THRUST REVERSER CASCADE INCLUDING ACCOUSTIC TREATMENT

Abstract

A cascade for a thrust reversal device intended to be mounted on a turbomachine of an aircraft, the cascade including first partitions extending in a first direction, second fixed partitions extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a frame inside which the first and second partitions extend, the frame including at least two fixed walls extending according to the first direction, and at least one part of each first partition extending between two second partitions. At least one first partition is mobile according to the second direction between a first position wherein the first partition is distant, in the second direction, from the fixed walls to form a plurality of resonating cavities with the first partitions and/or the fixed walls, and a second position wherein the one first partition is in contact with a fixed wall or another first partition.

Claims

1. A cascade for a thrust reversal device to be mounted on a turbomachine of an aircraft, the cascade comprising first partitions extending in a first direction, second fixed partitions extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a frame inside which the first and second partitions extend, the frame comprising at least two fixed walls extending according to the first direction, and at least one part of each first partition extending between two second partitions in a plane comprising the first and second directions, wherein at least one first partition is mobile according to the second direction between a first position wherein said at least one first partition is distant, in the second direction, from said fixed walls of the frame to form a plurality of resonating cavities with the first partitions and/or the fixed walls of the frame, and a second position wherein said at least one first partition is in contact with a fixed wall of the frame or another first partition.

2. The cascade according to claim 1, wherein each first mobile partition comprises notches configured to house a second partition and allow said first partition to move along the second partitions, and each notch comprises a seal for sealing the notch.

3. The cascade according to claim 2, wherein the seals of the notches are brush seals or tongue seals.

4. The cascade according to claim 1, also comprising at least two first mobile partitions and at least one translation system of first partitions comprising an actuator and at least two tie rods comprising a first and second ends, the second ends of the tie rods of the same translation system being connected together via at least one common pivot link connected to the actuator, and the first end of each tie rod of the same translation system being fixed as a pivoting link to a first mobile partition.

5. The cascade according to claim 4, also comprising at least one pair of translation systems of first partitions, the translation systems of the same pair of systems being connected to the same first mobile partitions.

6. The cascade according to claim 5, wherein said at least one first mobile partition comprises, according to the first direction, a first and second ends, the first ends of the tie rods of a first translation system of a pair of translation systems being fixed as a pivoting link to the first ends of first mobile partitions and the first ends of the tie rods of a second translation system of the same pair of translation systems being fixed as a pivoting link to the second ends of the same first mobile partitions.

7. The cascade according to claim 5, wherein the actuators of the translation systems of the same pair of translation systems are connected together mechanically.

8. The cascade according to claim 4, wherein the tie rods connected to first partitions arranged between two fixed walls successively arranged in the second direction have a length between a half and all the distance separating said two successive fixed walls.

9. The cascade according to claim 4, wherein more than two first mobile partitions are arranged between two fixed walls successively arranged in the second direction, and the tie rods connected to first partitions arranged between said two successive fixed walls have lengths different to each other.

10. The cascade according to claim 4, wherein the actuator of the at least one translation system is a pneumatic or electrical actuator configured to move the first mobile partitions away from each other as far as the first position or move them more closely to each other as far as the second position.

11. The cascade according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first partitions is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, the thickness of the first partitions being measured according to the second direction.

12. The cascade according to claim 1, also comprising stops positioned on the cascade for stopping the translation of the first mobile partitions in the first position.

13. A cascade thrust reversal device for a turbomachine of an aircraft, wherein said cascade thrust reversal device comprises at least one cascade according to claim 1.

14. A thrust reversal cascade device according to claim 13, wherein the actuator of said at least one translation system is configured to move the first mobile partitions away from each other as far as the first position or move them more closely to each other as far as the second position in a synchronised manner with triggering of the thrust reversal device.

15. A turbomachine to be mounted on an aircraft, the turbomachine comprising a nacelle in rotational symmetry defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the nacelle comprising a thickness according to the radial direction and a housing extending according to the axial direction in its thickness for receiving a cascade of a thrust reversal cascade device, wherein said turbomachine comprises a thrust reversal cascade device according to claim 13, the cascade being arranged, when the thrust reversal is not required, in the corresponding housing of the nacelle of the turbomachine with the first partitions extending according to the axial direction and the radial direction and the second partitions extending according to the radial direction and according to a direction orthogonal to the axial direction and to the radial direction, the first direction corresponding to the axial direction.

16. The turbomachine according to claim 15, wherein the nacelle comprises a perforated wall forming a radially internal wall of the housing and a reflecting wall forming a radially external wall of the housing.

17. An aircraft comprising at least one turbomachine according to claim 15.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIGS. 1A and 1B, already described, show schematic sectional views in a longitudinal plane of a turbomachine according to a first embodiment known from the prior art in an inactive thrust reversal position and in an activated thrust reversal position respectively.

[0050] FIGS. 2A and 2B, already described, show schematic sectional views in a plane longitudinal of a turbomachine according to a second embodiment known from the prior art in an inactive thrust reversal position and in an activated thrust reversal position respectively.

[0051] FIGS. 3A and 3B show schematic sectional views according to a plane comprising the axial direction and orthogonal to the radial direction of a cascade of a thrust reversal device for a turbomachine according to a first embodiment of the invention in an inactive thrust reversal position and in an activated thrust reversal position respectively.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view according to a plane comprising the axial direction and the radial direction of a cascade of a thrust reversal device for a turbomachine according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0053] FIGS. 5A and 5B show schematic sectional views according to a plane comprising the axial direction and orthogonal to the radial direction of a cascade of a thrust reversal device for a turbomachine according to a second embodiment of the invention in an inactive thrust reversal position and in an activated thrust reversal position respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0054] FIGS. 3A and 3B show schematic sectional views according to a plane comprising the axial direction and orthogonal to the radial direction of a cascade of a thrust reversal device of a turbomachine according to an embodiment of the invention in an inactive thrust reversal position and in an activated thrust reversal position respectively.

[0055] The turbomachine comprises a thrust reversal device which can operate according to the operation described in FIGS. 1A and 1B or according to the operation described in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0056] The thrust reversal device comprises a plurality of cascades 80 assembled to form a latticed crown. Each cascade 80 comprises a frame 81 inside which first partitions 82 extend in a first direction and second partitions 83 extend in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

[0057] Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B in the first direction the frame comprises two fixed lateral walls 810 and a fixed central wall 815 dividing the cascade into two rectangular zones 800 in the second direction having a length equal to half the length of the frame 81.

[0058] As is illustrated in FIG. 4 which shows a schematic sectional view, according to a plane comprising the first direction and a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions of the cascade 80 of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the frame 81 and the first and second partitions 82 and 83 extend in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions. The first partitions 82 have a height H of between 10 mm and 300 mm.

[0059] As is also illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the first partitions 82 comprises notches 820 configured to house one of the second partitions 83. In each of the notches 820 the first partitions 82 also comprise a brush seal 825 or tongue seals mounted on the first partition 82.

[0060] The thickness of the first partitions 83 is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm to be the finest possible so as to minimise mass and load losses in the cascade.

[0061] When the thrust reversal device is mounted on a turbomachine such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, the first direction corresponds to the axial direction D.sub.A of the turbomachine 1, the second direction corresponds to the circumferential direction D.sub.C of the turbomachine 1, and the third direction corresponds to the radial direction D.sub.R of the turbomachine 1.

[0062] The second partitions 83 are azimuthal partitions intended to orient the gas flow F to the outside of the nacelle 2 and to upstream of the turbomachine 1 for thrust reversal when the thrust reversal device is activated. The first partitions 82 are axial partitions intended to define, with the second partitions 83, resonating cavities 84 for absorption of acoustic waves generated by the turbomachine, when the thrust reversal device is inactive.

[0063] As is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the first partitions 82 can travel along the second partitions 83, that is, according to the second direction D.sub.C, between a first position illustrated in FIG. 3A in which the second partitions 83 are spaced uniformly from each other according to the second direction D.sub.C to form a plurality of resonating cavities 84, and a second position illustrated in FIG. 3B in which the first partitions 82 are folded back equally as a group against the fixed walls 810 and 815 of their rectangular zone 800 to have just a single cell extending in the first direction D.sub.A between two second partitions 83 or else between a second partition 83 and the frame 81.

[0064] In the example illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in the second position, in each rectangular zone 800, two first mobile partitions 82 are arranged against the fixed lateral wall 810 and two first mobile partitions 82 are arranged against the fixed central wall 815. In the first position, in each rectangular zone 800, the four first mobile partitions 82 are spaced uniformly in the second direction to form identical resonating cavities 84 with the second partitions 83.

[0065] FIG. 3B illustrates the cascade 80 in an active position of the thrust reverser, that is, in a position where the cascade 80 has exited from a housing 25 provided in the thickness of the nacelle 2 for receiving the cascade 80 when the thrust reverser is inactive. The housing 25 comprises an opening 250 for insertion of the cascade 80 into the housing 25 according to the axial direction D.sub.A, a back wall 252 extending in the radial direction D.sub.R opposite the opening 250, and a perforated wall and a reflecting wall parallel to each other and extending in the axial direction D.sub.A and in the circumferential direction D.sub.C. The perforated wall and the reflecting wall are not shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, given that these figures are sectional views. The perforated wall is radially inside the reflecting wall. When the cascade is inserted into the housing the perforated and reflecting walls now form resonating cavities of Helmholtz resonator type provided with a volume and a neck formed by each of the openings of the perforated wall.

[0066] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate schematic sectional views according to a plane comprising the axial direction and orthogonal to the radial direction of a cascade of a thrust reversal device for a turbomachine according to a second embodiment of the invention in an inactive thrust reversal position and in an activated thrust reversal position respectively.

[0067] In this embodiment, each rectangular zone 800 comprises two first mobile partitions 82. The rectangular zones 800 could comprise a larger even number of first mobile partitions 82.

[0068] In the second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the cascade 80 comprises a first and a second translation system 90 controlling movement in the second direction D.sub.C of the two first mobile partitions 82. The two translation systems 90 are joined together to be actuated together in a synchronised manner. They are also synchronised with the thrust reversal device to shift the first mobile partitions 82 into the first position when the thrust reversal device switches to inactive mode, that is, to an operating mode specific to the acoustic treatment of sound waves emitted by the turbomachine, or into the second position when the thrust reversal device switches to active mode, that is, to an operating mode for thrust reversal.

[0069] Each translation system 90 comprises tie rods 92 and an actuator 94. Each tie rod 92 comprises a first end 920 coupled as a pivoting link at one end, according to the first direction D.sub.A, of a first mobile partition 82. In the first direction D.sub.A each first partition 82 comprises a first end 820 and a second end 825. The first end 920 of the tie rods 92 of the first translation system 90 is connected as a pivoting link to the first end 820 of the first mobile partitions 82 and the first end 920 of the tie rods 92 of the second translation system 90 is connected as a pivoting link to the second end 825 of the first mobile partitions 82.

[0070] Each tie rod 92 comprises a second end 925 opposite the first end 920. The second ends 925 of each of the tie rods 92 of a translation system 90 are connected together mechanically to connect them to the actuator 94.

[0071] In the example illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, each translation system 90 comprises two first and two second tie rods 92. The second ends 925 of the two first tie rods 92 are connected together in a first common pivoting link 930, and the second ends 925 of the two second tie rods 92 are connected together in a second common pivoting link 930. The two common pivoting links 930 are coupled to the actuator 94 via a link bar 928.

[0072] The actuator 94 of the first translation system 90 and the actuator 94 of the second translation system 90 are joined together, so much so that when the actuators 94 are activated, following a request to switch to thrust reversal, each actuator 94 pushes the link bar 928 towards the frame 81 of the cascade 80; in other words the actuators 94 of the two translation systems 90 push the two link bars 928 towards each other.

[0073] This action initiates deployment of the tie rods 92, that is, moving of the first ends 920 of the tie rods away from each other having their second end 925 connected together in the same common pivoting link 930. This deployment of the tie rods 92 causes each of the two first mobile partitions 82 to move towards a fixed wall 810 or 815.

[0074] When the actuators 94 are deactivated, following a request to switch to thrust reversal, each actuator 94 pulls the link bar 928 back in a direction opposite the frame 81 of the cascade 80; in other words the actuators 94 of the two translation systems 90 move the two link bars 928 away from each other.

[0075] This action causes contraction of the tie rods 92, that is, moving of the first ends 920 of the tie rods more closely to each other having their second end 925 connected together in the same common pivoting link 930. This moving together of the tie rods 92 causes each of the two first mobile partitions 82 of the fixed walls 810 or 815 to move apart to the point of forming resonating cavities of the same volume with the second partitions 83.

[0076] The invention therefore provides a cascade of a cascade thrust reverser which, when the cascade is mounted in a thrust reverser of a turbomachine, both reorients a flow of air in the upstream direction of the turbomachine outside the nacelle, minimises load losses through the cascade and maximises acoustic absorption efficiency.