inflected shape. The throat portions are designed to naturally direct flow in different directions based on their geometric configuration, eliminating the need for external fluidic injection systems and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining maneuverability.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional nozzle design is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but thrust vectoring efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle throat is segmented into multiple independent throat portions with specific inflections. Each throat portion can be manufactured as a distinct geometric feature, allowing for modular manufacturing approaches that balance manufacturing simplicity with enhanced thrust vectoring efficiency through selective activation of different throat portions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves efficient thrust vectoring with reduced fluidic injection requirements, enhancing maneuverability and control of the flight vehicle by generating yaw, pitch, and roll moments through selective activation of fluidic injectors, while minimizing drag and heat signature.
Implementation Method 1
a first fluidic injector arrangement and a second fluidic injector arrangement, wherein the first fluidic injector arrangement is proximate to the first throat portion and operative to alter the flow through the first throat portion; wherein the second fluidic injector arrangement is proximate to the second throat portion and operative to alter the flow through the second throat portion
Implementation Method 2
a throat having: an inflection; a first throat portion extending from one side of the inflection and providing a first throat flow area; and a second throat portion extending from another side of the inflection and providing a second throat flow area, wherein the first throat portion and the second throat portion each face in different directions
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique flight vehicle. Another embodiment is a unique propulsion system. Another embodiment is a unique thrust vectoring system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for flight vehicles, propulsion systems and thrust vectoring systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.