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US 10,054,051 B2Granted
Bleed air systems for use with aircraft and related methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid W. Foutch, Steve G. Mackin, Michael D. Bowman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bleed air systems for use with aircraft and related methods are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet. The compressor is to be driven by a drive shaft extending from an engine of an aircraft. The example apparatus also includes a first passageway to fluidly couple a first low-pressure bleed air port from the engine to the compressor inlet and a second passageway to fluidly couple the compressor outlet to a system of the aircraft.
Claims21
An apparatus comprising:
- a shaft-driven compressor system comprising:
- a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor to be driven by a drive shaft extending from an engine of an aircraft;
- a first passageway to fluidly couple a first bleed air port of a low-pressure compressor of the engine to the compressor inlet;
- a second passageway to fluidly couple the compressor outlet to a system of the aircraft;
- and
- a first flow control member operable between a first position to enable the shaft-driven compressor system to supply bleed air to the system of the aircraft and a second position to prevent the shaft-driven compressor system from supplying bleed air to the system of the aircraft;
- a two-port bleed air system to fluidly couple a second bleed air port and a third bleed air port of a high-pressure compressor of the engine to the system of the aircraft, the two-port bleed air system including a second flow control member operable between a third position to enable the two-port bleed air system to supply bleed air to the system of the aircraft and a fourth position to prevent the two-port bleed air system from supplying bleed air to the system of the aircraft;
- and
- a computer control system configured to:
- when the aircraft is operating in a first condition, operate the first flow control member to the first position and operate the second flow control member to the fourth position;
- and
- when the aircraft is operating in a second condition, operate the first flow control member to the second position and operate the second flow control member to the third position.
9 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a compressor operatively coupled to a drive shaft of an engine of an aircraft, the compressor having an inlet fluidly coupled to a first bleed air port of a low-pressure compressor of the engine and an outlet fluidly coupled via a passageway to a system of the aircraft, a first flow control member coupled to the passageway;
- a bleed air system to fluidly couple a second bleed air port of a high-pressure compressor of the engine to the system of the aircraft, a second flow control member coupled to the bleed air system;
- and
- a computer control system configured to:
- when the aircraft is operating in a first condition, operate the first flow control member to enable the compressor to provide bleed air to the system of the aircraft and operate the second flow control member to prevent the bleed air system from providing bleed air to the system of the aircraft;
- and
- when the aircraft is operating in a second condition, operate the first flow control member to prevent the compressor from providing bleed air to the system of the aircraft and operate the second flow control member to enable the bleed air system to provide bleed air to the system of the aircraft.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- coupling a compressor to a drive shaft of an engine of an aircraft;
- fluidly coupling a compressor inlet of the compressor to a first bleed air port of a low-pressure compressor of the engine;
- fluidly coupling via a passageway a compressor outlet of the compressor to a system of the aircraft that receives bleed air supply, a first flow control member coupled to the passageway;
- fluidly coupling via a bleed air system a second bleed air port and a third bleed air port of a high-pressure compressor of the engine to the system of the aircraft, a second flow control member coupled to the bleed air system;
- and
- operating the first flow control member and the second flow control member with a computer control system configured to:
- when the aircraft is operating in a first condition, operate the first flow control member to enable the compressor to provide bleed air to the system of the aircraft and operate the second flow control member to prevent the bleed air system from providing bleed air to the system of the aircraft;
- and
- when the aircraft is operating in a second condition, operate the first flow control member to prevent the compressor from providing bleed air to the system of the aircraft and operate the second flow control member to enable the bleed air system to provide bleed air to the system of the aircraft.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.