Advanced inlet design
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsHolly J. Thomas, Brian L. Riedel, Alexandre D. Curaudeau, David W. Foutch, Steve G. Mackin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compact inlet design including a single bulkhead and/or an acoustic panel extending into nacelle lip region for noise reduction. The compact inlet is used with a low power fluid ice protection system capable of preventing ice build-up on the acoustic panel in the nacelle lip region.
Claims21
An inlet (300b) for a turbofan engine (302), the inlet (300b) comprising:
- an inner barrel (402,502) and an outer barrel (404,504) configured to form an inlet cowl (306);
- the inner barrel (402,502) including an acoustic panel (406, 506);
- and
- the inlet cowl (306) including:
- a lipskin (410, 510) disposed at a forward end (412, 512) of the inlet cowl (306);
- a bulkhead (414, 514) disposed between the inner barrel (402,502) and the outer barrel (404,504);
- and
- a porous panel (430) combined with the lipskin (410, 510);
- wherein ice protection fluid (718) flowing from the porous panel (430) onto the acoustic panel (406, 506) reduces or prevents ice build-up (720) on the acoustic panel (406, 506).
An inlet (300b) for a turbofan engine (302), the inlet (300b) comprising:
- an inner barrel (402,502) and an outer barrel (404,504) configured to form an inlet cowl (306);
- the inner barrel (402,502) including an acoustic panel (406, 506);
- and
- the inlet cowl (306) including:
- a lipskin (410, 510) disposed at a forward end (412, 512) of the inlet cowl (306);
- a single bulkhead (414) disposed between the inner barrel (402,502) and the outer barrel (404,504), wherein the bulkhead (414) is the only bulkhead (414) connecting the outer barrel (404,504) and the inner barrel (402,502).
An inlet (300b) for a turbofan engine (302), the inlet (300b) comprising:
- an inner barrel (402,502) and an outer barrel (404,504) configured to form an inlet cowl (306);
- the inner barrel (402,502) including an acoustic panel (406, 506);
- and
- the inlet cowl (306) including:
- a lipskin (410, 510) disposed at a forward end (412, 512) of the inlet cowl (306);
- a bulkhead (414, 514) disposed between the inner barrel (402,502) and the outer barrel (404,504);
- and
- wherein the outer barrel has a length (L3) extending aft of an interface (440) between the inner barrel (402,502) and a fan case (454) connected to the inner barrel (402,502), thereby causing an aerodynamic transition (420b) to move aft of the interface (440).
A method of operating a turbofan engine (302), comprising:
- obtaining a turbofan engine (302) disposed in a nacelle (300) comprising an inner barrel (402,502) and an outer barrel (404,504) configured to form an inlet cowl (306), wherein:
- the inner barrel (402,502) includes an acoustic panel (406, 506),
- the inlet cowl (306) includes:
- a lipskin (410, 510) disposed at a forward end (412, 512) of the inlet cowl (306),
- a bulkhead (414, 514) disposed between the inner barrel (402,502) and the outer barrel (404,504;
- and
- operating a fluid ice protection system (706) comprising a porous panel (430) combined with the lipskin (410, 510);
- wherein ice protection fluid (718) flowing from the porous panel (430) onto the acoustic panel (406, 506) reduces or prevents ice build-up (720) on the acoustic panel (406, 506);
- and
- operating the turbofan engine (302) with reduced fuel consumption as compared to the turbofan engine (302) disposed in the nacelle (300) without the fluid ice protection system (706, 706b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.