Turbofan engine fluid ice protection delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10737792-B2
Application number	US-201715639878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

Method and system to deliver anti-ice fluid to an ice prone surface using a pressurized tank pressurized with engine bleed air. The method and system further uses an eductor to evacuate anti-ice fluid such that the anti-ice fluid's unwanted leakage is eliminated or reduced. The method and system further measures a flow rate of anti-ice fluid using a positive displacement fluid meter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of removing an anti-ice fluid, comprising:
extracting the anti-ice fluid from a porous panel into a tank under suctioning from an eductor when the eductor is connected to the tank and an engine bleed air flows through the eductor, wherein:
the tank containing the anti-ice fluid is pressurized using the engine bleed air, and
a conduit connected to the tank delivers the anti-ice fluid from the tank to the porous panel under pressure from the engine bleed air,
the porous panel is on an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft, and
the anti-ice fluid flows from the porous panel to prevent and remove ice-build up on the aerodynamic surface.

2. A system for removing and preventing ice build-up on an aerodynamic surface, comprising:
a tank containing an anti-ice fluid and pressurized using an engine bleed air; and
a conduit fluidly connecting to a porous panel on the aerodynamic surface of an aircraft, wherein the system is configured to deliver the anti-ice fluid under pressure from the tank to the porous panel and then exit the anti-ice fluid through the porous panel to prevent and remove the ice build-up on the aerodynamic surface.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an eductor, wherein the eductor is configured to be connected to the tank to extract the anti-ice fluid from the porous panel into the tank under suctioning from the eductor when the engine bleed air flows through the eductor.

4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a valve configured to vary a flow rate of the engine bleed air into the tank so as to vary the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid into the porous panel.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the valve configured to vary the flow rate of the engine bleed air is a pressure regulating shut off valve (PRSOV).

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising an eductor configured to vent the PRSOV's valve leakage.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid is configured to charge the porous panel with the anti-ice fluid after starting an engine on an aircraft having the aerodynamic surface.

8. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a computer configured to control the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid so that the anti-ice fluid:
flows out of pores in the porous panel and onto the aerodynamic surface, and
removes and prevents the ice build-up on the aerodynamic surface.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the tank is attached to an aircraft component;
the porous panel is on the aerodynamic surface of the aircraft component; and
the conduit:
is configured to deliver the anti-ice fluid from the tank to the porous panel under a pressure from the engine bleed air when the tank is pressurized by the engine bleed air; and the system further comprising an eductor, wherein the eductor is connected to the tank and the engine such that the anti-ice fluid is extracted from the porous panel into the tank under suctioning from the eductor when the engine bleed air flows through the eductor.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first solenoid valve configured to switch a flow of the engine bleed air between the tank and the eductor;
a second solenoid valve configured to regulate a flow rate of the anti-ice fluid between the tank and the eductor; and
a third solenoid valve configured to regulate the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid between the tank and the porous panel.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a positive displacement flow meter for measuring the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid in the conduit.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising one or more processors communicatively connected to the positive displacement flow meter and a pressure regulating shut off valve (PRSOV), wherein the one or more processors are configured to use the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid to control the flow of the engine bleed air through the PRSOV such that the porous panel is charged with anti-ice fluid after starting the engine.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to use the flow rate of the anti-ice fluid to control the flow of the engine bleed air such that the anti-ice fluid flows out of the porous panel onto the aerodynamic surface, the anti-ice fluid removing and preventing the ice build-up on the aerodynamic surface.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the aircraft component is a wing.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the aircraft component is a tail.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the aircraft component is an engine inlet.

17. A method of removing an anti-ice fluid, comprising:
using an eductor to evacuate the anti-ice fluid into a tank from a porous panel such that a leakage of the anti-ice fluid from the porous panel is eliminated or reduced, wherein
the tank containing the anti-ice fluid is pressurized using an engine bleed air,
a conduit connected to the tank delivers the anti-ice fluid from the tank to the porous panel under a pressure from the engine bleed air,
the porous panel is on an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft, and
the anti-ice fluid flows from the porous panel to prevent and remove ice-build up on the aerodynamic surface.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the eductor pulls a vacuum on the tank using the engine bleed air and the vacuum draws the anti-ice fluid into the tank from the porous panel.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
flowing the engine bleed air through the eductor, wherein the flowing creates a drop in the pressure suctioning the anti-ice fluid from the porous panel and into the tank.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising measuring a flow rate of the anti-ice fluid, comprising:
measuring a flow rate of anti-ice fluid using a positive displacement fluid meter, wherein the flow rate is between the tank and the porous panel delivering the anti-ice fluid to the aerodynamic surface of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mackin Steve G

Classifications

• F04F5/24

  displacing liquids, e.g. containing solids, or liquids and elastic fluids · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• B64D15/08 Primary

  exuded from surface · CPC title

• B64C3/00

  Wings (ornithopter wings B64C33/02) · CPC title

• B64C5/02

  Tailplanes · CPC title