An air inlet deflector for a structure having an air inlet. The deflector may be retractable within the structure, may be integrally formed with the structure, and may prevent the structure from ingesting foreign matter, such as birds. The deflector may include a series of ribs, spokes, or vanes that may vary in width and/or thickness from fore to aft, and/or may be curvilinear in one or more planes of view, and/or may serve double duty as inlet vanes for redirecting inlet air.

An air inlet deflector for a structure having an air inlet. The deflector may be retractable within the structure, may be integrally formed with the structure, and may prevent the structure from ingesting foreign matter, such as birds. The deflector may include a series of ribs, spokes, or vanes that may vary in width and/or thickness from fore to aft, and/or may be curvilinear in one or more planes of view, and/or may serve double duty as inlet vanes for redirecting inlet air.

An inertial inlet particle separator system for a vehicle engine is provided. A separator assembly and collector assembly are coupled to the scavenge flow path and configured to receive the scavenge air. The collector inlet has a throat defining a cumulative throat area at each position along the throat length from the first throat end to the second throat end. The collector body defines a cross-sectional area associated with each position along the throat length between the first throat end and the second throat end. The collector outlet is coupled to the collector body such that scavenge air flows into the collector inlet, through the collector body, and out through the collector outlet. At a first position between the first throat end and the second throat end, the respective cross-sectional area of the collector body is greater than or equal to the respective cumulative throat area.

A supersonic inlet includes a relaxed isentropic compression surface to improve net propulsive force by shaping the compression surface of the inlet to defocus the resulting shocklets away from the cowl lip. Relaxed isentropic compression shaping of the inlet compression surface functions to reduce the cowl lip surface angle, thereby improving inlet drag characteristics and interference drag characteristics. Supersonic inlets in accordance with the invention also demonstrate reductions in peak sonic boom overpressure while maintaining overall engine performance.

An inlet for a gas turbine engine having an inlet lip and an inlet barrel, the inlet lip having a highlight defining a boundary between inner and outer surfaces of the inlet lip. The inlet barrel has a forwardly extending flange that is joined to the inlet lip by overlapping surfaces. The flange interface surface has a conus angle that is divergent from the highlight axis.

Systems, equipment, and methods to deposit energy to modify and control shock waves and hypersonic or supersonic fluid flow, including systems for controlling, mitigating, and/or effecting air flow in relation to air vehicles, wind tunnels, or other assets, or the like, as well as systems, equipment, and methods for disrupting the shock structure at the inlet for the engine of an air vehicle traveling at supersonic or hypersonic speed; mitigating blast effects on vehicles; mitigating heating of throats in supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnels, as well as control the flow parameters and Mach number in their test sections.

A variable area engine inlet of a helicopter is provided and includes first inlet portions disposed to face one another in opposite directions and at a distance from one another and second inlet portions extending between the first inlet portions and being disposed to face one another in opposite directions and at a distance from one another. The first and second inlet portions define a capture area and at least one or both of the first and second inlet portions include a movable portion disposed to occupy and move between first and second positions. The first position is associated with a non-constricted condition of the capture area and the second position is associated with a constricted condition of the capture area.

A nozzle arrangement is disclosed herein for use with a supersonic jet engine that is configured to produce a plume of exhaust gases. The nozzle arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a nozzle having a trailing edge and a plug body partially positioned within the nozzle. The plug body has an expansion surface and a compression surface downstream of the expansion surface. A protruding portion of the plug body extends downstream of the trailing edge for a length greater than a conventional plug body length. The plug body is configured to shape the exhaust gases to flow substantially parallel to a free stream of air flowing off of the trailing edge of the nozzle and to cause the plume of exhaust gases to isentropically turn the free stream of air to move in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plug body.

An inertial inlet particle separator system for a vehicle engine is provided. A separator assembly and collector assembly are coupled to the scavenge flow path and configured to receive the scavenge air. The collector inlet has a throat defining a cumulative throat area at each position along the throat length from the first throat end to the second throat end. The collector body defines a cross-sectional area associated with each position along the throat length between the first throat end and the second throat end. The collector outlet is coupled to the collector body such that scavenge air flows into the collector inlet, through the collector body, and out through the collector outlet. At a first position between the first throat end and the second throat end, the respective cross-sectional area of the collector body is greater than or equal to the respective cumulative throat area.

An air inlet deflector for a structure having an air inlet. The deflector may be retractable within the structure, may be integrally formed with the structure, and may prevent the structure from ingesting foreign matter, such as birds. The deflector may include a series of ribs, spokes, or vanes that may vary in width and/or thickness from fore to aft, and/or may be curvilinear in one or more planes of view, and/or may serve double duty as inlet vanes for redirecting inlet air.