United States Patent (19) 11) 4,134,260

Lefebvre et al. 45 Jan. 16, 1979

54 AFTERBURNER FLOW MIXING MEANS IN (57) ABSTRACT
TURBOFANJET ENGINE A short length afterburner assembly for a jet propulsion
75 Inventors: Arthur H. Lefebvre, Lafayette; engine having a fan bypass includes cold and hot air
Samuel B. Reider, Indianapolis; Jerry cross-over passages and a plurality of flame stabilization
G. Tomlinson, Speedway, all of Ind. swirler vanes associated with a balanced load controller
(73) Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit, for positioning the vanes parallel to hot gas stream flow
Mich. from a jet engine core when the afterburner is off and in
an inclined position to such gas stream flow when fuel is
(21) Appl. No.: 845,423 injected therein during afterburner operation thereby to
(22 Filed: Oct. 25, 1977 produce flame spread within the afterburner core by a
combination of translatory and swirling motions; and
51) Int. Cl’........................... FO2K 3/10; FO2K 3/02 wherein atomized fuel for afterburner combustion is
52 U.S. C. ......................................... 60/261; 60/262 injected into hot gases ducted through hot air cross
58 Field of Search ................... 60/261,262, 39.72 R over passages from the jet engine core to produce pre
56) References Cited mix and prevaporization of fuel upstream offixed flame
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS holders and wherein cold fan bypass air cross-over
passages have movable turbulator grids positioned dur
2,934,895 5/1960 Gregory et al. ................ 60/39.72 R ing afterburner operation for mixing cold air flow with
2,978,865 4/1961 Pierce.... ... 60/261 the bypassed hot core gas at the fixed flameholders
3,264,822 8/1966 Lane et al. ......... 60/39.72 R during afterburner operation and wherein the turbula
3,540,216 11/1970 Quillevere et al. ............. 60/39.72 R.
3,747,345 7/1973 Markowski ............................ 60/262 tor grids are positioned parallel to gas flow when the
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
afterburner is not in operation by means of the balanced
load controller to produce a balanced variable geome
510584 3/1955 Canada ............................... 60/39.72 R. try mechanical load to that on the flame stabilization
swirler vanes.
Primary Examiner-Robert E. Garrett
Assistant Examiner-Thomas I. Ross
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. C. Evans 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 1979 Sheet 1 of 3 4,134,260

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U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 1979 Sheet 2 of 3 4,134,260

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U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 1979 Sheet 3 of 3 4,134,260
 4,134,260
1. 2
Further objects and advantages of the present inven
AFTERBURNER FLOW MXNG MEANS IN tion will be apparent from the following description,
TURBOFAN JET ENGINE reference being had to the accompanying drawings
wherein a preferred embodiment of the present inven
This invention relates to afterburner assemblies for tion is clearly shown.
association with jet propulsion engines and more partic FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a fan
ularly to afterburner assemblies for association with jet bypass, jet propulsion engine including a short length
propulsion engines having a fan bypass in association afterburner assembly in accordance with the present
therewith. invention.
One afterburner design for association with fan by 10 FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional
pass jet propulsion engines includes a plurality of multi view of the afterburner assembly in FIG. 1 showing hot
ple annular flameholder gutters downstream of a cham and cold air stream cross-over ducts associated with
ber to mix flow of hot gas flow from a core engine with improved variable adjustable vane components.
colder bypass fan air. The disadvantage of such systems FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken
is that they require a long mixing length upstream of the 15 along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of
conventional annular gutters in order to avoid tempera the arrows;
ture maldistributions in the gas approaching the multi FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line
ple annular gutters that could cause instability in the 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;
flame front. An example of such an afterburner mix FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing gas motion
system design is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,978,865 20 from swirler vanes; and
issued Apr. 11, 1961, to E. F. Pierce. FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view along line
A further approach to afterburner design for jet pro 6-6 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.
pulsion engines having fan bypass is the unmixed type Referring now to FIG. 1, a turbofan jet aircraft pro
which features two separate flameholders for the hot pulsion engine 10 is illustrated including a core engine
and cold streams, each optimized to suit a local condi 25 12 having a combustor 14 with a fuel supply 16thereto.
tion. The disadvantage of such unmixed systems is that Compressed air is directed to the core engine 12 from
cold stream combustion requires a relatively complex an upstream, low pressure fan 18 having an inlet 20 and
fuel injection arrangement. Furthermore, flameholders an outlet 22 upstream of flow divider 24that directs part
located within the cold stream tend to create a high of the flow pressure fan stage air into an annular bypass
pressure loss and are of substantial weight. An example 30 duct 26 defined between an outer case 28 and core
of such systems is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,250
issued Dec. 23, 1969, to D. Johnson. engine 12. The remainder of the air is directed through
An object of the present invention is to provide a an inlet 30 to stages of a high pressure compressor 32
short length afterburner assembly having a reduced having an outlet 34 in communication with a diffuser
cold pressure drop under nonafterburning condition 35 chamber 36 for supplying air to the interior of the com
without requiring complex fuel injection systems in bustor 14.
association therewith and without temperature maldis Hot gases from the combustor 14 are discharged
tribution in gas flow approaching flameholders within through an outlet 38 across a high pressure turbine 40
the short length afterburner duct. and a low pressure turbine 42 connected by shaft means
Still another object of the present invention is to (not shown) to the high pressure compressor 32 and the
provide an improved afterburner construction of short low pressure fan 18, respectively. Exhaust is directed to
length including improved hot core gas and cold bypass a variable area exhaust nozzle assembly 44. Further
fan air cross-over ducts and including variable geome more, in order to produce power assist during aircraft
try swirler means having turbulator vanes located in the take-off it is desirable to include an afterburner assem
cold air cross-over ducts, swirler vanes in a hot core 45 bly 46 immediately downstream of an outlet 48 from the
duct and coacting means associated therewith for posi core engine 12 and downstream of an outlet 50 from the
tioning all vanes parallel to gas flow when the after fan bypass duct 26. Such afterburners desirably are of
burner is off and operative to mix fuel flow directed into short length and have a stable combustion over a wide
the core upstream of the swirler vanes to produce a range of operating conditions. Moreover, they should
combination translatory and swirler motion in flow 50 have a high combustion efficiency and a reduced cold
from the hot core passage during afterburner operation air flow pressure drop.
and wherein the turbulator vanes are concurrently dis Furthermore, the afterburner should have a cross
posed completely across the cold air cross-over ducts to over duct, gas mix system to enhance the gas tempera
produce substantial mixing of cold air flow from the ture in the flame region of the afterburner assembly 46.
bypass ducts into a flame front maintained immediately 55 Moreover, there should be a uniform temperature pro
downstream of the swirler vanes to produce maximized file in gas approaching flameholder components of the
flow turbulence during afterburner operation with en afterburner assembly thereby to promote flame stabil
hanced flame propagation by counter-rotating swirl of ity.
air and fuel from the swirler vanes. The present invention thereby includes a variable
Still another object of the present invention is to 60 geometry flow controller 52 downstream of a cold-hot
improve afterburner assemblies of the type set forth in gas cross-over duct system 53. It includes an annular
the preceding object wherein the swirler vanes and cold air duct 54 having an inlet 56 in communication
turbulator vanes are interconnected to a shaft system with the outlet 50 from the bypass duct 26 and including
and operative to produce a balanced variable geometry an outlet 58 having a plurality of radially outwardly
mechanical load thereon to counterbalance aerody 65 flared, hot gas chutes 60 defining hot air cross-over
namic forces acting on the turbulator vanes when in a ducts located circumferentially therearound. Each
flow restricting position across the cold air bypass pas chute 60 communicates with a hot gas passage 62 of the
sages of the afterburner assembly. afterburner assembly 46 which is located immediately
 4,134,260 4.
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downstream of the outlet 48 from the core engine 12 to are arranged to intercept axial flow and produce a com
receive hot gases therefrom. bination of translatory and swirling motion in axial flow
Each of the chutes 60 includes an outlet 63 having a through the passage 62 as it is discharged therefrom
flameholder or gutter 64 therein. Each of the gutters 64 along with fuel sprayed from the maniforld 90. An
are curved to present a concavity 66 downstream of the 5 enhanced propagation of the flame is achieved by pro
outlet 63 and to present a convex surface 68 immedi ducing a contra-rotating swirl pattern downstream of
ately upstream of the outlet 63. Each of the convex vanes 102-110 which is shown in FIG. 5.
surfaces 68 is aligned coaxially with the outlet of an air Concurrently, during afterburner operation hot gas
blast fuel injection system 70. It includes a fuel supply bypass flow through the chutes 60 is interrelated with
tube 72 having a plurality of outlets in communication 10 cold fan air flow at the outlet 58 as shown in FIG. 6.
with staggered fuel nozzles 74,76, 78 on a pivot support During this operating mode, air blast fuel atomization
79. Each of the fuel nozzles 74,76, 78 is aligned with an occurs upstream of each of the flameholders 64 and
air blast fuel atomization tube 80, 82, 84, respectively, additionally the perforated turbulator vanes 126,128 are
each having an outlet 86 located within chute 60 as is spread apart to intercept cold airflow from the outlet 58
best shown in FIG. 4. 15 and to produce a high rate of mixing between the cold
During afterburner operation, air and fuel are mixed air and the hot bypass gas at the flameholder 64. Passage
and vaporized in each of the air blast fuel atomization of cold air through the perforated turbulator vanes
systems 70 and are combusted to present a flame front creates strong turbulence in the combustion zone down
on each of the flameholder gutters 64. This flame front stream. Accordingly, high burning rates are achieved so
is accordingly located at the outlet 58 from the cold air 20 as to maintain unusually stable combustion and to en
duct 54. In addition to the chutes 60, hot core gas from hance efficiency of combustion within the fan bypass
the core engine 12 is directed into the annular hot air gas region of the afterburner assembly 46. The turbu
passage 62 that is formed radially inwardly of the chutes lence downstream of the vanes 126, 128 lacerates and
60 and around an exhaust cone 88. disrupts the flame surface downstream of gutters 64.
Afterburner thrust is further enhanced by fuel flow 25 Thus, surface area is increased and flame propagation
through an inboard fuel distributing manifold 90 with an rate also is increased. In the illustrated arrangement
inlet conduit 92 that supplies a plurality of circular tubes there is further provided an annular flameholder 122
94 joined to a pivot support 96. Tubes 94 discharge immediately downstream of the gutters 62 and radially
finely atomized fuel into the hot gas passage 62 into the outwardly of the assemblies 100.
core region 98 of the afterburner 46. This finely atom 30 A further feature of the present invention is a bal
ized fuel is rapidly vaporized in the hot gas stream and anced variable geometry mechanical load system. The
passes through a plurality of variable geometry swirler turbulator vanes 126, 128 face in an upstream direction
vane assemblies 100 located at circumferentially located as shown in FIG. 6. They direct moments 130, 132 to
points at the outlet of the core passage 62 as best seen in shafts 114, 120, respectively. Vanes 102 through 110 are
FIG. 3. Each of the assemblies 100 includes a plurality 35 faced in a downstream direction. The vanes 102, 106,
of alternating swirler vanes 102,104,106, 108, 110. The 110 produce moments 134 to counterbalance the mo
vanes 102, 106, 110 each have a tubular edge 112 con ment 130 and the vanes 104,108 produce a counterbal
nected to an outer tubular shaft 114 with an operating ance moment 136 to moment 132. Thus, very little me
lever 116 on one side thereof. Additionally, each of the chanical torque is required to change the position of
blades 104,108 has an edge 118 connected to a shaft 120 vanes 102 through 110 and vanes 126, 128 from the
telescoped within tubular shaft 114. Shaft 120 has an afterburning to non-afterburning mode and vice versa.
outboard end connected to an operating lever 122. By way of summary, during non-afterburner opera
Shafts 114, 120 are mounted in spaced ball pivot joints tion all of the swirler vanes of assemblies 100 are aligned
123, 125, 127 for supporting the shafts 114, 120 in the parallel and against one another to present a reduced
outer case 28, an intermediate wall 129 and cone 88, 45 restriction to flow through the passage 62 to reduce
respectively. The arrangement compensates for thermal pressure drop at this region of the afterburner. Concur
expansion between the parts. rently, the turbulator vanes 126, 128 are likewise posi
During non-afterburner operation, the swirler vanes tioned to substantially fully open the outlet passage 58
of the assemblies 100 are positioned parallel to axial gas of the cold air duct 54. Thus, exhaust flow from the core
flow through the passage 62 so as to reduce pressure 50 engine 12 and the bypass duct 26 are free to flow
drop in exhaust flow through the afterburner 46 imme through the variable area exhaust duct 44.
diately downstream of the outlet 48. However, in order to produce a highly efficient after
In addition, a variable geometry turbulator assembly burner operation with uniform temperature profiles
124 is disposed at the cold air outlet 58 between each of therein and resultant high fuel burning rates and flame
the chutes 60 as shown in FIG. 3. Each of the turbulator 55 stability the swirler assemblies 100 are positioned during
assemblies 124 includes a pair of perforated turbulator afterburning operation in a spread wing position as
vanes 126, 128 connected respectively to the operating shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 to produce both translatory and
shafts 114, 120. swirling motion in hot gas flow from the passage 62
Furthermore, each of the vanes 126, 128 is positioned which will, along with the flow of fuel from the mani
by the shaft 114, 120 parallel to axial flow of gas fold 90, promote a flame spreading effect into the ex
through the outlet 58 during non-afterburner operation. haust duct 44 for enhanced afterburner operation. Con
As shown in FIG. 3 the variable geometry swirler currently, recognizing the undesirable effect of cold
vane assemblies 100 and the turbulator assemblies 124 regions within an afterburner, the system of the present
are moved out of parallel relationship into an interfer invention includes a highly efficient arrangement for
ence relationship with axial gas flow through both the 65 crossover of hot air to chutes 60 into which air blast fuel
passage 62 and the outlet 58 during afterburner opera injection flows. This fuel flow is then discharged into a
tion. The swirler vanes 102-110, as shown in FIG. 3, are flame holding pattern having cold air flow there
moved from a parallel relationship with axial flow and through acted upon by turbulators in the form of the
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4,134,260
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variably positioned turbulator vanes 126, 128 for creat front at the cold air duct outlet, a pair of perforated
ing turbulence to enhance combustion of air blast fuel turbulator vanes in said outlet for promoting turbulence
flow from the systems 70 upstream of each of the flame and mixing cold airflow with the flame front at the cold
holder gutters 64. air duct outlet, first and second rotatably adjustable,
By virtue of the aforesaid arrangement the overall telescoped shafts connected to said turbulator vanes and
length of the afterburner assembly is reduced and the operative to position said vanes against one another in
weight of the components are reduced. an engine straight line position to prevent flow distru
Furthermore, the systems is highly stable by virtue of bance during normal operation and operative to posi
the aforedescribed balanced geometry mechanical load tion said turbulator vanes in a spread-wing position to
system. 10 maximize the flow turbulence during afterburner opera
While the emodiments of the present invention, as tion, and a plurality of swirler vanes located within said
herein disclosed, constitute a preferred form, it is to be internal core heat gas exhaust duct to produce a combi
understood that other forms might be adopted. nation translatory and swirl motion in outlet flow from
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu said core heat exhaust duct, said swirler vanes being
sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as 15 connected to said telescoped shafts, means including
follows: said telescoped shafts for locating said plurality of
1. An afterburner assembly for a turbofan jet engine swirler vanes to produce the combination translatory
with a fan bypass and a core engine comprising an outer and swirl motion and to position said swirler vanes
annular cold air duct having an inlet connected to the against one another in an axial straight line position to
bypass fan discharge and an outlet, an internal core heat 20 permit smooth exhaust flow from said exhaust duct
exhaust duct having an inlet in communication with the during normal jet engine operation.
turbojet exhaust and an outlet, chute means forming a 3. An afterburner assembly for a turbofan jet engine
plurality of crossover passages communicating the core with a fan bypass and a core engine comprising an outer
heat exhaust duct with the cold air duct outlet, means
for directing fuel spray into said crossover passages to 25 annular cold air duct having an inlet connected to the
be vaporized by hot exhaust gas therein, a flameholder bypass fan discharge and an outlet, an internal core heat
in the outlet of each chute means to maintain a flame exhaust duct having an inlet in communication with the
front at the cold air duct outlet, a pair of perforated turbojet exhaust and an outlet, chute means forming a
turbulator vanes in said outlet for creating turbulence plurality of crossover passages communicating the core
and mixing cold airflow with the flame front at the cold 30 heat exhaust duct with the cold air duct outlet, means
air duct outlet, operator means connected to said turbu for directing fuel spray into said crossover passages to
lator vanes and operative to position said vanes against be vaporized by hot exhaust gas therein, a flameholder
one another in a straight line position to prevent flow in the outlet of each chute means to maintain a flame
disturbance during normal operation and operative to front at the cold air duct outlet, a pair of perforated
position said turbulator vanes in a spread-wing position 35 turbulator vanes in said outlet for promoting turbulence
to produce maximized flow turbulence during after and mixing cold airflow with the flame front at the cold
burner operation, and a plurality of swirler vanes lo air duct outlet, first and second rotatably adjustable,
cated within said internal core gas exhaust duct and first and second telescoped shafts connected to said
connected to said operator means to be positioned to turbulator vanes and operative to position said vanes
produce a combination translatory and swirl motion against one another in an axial straight line position to
flow from said core heat exhaust duct, said swirler prevent flow disturbance during normal operation and
vanes being positioned againstone another by said oper operative to position said turbulator vanes in a spread
ator means in a straight line axial position to permit wing position to produce maximized flow turbulence
smooth exhaust flow from said exhaust duct during during afterburner operation, and a plurality of swirler
normal jet engine operation. 45 vanes located within said internal core heat gas exhaust
2. An afterburner assembly for a turbofan jet engine duct to produce a combination translatory and swirl
with a fan bypass and a core engine comprising an outer motion in outlet flow from said core heat exhaust duct,
annular cold air duct having an inlet connected to the said swirler vanes being connected respectively to said
bypass fan discharge and an outlet, an internal core heat first and second shafts to assume a spread-wing position
exhaust duct having an inlet in communication with the 50 and to produce a torque thereon to counterbalance
turbojet exhaust and an outlet, chute means forming a aerodynamic forces on said turbulator vanes when in
plurality of crossover passages communicating the core their spread-wing position, said swirler vanes being
heat exhaust duct with the cold air duct outlet, means positioned against one another in an axial straight line
for directing fuel spray into said crossover passages to position to permit smooth exhaust flow from said ex
be vaporized by hot exhaust gas therein, a flameholder 55 haust duct during normal jet engine operation.
in the outlet of each chute means to maintain a flame a

65
 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO. : 4, 134, 260
DATED : January 6, 1979
INVENTOR(S) : Arthur H. Lefebvre, Samuel B. Reider & Jerry G. Tomlinson
It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent
are hereby corrected as shown below:
Pat.
Col. Line
4. 4. "maniforld" should be -- manifold --
4. 27 '122" should be - 133 --
5 8 "systems" should be -- system --
5 l "emodiments" should be - embodiments -
5 40 after "motion" insert -- in outlet -- (CTM. l)
6 7 & 8 "distrubance" should be -- disturbance -- (CLM. 2)

signed and sealed this

Eighteenth Day of September 1979
SEAL
Attest:

LUTRELLE F. PARKER
Attesting Officer Mcting Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks