Variable geometry gas turbine engine nacelle assembly with nanoelectromechanical system

Abstract

A nacelle assembly includes an inlet lip section and a cowl section downstream of the inlet lip section. At least a portion of the cowl section is flexed to take various shapes through a nanoelectromechanical system and thereby influence an effective boundary layer thickness of the nacelle assembly.

1 . A nacelle assembly, comprising:
 an inlet lip section; and   a cowl section downstream of said inlet lip section, at least a portion of said cowl section includes a flexible section;   a nanoelectromechanical system which adjusts said flexible section to change a contour of the nacelle assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said nanoelectromechanical system includes a multitude of nano-jacks. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible section includes a multitude of nanoelectromechanical layers. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible section includes a multitude of layers, each of said layers including a multitude nano-jacks. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of said at least a portion of said cowl section is flush with an exterior surface of said nacelle assembly in a first position. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said at least a portion of said cowl section extends circumferentially about said nacelle assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said cowl section is a fan nacelle. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said nanoelectromechanical system is inclusive of said inlet lip section. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said nanoelectromechanical system adjusts said flexible section in segments. 
     
     
         10 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:
 at least one compressor section, at least one combustor section and at least one turbine section;   a nacelle assembly at least partially surrounding said at least one compressor section, said at least one combustor section and said at least one turbine section, said nacelle assembly having an inlet lip section and a cowl section downstream from said inlet lip section, at least a portion of said cowl section having a flexible section;   a nanoelectromechanical system which drives said flexible section to change a contour of the nacelle assembly; and   a controller that identifies an operability condition, said controller operable to control said flexible section in response to said operability condition.   
     
     
         11 . The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 10 , comprising a sensor that produces a signal representing said operability condition and communicates said signal to said controller. 
     
     
         12 . The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 10 , wherein said controller communicates with said nanoelectromechanical system. 
     
     
         13 . The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said nanoelectromechanical system includes a multitude of nano-jacks. 
     
     
         14 . The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said flexible section includes a multitude of nanoelectromechanical layers. 
     
     
         15 . The gas turbine engine as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said flexible section includes a multitude of layers, each of said layers including a multitude nano-jacks. 
     
     
         16 . A method of increasing an effective boundary layer thickness of an inlet lip section of a nacelle of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
 (a) sensing an operability condition; and   (b) selectively flexing a flexible portion of a cowl section of the nacelle to form a contour related to a flight condition.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said step (b) comprises:
 extending a multitude of nano-jacks within at least one of a multitude of layers of the flexible portion.   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said step (b) comprises:
 extending a multitude of nano-jacks within a segment of at least one of the multitude of layers of the flexible portion.