US 2010/0163678 A1 · THERMAL ANTI-ICING SYSTEM

Abstract

An air intake duct of an aircraft engine or other component is provided with a thermal anti-icing system. The front of the air intake duct comprises a toroidal outer skin (16) which forms, with a toroidal internal bulkhead (18), a toroidal plenum (8) about the centre line (26). The bulkhead has an inner edge nearest the centre line. Within the plenum there is a toroidal inner skin (9) defining with the outer skin a substantially continuous toroidal channel (19). Hot air is supplied via an inlet (7) to the plenum (8). The air flows into an inlet (14) at an end of channel (19) and out of an outlet (11) through the bulkhead (18). This provide more heat to the leading edge of the duct, and to the surface of the duct facing the centre line, than to other parts of the duct to prevent build up of ice which may enter, and damage, the engine. This reduces the mass flow of hot air needed for de-icing.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An air intake duct for use in an aircraft, the duct comprising:

a toroidal leading section having a toroidal plenum defined by an outer skin of the duct and an internal bulkhead;
an inner skin defining a toroidal air flow channel extending, within the plenum, over a portion of the outer skin thereby defining a double walled skin section of the plenum, the inner skin encompassing a zone of variation of the position of the stagnation point of the airflow over the outer skin over the flight envelope of the aircraft and the plenum having another skin section which is single walled;
an inlet for supplying hot air to the plenum;
an inlet for supplying the hot air to the channel;
and
an outlet for venting air;
wherein the toroidal air flow channel forms a substantially continuous toroidal air flow space.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermal anti-icing system

Life of this patent

Thermal anti-icing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18