EXHAUST SECTION

The design of the exhaust section a turbojet engine directly affects the amount of thrust

developed.

For example, the shape an d size of an exhaust section and its components affect the temperature

of the air entering the turbine (turbine inlet temper ature), the mass airflow through the engine,

and the velocity and pressure of the exhaust jet.

A typical exhaust section extends from the rear of the turbine section to the point where the

exhaust gases leave the engine. An exhaust section is made of several compon ents including the

exhaust

cone, the

exhaust

duct- often

referred to

as the

tailpipe,

and the

exhaust

nozzle.
Figure 1 3-54. A typical exhaust section has an exhaust cone, tailpipe , and exhaust nozzle . The exhaust cone
is considered the rearmost
[Figure 3-
component of a typical gas t urbine engine. The tailpipe and exhaust nozzle are usually classified as airframe
components. 54]
 EXHAUST
CONE
A typical exhaust cone assembly

consists of an outer duct (or shell). an

inner cone (or tail cone). three or

more radial hollow struts, and a group

of tie rods that assist the struts to

center the cone within the duct. The

outer duct is usually made of stainless

steel and attaches to the rear flange of

the turbine case. [Figure 3-55]

The purpose of an exhaust cone

assembly is to channel and collect turbine discharge

Figure 2 3 -55. The exhaust cone is the rearmost engine component.

It straightens and smoothes exhaust gas to extract

gases into a single jet. Due to the diverging passage
the greatest possible thrust .
between the outer duct and inner cone, gas velocity

within the exhaust cone decreases slightly while gas pressure rises. Radial struts between the

outer shell and inner cone support the inner cone, and help straighten the swirling exhaust gases

that would otherwise exit the turbine at an approximate angle of 45 degrees.

TAILPIPE
A tailpipe is an extension of the exhaust section that directs exhaust gases safely from the

exhaust cone to the exhaust, or jet nozzle. A tailpipe reduces engine operating efficiency clue to

heat and duct friction losses. A drop in exhaust gas velocity

reduces thrust. Tailpipes are used almost exclusively with engines installed within a fuselage, in

which case the tailpipe protects the surrounding airframe. Engines installed in a nacelle (or pod)

typically do not require a tailpipe, in which case the exhaust nozzle is mounted directly to the

exhaust cone assembly.

the converging-diverging design. On a converging exhaust nozzle, the nozzle diameter

decreases from front to back. This convergent shape produces a . The converging portion of the

exhaust nozzle accelerates the turbine exhaust gases to supersonic speed at the narrowest part of

the duct. After the gases are moving at the speed of sound, they are accelerated further in the

nozzle's divergent portion and the exhaust gases exit the nozzle well above the speed of sound.

The rear opening of a turbine engine exhaust duct is called the exhaust nozzle. The nozzle acts as

an orifice whose size determines the density and velocity of exiting gases. Nozzle shapes are

either convergent or convergent-divergent.

CONVERGENT EXHAUST NOZZLE

Most aircraft that ngines are trimmed to their correct exhaust gas temperature by altering the

exhaust nozzle area. To do this, you can bend small tabs to change the area or fasten small

adjustable pieces, called mice, around the perimeter of the nozzle.

CONVERGENT-DIVERGENT EXHAUST NOZZLE

Whenever the engine pressure ratio is high enough to produce supersonic exhaust gas velocities,

a convergent- divergent nozzle will produce more thrust. The advantage of a convergent-

divergent nozzle is greatest at high Mach numbers because of the resulting higher pressure ratio

across the engine exhaust nozzle. [Figure 6-9]

To ensure that a constant weight (or volume) of gas flows past any given point at sonic velocity,

the rear part of a supersonic exhaust duct is enlarged to accommodate the additional weight or

volume of a gas flowing at supersonic rates. Otherwise, the nozzle would not operate efficiently.