AFT ENGINE NACELLE SHAPE FOR AN AIRCRAFT

摘要

An aircraft including a fuselage and an aft engine is provided. The fuselage extends from a forward end of the aircraft towards an aft end of the aircraft. The aft engine is mounted to the fuselage proximate the aft end of the aircraft and includes a fan and a nacelle. The fan is rotatable about a central axis of the aft engine and includes a plurality of fan blades. The nacelle of the aft engine surrounds the plurality of fan blades and defines a bottom portion having a forward end. Additionally, the nacelle defines a curved surface at the forward end of the bottom portion, the curved surface including a reference point where the curved surface defines the smallest radius of curvature. The nacelle further defines a normal reference line extending normal from the reference point. The normal reference line defines an angle with the central axis of the aft engine greater than zero to, e.g., allow for a maximum amount of airflow into the aft engine.

主权项

1. An aft engine defining a central axis and configured to be mounted to an aircraft at an aft end of the aircraft, the aft engine comprising:
a fan rotatable about the central axis and including a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle surrounding the plurality of fan blades of the fan and defining a bottom portion having a forward end, the nacelle defining a curved surface at the forward end of the bottom portion including a reference point where the curved surface defines the smallest radius of curvature, the nacelle further defining a normal reference line extending normal from the reference point, the normal reference line defining an angle with the central axis of the aft engine greater than zero.