Engine inlet ice protection system having embedded variable Watt density heaters
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorIsaac Jon Hogate
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes a first heater located at the leading edge of a gas turbine structural member, a second heater located aft of the first heater, and a third heater located aft of the second heater. The first, second and third heaters are electrically-powered to prevent icing of the gas turbine structural member. Each of the heaters has a Watt density, and the Watt densities of the heaters differ from one another as a function of a magnitude of a cooling coefficient for airflow passing the vicinity of each heater.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a first heater located at the leading edge of a gas turbine structural member;
- a second heater located aft of the first heater;
- and
- a third heater located aft of the second heater,
- wherein the first, second and third heaters are electrically-powered to prevent icing of the gas turbine structural member, wherein each of the heaters has a Watt density, and wherein the Watt densities of the heaters differ from one another as a function of a magnitude of a cooling coefficient for airflow passing the vicinity of each heater.
A system comprising:
- a first heater located at the leading edge of a gas turbine structural member;
- a pair of second heaters located aft of the first heater along opposite sides of the gas turbine structural member;
- and
- a pair of third heaters located aft of the par of second heaters,
- wherein the first heater, the pair of second heaters and the pair of third heaters are each electrically-powered to prevent icing of the gas turbine structural member, wherein each of the heaters has a Watt density, and wherein the Watt densities of the first heater and the second and third pairs of heaters are configured as a function of cooling coefficients for airflow passing the structural member during engine operation.
An ice protection system for a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:
- a plurality of structural members arranged in a cascade configuration, each structural member defining a leading edge and opposite sidewalls, and wherein the plurality of structural members define a plurality of zones;
- at least one electrically-powered heater disposed at each of the plurality of structural members;
- and
- an ice protection system controller for controlling operation of the electrically powered heaters, wherein the ice protection system controller is configured to selectively provide power to the electrically-powered heaters by zone according to a duty cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.