A rocket engine nozzle manufacturable and applicable to tactical missile designs includes an aerospike having a plurality of airfoil fins distributed around a central longitudinal axis of a rocket engine combustion chamber. The aerospike is integrated on an exit plane at an exit end of the combustion chamber. The airfoil fins and an inner perimeter of the combustion chamber define a plurality of apertures which choke an airflow exiting the combustion chamber and cause the airflow to expand supersonically along the airfoil fins. The aerospike rocket engine nozzle requires less machine precision and achieves packing benefits over conventional bell and aerospike nozzle geometries. The configuration of the aerospike rocket engine nozzle also removes the producibility and heating constraints typically encountered with conventional aerospike nozzles in tactical missile applications while improving thrust performance of the rocket engine across a wide range of altitudes.

A variable area exhaust nozzle defining an actual area ratio for a gas turbine engine that includes a shroud assembly having a fixed shroud and an adjustable cowl, an adjustable plug, a nozzle adjustment assembly, and a controller configured to receive data indicative of an operating speed of the gas turbine engine; determine a target area ratio based at least in part on received data indicative of the operating speed of the gas turbine engine; and operate the nozzle adjustment assembly to selectively adjust at least one of the adjustable cowl or the adjustable plug such that the actual area ratio is substantially equivalent to the target area ratio.

The invention relates to an assembly for an aircraft turbomachine, comprising a central element (1) for the ejection of gas, and a connecting flange (9) interposed between, upstream, a gas outlet (22a) made of metal for a turbomachine, and, at the downstream end, the central element (1). The connecting flange comprises an annular portion (9a) and flexible tabs (11) having axially: a first end (111a) where the tab is connected to the said annular portion, and a second free end (111b), projecting radially inwardly with respect to the first end and to which said tab is attached with the central element (1).

A center plug includes an inner skin, the inner skin extending along an axial centerline; an outer skin positioned radially outside the inner skin; a forward bulkhead connected to and extending radially outward from the inner skin; an aft bulkhead connected to and extending radially outward from the inner skin; and an acoustic panel, the acoustic panel including a first sheet having a first plurality of perforated walls and a first plurality of non-perforated walls, a second sheet having a second plurality of perforated walls and a second plurality of non-perforated walls, the first sheet being sandwiched together with the second sheet to form an N-shaped structure having a combined plurality of perforated walls and a combined plurality of non-perforated walls.

A two-dimensional variable area plug (2D VAP) nozzle assembly for a high-speed flight vehicle. In one embodiment, a 2D VAP nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle including a plurality of sidewalls; a plug body within the nozzle, the plug body abutting at least two of the plurality of sidewalls; a first convergent flap hingedly connected to at least one of the plurality of sidewalls; and a second convergent flap hingedly connected to at least one of the plurality of sidewalls. In one embodiment, the nozzle assembly includes only a first convergent flap and a second convergent flap, without diverging flaps. The 2D VAP nozzle assembly has a simplified design with reduced sidewall length, which results in reduced manufacturing and maintenance costs.

A modulation device for modulating a gas ejection section, the device being for placing in a nozzle upstream from the throat of the nozzle, the modulation device including a plug having a downstream end forming a member for partially obstructing the nozzle throat; and a plug guide having an internal housing in which the upstream end of the plug is present. The upstream end of the plug is suitable for sliding in the internal housing of the plug guide between a first position in which the upstream end of the plug is present in an upstream portion of the internal housing, and a second position in which the upstream end is present in a downstream portion of the internal housing. The upstream end of the plug is held in the first position by at least one retaining element for breaking under the effect of heat.

A variable exhaust nozzle for use with a gas turbine engine includes an outer shroud and an inner plug that can move relative to the outer shroud. The relative movement of the inner plug and the outer shroud changes the shape of the variable exhaust nozzle from one that converges in area to one that converges and then diverges in area.

A center plug for attenuating noise in a gas turbine engine includes an inner skin, the inner skin having a substantially cylindrical shape and extending along an axial centerline; a forward bulkhead disposed proximate a forward end of the inner skin, the forward bulkhead connected to and extending radially outward from the inner skin; an aft bulkhead disposed proximate an aft end of the inner skin, the aft bulkhead connected to and extending radially outward from the inner skin; and an intermediate bulkhead, the intermediate bulkhead positioned intermediate the forward bulkhead and the aft bulkhead, the intermediate bulkhead spaced a distance from the inner skin and extending radially outward from the inner skin, the distance defining a radially inner portion of the intermediate bulkhead and an annular opening.

A rocket engine nozzle manufacturable and applicable to tactical missile designs includes an aerospike having a plurality of airfoil fins distributed around a central longitudinal axis of a rocket engine combustion chamber. The aerospike is integrated on an exit plane at an exit end of the combustion chamber. The airfoil fins and an inner perimeter of the combustion chamber define a plurality of apertures which choke an airflow exiting the combustion chamber and cause the airflow to expand supersonically along the airfoil fins. The aerospike rocket engine nozzle requires less machine precision and achieves packing benefits over conventional bell and aerospike nozzle geometries. The configuration of the aerospike rocket engine nozzle also removes the producibility and heating constraints typically encountered with conventional aerospike nozzles in tactical missile applications while improving thrust performance of the rocket engine across a wide range of altitudes.

An aerospike nozzle for an upper stage rocket of a multi-stage rocket system includes a throat, a centerbody extending aft of the throat, and an expansion surface defined by the centerbody, wherein the centerbody is an annular aerospike having a base that at least partially defines an aft end of the upper stage rocket. An engine includes a high pressure chamber and the aerospike nozzle. A vehicle for supersonic flight includes the engine with the aerospike nozzle.