A Numerical Study on Effects of Displacement of a Variable Area Nozzle on Flow and Thrust in a Jet Engine

Variable area nozzle, where both throat and exit area vary, is required for optimal expansion and optimal nozzle shape upon operation of after-burner. Steady-state and transient analyses are carried out for each condition with and without afterburner operation and as a function of the location of the nozzle flap. Effects of that nozzle displacement on flow and thrust characteristics are analyzed from numerical results. With variable area nozzle adopted, the combustion field is variable in time, leading to periodically variable thrust. For off-design conditions, flow separation shows up due to over expansion at the flap tips and shock wave does in the nozzle due to under expansion. The undesirable phenomena can be solved by control of variable area nozzle.