De-icing by integral electric heat generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10100732-B2
Application number	US-201314765760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for de-icing a fan of a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The systems and methods may include an electrical coil operatively associated with a first rotating surface of the fan; a magnet operatively associated with a second rotating surface of the fan, the second rotating surface rotating in a direction counter to the first rotating surface, the magnet and the electrical coil thereby producing electricity when the fan is in motion; and a heating element operatively associated with a surface on the fan, the heating element being powered by the electricity produced by the magnet and the electrical coil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for de-icing a fan of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
an electrical coil mounted to a first rotating surface of a nosecone that rotates with the fan, the first rotating surface rotates in a first direction during operation of the fan;
a magnet mounted to a second rotating surface, the second rotating surface operatively associated with a counter rotating element of the gas turbine engine such that the second rotating surface rotates in a direction counter to the first direction during operation of the fan, the magnet and the electrical coil thereby producing electricity during operation of the fan; and
a heating element operatively associated with a surface on the fan, the heating element being powered by the electricity produced by the magnet and the electrical coil.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heating controller to control output of the heating element.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating controller is a passive heating controller.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating controller is an active heating controller.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating controller is part of a line-replaceable unit.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating controller is a thermistor connected in series with the heating element.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the heating controller is a microprocessor configured to control heat output of the heating element.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the magnet and the electrical coil are axially disposed relative to each other.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the magnet and the electrical coil are radially disposed.

10. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a fan;
an electrical coil mounted to a first rotating surface of a nosecone that rotates with the fan, the first rotating surface rotates in a first direction during operation of the fan;
a magnet mounted to a second rotating surface, the second rotating surface operatively associated with a counter rotating element of the gas turbine engine such that the second rotating surface rotates in a direction counter to the first direction during operation of the fan, the magnet and the electric coil thereby producing electricity during operation of the fan;
a heating element operatively associated with a surface on the fan, the heating element being powered by the electricity produced by the magnet and the electrical coil;
a compressor section downstream of the fan;
a combustor section downstream of the compressor section; and
a turbine section downstream of the combustor section.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , further comprising a heating controller to control output of the heating element.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the heating controller is a thermistor connected in series with the heating element.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the heating controller is a microprocessor configured to control heat output of the heating element.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the microprocessor is powered by the electricity produced by the arrangement of the magnet and the electrical coil.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the microprocessor controls the heat output of the heating element per a programmed schedule.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the magnet and the electrical coil are axially disposed relative to each other.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the magnet and the electrical coil are radially disposed relative to each other.

18. A method for de-icing a fan of a gas turbine engine comprising:
rotating a first rotating surface of a nosecone that rotates with the fan and an electrical coil mounted to the first rotating surface in a first direction;
rotating a second surface and a magnet mounted to the second surface within the gas turbine engine in a direction counter to the first direction, the second surface being operatively associated with a counter rotating element of the gas turbine engine such that the second surface rotates in the direction counter to the first direction during operation of the fan;
producing electricity from the electrical coil and the magnet when the fan is in motion; and
powering a heating element operatively associated with the fan using the electricity produced by the magnet and the electrical coil.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising controlling the output of the heating element using a heating controller.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing a heating controller in the form of a microprocessor controlling the heat output of the heating element per a programmed schedule.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Ward Thomas W
• Webb Scot A
• Hogate Isaac Jon

Classifications

• F02C7/047 Primary

  Heating to prevent icing · CPC title

• F01D15/10

  Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators · CPC title

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• F02C7/32

  Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries · CPC title

• F01D25/02

  De-icing means for engines having icing phenomena · CPC title