Back to results
US 11,453,504 B2Granted
Passive heater for aircraft de-icing and method
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorWilliam Ueda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deicing apparatus for aircraft comprises a passive vortex tube adapted to be mounted at a location at or adjacent a component of an aircraft and adapted to heat the component. A deicing method is also disclosed.
Claims17
A deicing apparatus for aircraft, comprising:
- at least one passive vortex tube adapted to be mounted at a location at or adjacent a component of an aircraft and adapted to heat the component, in combination with an aircraft wing that develops at least one of lift and propulsion for the aircraft wherein the at least one vortex tube is mounted in the aircraft wing.
A deicing apparatus for aircraft, comprising:
- a passive vortex tube adapted to be mounted at a location at or adjacent to a component of an aircraft and adapted to heat the component;
- in combination with an aircraft wing wherein the vortex tube is mounted in the aircraft wing;
- wherein the aircraft wing comprises a rotating wing.
A method of deicing a component of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one passive vortex tube at a first location one of adjacent to and in the aircraft component wherein the step of providing at least one passive vortex tube comprises the step of disposing the at least one vortex tube in an aircraft wing that develops at least one of lift and propulsion;
- providing a heat spreading apparatus at a second location one of adjacent to and in the aircraft component wherein the heat spreading apparatus is operable by heat conduction;
- operating the aircraft to provide high velocity air to an inlet of the at least one vortex tube to develop heated air;
- delivering the heated air to the heat spreading apparatus;
- and
- transferring the heated air through the heat spreading apparatus by conductive heat transfer to the aircraft component.
3 more elements
A method of deicing a component of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a passive vortex tube at a first location one of adjacent to and in the aircraft component;
- providing a heat spreading apparatus at a second location one of adjacent to and in the aircraft component;
- operating the aircraft to provide high velocity air to an inlet of the vortex tube to develop heated air;
- delivering the heated air to the heat spreading apparatus;
- and
- transferring the heated air from the heat spreading apparatus to the aircraft component;
- wherein the step of providing a passive vortex tube comprises the step of disposing the vortex tube in an aircraft wing;
- wherein the aircraft wing comprises a rotating wing.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.