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US 9,810,147 B2Granted
Angled inlet system for a precooler
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPaul R. Tretow, Robert Henry Willie, Donald Edwin Robinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprises a leading edge of an inlet. The leading edge of the inlet is positioned relative to a direction of air flow such that a total pressure of air along the leading edge of the inlet is equalized within selected tolerances.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a leading edge of an inlet, through a bifurcation surface located downstream of a leading edge of a bifurcation in a fan duct within an engine system positioned relative to a direction of air flow through the engine system such that the leading edge is swept at a first angle relative to a first normal axis of the engine system such that an upper portion at an upper end of the leading edge is downstream relative to a lower portion at a lower end of the leading edge relative to the direction of air flow, and such that the leading edge is swept at a second angle relative to a second normal axis that is substantially normal to the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow such that the upper portion at the upper end is offset along the second normal axis relative to the lower portion at the lower end, wherein the first normal axis extends radially outward from a center axis of the engine system and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow through the engine system, and wherein the leading edge extends linearly from the upper end to the lower end along a length of the leading edge.
An inlet system comprising:
- an inlet through a bifurcation surface downstream from a leading edge of a bifurcation in a fan duct;
- a leading edge of the inlet within an engine system in which the leading edge of the inlet is positioned relative to a direction of air flow through the engine system such that the leading edge is swept at a first angle relative to a first normal axis of the engine system such that an upper portion at an upper end of the leading edge is downstream relative to a lower portion at a lower end of the leading edge relative to the direction of air flow, and such that the leading edge is swept at a second angle relative to a second normal axis that is substantially normal to the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow such that the upper portion at the upper end is offset along the second normal axis relative to the lower portion at the lower end, wherein the first normal axis extends radially outward from a center axis of the engine system and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow through the engine system, and wherein the leading edge extends linearly from the upper end to the lower end along a length of the leading edge;
- and
- a vane associated with the inlet in which the vane has a vane leading edge positioned relative to the direction of air flow through the engine system such that the vane leading edge is substantially parallel to the leading edge.
1 more element
A method for improving performance of an engine system, the method comprising:
- creating an air flow through a fan duct in the engine system;
- and
- positioning a leading edge of an inlet in a bifurcation surface downstream of a leading edge of a bifurcation of the fan duct such that the leading edge is swept at a first angle relative to a first normal axis of the engine system such that an upper portion at an upper end of the leading edge is downstream relative to a lower portion at a lower end of the leading edge relative to a flow direction of the air flow, and such that the leading edge is swept at a second angle relative to a second normal axis that is substantially normal to the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the flow direction of the air flow such that the upper portion at the upper end is offset along the second normal axis relative to the lower portion at the lower end, wherein the first normal axis extends radially outward from a center axis of the engine system and is substantially normal to the flow direction of the air flow through the engine system, and wherein the leading edge extends linearly from the upper end to the lower end along a length of the leading edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.