Foreign object damage tolerant nacelle anti-icing system
OwnerJoseph Brand, William Savageinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nacelle for housing a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The nacelle comprises an inlet lip defining a leading edge of the nacelle and a conduit located within the inlet lip, the conduit having a fluid circulating therein. The fluid provides a heat source. An energy attenuating member is located within the inlet lip between the leading edge and the conduit. The energy attenuating member provides protection to the conduit from foreign object damage and is thermally conductive such that heat transfer communication between the conduit and the leading edge is provided.
Claims18
A nacelle for housing a gas turbine engine, the nacelle comprising:
- an inlet lip defining a leading edge of the nacelle;
- a conduit located within the inlet lip, the conduit having a fluid circulating therein, the fluid providing a heat source;
- and
- an energy attenuating member located within the inlet lip and disposed between the leading edge and the conduit, the energy attenuating member providing protection to the conduit from foreign object damage and being thermally conductive such that heat transfer communication between the conduit and the leading edge is provided.
A system for preventing ice build up on an inlet lip of a nacelle housing a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:
- a cavity extending within the inlet lip and partly defined by a leading edge thereof;
- first means for providing a fluid circulation within the cavity;
- a hot fluid circulating within the first means;
- and
- second means for providing heat transfer communication between the first means and the leading edge and for providing foreign damage protection to the first means, the second means filling a free space between the first means and the leading edge.
A method of producing a foreign object damage tolerant anti-icing system for an inlet lip of a nacelle housing a gas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining a circumferential passage within the inlet lip;
- defining a free space between the circumferential passage and a leading edge of the inlet lip;
- filling the free space with a material, the material having sufficient thermal conductivity to enable heat transfer communication between the circumferential passage and the leading edge and having sufficient impact energy resilience to protect the circumferential passage from foreign object damage;
- and
- connecting the circumferential passage to a system circulating a hot fluid, the hot fluid circulating through the circumferential passage being adapted to provide heat to the inlet lip through the circumferential passage and the material.
A method of preventing foreign object damage to an anti-icing system in an inlet of a nacelle for housing a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
- providing a conduit defining a fluid passage within the inlet lip;
- defining a space between the conduit and a leading edge of the inlet lip, and disposing an energy attenuating member within the space;
- enabling heat transfer communication between the conduit and an outer surface of the inlet lip via the energy attenuating member;
- and
- circulating a hot fluid within the conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.