Flexible joint system between engine and exhaust afterburning reactor - is force cooled by secondary air entering afterburner

摘要

An exhaust gas afterburner (2) is connected to the exhaust of the engine by a flexible joint. This has a sphere (14) with a cylindrical passage (19) through it held in a recess (20) in the exhaust by a cylindrical spigot (14a). The sphere is clamped so as to be free to turn between two caps (12, 13) which have semi-spherical recesses and are bolted together and to the flange of the reactor. There is an annular groove (13) between the joint of the two caps and a radial passage (15) from this groove through the sphere admits secondary air into the reactor. The air reaches the annular grooves through a connection (8) from a flexible pipe from an engine driven compressor. The secondary air thus cools the joint.