NON-CIRCULAR AFT NACELLE COWLING GEOMETRY

摘要

A nacelle for a turbofan propulsion system that extends along a centerline includes a forward cowling and an aft cowling. To improve the fit of a turbofan propulsion system in the space between the wing and ground of a fixed-wing aircraft, the aft cowling of the nacelle is modified. The aft cowling has a non-circular cross-sectional geometry disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the centerline. The non-circular cross-sectional geometry includes a radially recessed section disposed between first and second curved sections. The first and the second curved sections each have a radius that is greater than a radial distance between the centerline and a center point of the radially recessed section.

主权项

1. A nacelle for a turbofan propulsion system that extends along a centerline, comprising:
a forward cowling; and an aft cowling having a non-circular cross-sectional geometry disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the centerline, which non-circular cross-sectional geometry includes a first radially recessed section disposed between first and second curved sections; wherein the first and the second curved sections each have a radius that is greater than a radial distance between the centerline and a center point of the first radially recessed section; wherein the first and the second curved sections each have a non-circular geometry; wherein the first and the second curved sections each extend between first and second ends, the first and the second curved sections each are continuously curved between the first and the second ends, and the first radially recessed section extends between the first ends of the first and the second curved sections; wherein the first radially recessed section is at a top end of the aft cowling, and the first radially recessed section has a compound cross-sectional geometry.