Integrated turbine exhaust struts and mixer of turbofan engine

Abstract

A turbine exhaust case (TEC) of a turbofan aeroengine includes a mixer in an annular wavy configuration having alternate crests and valleys, and a plurality of radial deswirling struts interconnecting an annular hub positioned within the mixer and selected valleys of the mixer. A plurality of secondary trailing edge struts smaller than the deswirling struts in average chord dimensions interconnect the annular hub and other selected valleys free of connection with the deswirling struts.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A turbine exhaust case (TEC) for a turbofan aero engine, comprising an annular hub, an annular shroud, a mixer surrounding the hub, and deswirling struts extending from the hub to the mixer, the deswirling struts configured to in use to deswirl a flow of exhaust gases circulating near the hub, the mixer including lobes extending axially from a downstream side of the annular shroud to trailing edges, the lobes defining alternating diverging crests and valleys, the deswirling struts connected to valleys of the mixer, wherein at least one of the valleys is free of connection with the deswirling struts. 
     
     
         19 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein the deswirling struts are entirely located within an axial length of the mixer. 
     
     
         20 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein the deswirling struts are cambered in a direction of an incoming swirling flow of the exhaust gases. 
     
     
         21 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein the deswirling struts have airfoil profiles. 
     
     
         22 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein a number of the valleys corresponds to two times a number of the deswirling struts. 
     
     
         23 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein a plurality of the valleys are free of connection with the deswirling struts, each of the valleys connected to one of the deswirling struts disposed circumferentially between two of the valleys that are free of connection with the deswirling struts. 
     
     
         24 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein each of the deswirling struts has a concave side and a convex side, the concave side facing an incoming swirling flow of the exhaust gases. 
     
     
         25 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein the trailing edges of the lobes defines at least one cut-out where mixing of the exhaust gases and the bypass airstream begins. 
     
     
         26 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein trailing edges of the deswirling struts are circumferentially aligned with bottoms of the valleys. 
     
     
         27 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein leading edges of the deswirling struts are axially aligned with a starting point of the divergently extending crests and valleys. 
     
     
         28 . The TEC of  claim 18 , wherein leading edges of the deswirling struts are downstream of a starting point of the divergently extending crests and valleys. 
     
     
         29 . A turbofan aero engine, comprising a turbine section and a turbine exhaust case (TEC) positioned downstream of the turbine section, the turbine exhaust case configured for directing a flow of gases exhausted from the turbine section, the TEC including an annular hub, an annular shroud, a mixer surrounding the hub, and deswirling struts extending from the hub to the mixer, the deswirling struts configured to in use to deswirl the flow of gases near the hub, the mixer including lobes extending axially from the annular shroud to trailing edges, the lobes defining alternating diverging crests and valleys, the deswirling struts connected to the valleys, the deswirling struts fewer in number than the valleys. 
     
     
         30 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein the deswirling struts are entirely located within an axial length of the mixer. 
     
     
         31 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein the deswirling struts have airfoil profiles. 
     
     
         32 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein every second one of the valleys is connected to a respective one of the deswirling struts so that a number of the deswirling struts is half a number of the valleys. 
     
     
         33 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein each of the deswirling struts is cambered with a concave side and a convex side, the concave side facing an incoming swirling flow of the exhaust gases. 
     
     
         34 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein the trailing edge of the lobes defines at least one cut-out where mixing of the exhaust gases and the bypass airstream begins. 
     
     
         35 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein trailing edges of the deswirling struts are circumferentially aligned with bottoms of the valleys 
     
     
         36 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein leading edges of the deswirling struts are axially aligned with a starting point of the divergently extending crests and valleys. 
     
     
         37 . The turbofan aero engine of  claim 29 , wherein leading edges of the deswirling struts are downstream of a starting point of the divergently extending crests and valleys.