Air intake structure for an aircraft nacelle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10836503-B2
Application number	US-201715847207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 20, 2016
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

An aircraft nacelle air intake structure including an air intake lip with a U-shaped section to ensure air is shared between an inner face and an outer face. An acoustic panel is on the intake lip rear on the side of the inner face level with a first assembly point. An outer panel is on the intake lip rear on the side of the outer face level with a second assembly point. A front reinforcing frame on the intake lip inside is fixed to the air intake lip on the side of the inner face level with a first fixing point and on the side of the outer face level with a second fixing point. The length of the chord between the stop point and each fixing point is between ⅓ and ⅙ of the total chord between the stop point and the assembly point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air intake structure for a nacelle of an aircraft, the air intake structure comprising:
an air intake lip in a form of a U-shaped section, which is open towards a rear of the air intake structure, ensures that air is shared between an inner face of the air intake structure and an outer face of the air intake structure, and has a stop point, which is a foremost point of the air intake lip;
an acoustic panel fixed directly to a rear of the air intake lip on a side of the inner face of the air intake structure, in a position level with a first assembly point;
an outer panel fixed behind the air intake lip on a side of the outer face of the air intake structure, in a position level with a second assembly point; and
a front reinforcing frame that is positioned inside of the air intake lip and is fixed to the air intake lip at a first fixing point, which is on the side of the inner face of the air intake structure, and at a second fixing point, which is on the side of the outer face of the air intake structure, thereby defining a space between the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame;
wherein a chord length between the stop point and the first fixing point is from ⅓ to ⅙, inclusive, of a chord length between the stop point and the first assembly point;
wherein a chord length between the stop point and the second fixing point is from ⅓ to ⅙, inclusive, of a chord length between the stop point and the second assembly point; and
wherein the air intake structure is configured such that the space between the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame receives hot gas from an aircraft engine to prevent ice formation on the air intake lip.

2. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein the front reinforcing frame is attached to the air intake lip by rivets at the first fixing point and/or at the second fixing point.

3. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein the front reinforcing frame is welded to the air intake lip at the first fixing point and/or at the second fixing point.

4. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein, at the first fixing point and/or at to the second fixing point, the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame are formed integrally from a single material.

5. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame comprise a titanium alloy.

6. A nacelle for an aircraft engine, the nacelle comprising:
an air intake structure comprising:
an air intake lip in a form of a U-shaped section, which is open towards a rear of the air intake structure, ensures that air is shared between an inner face of the air intake structure and an outer face of the air intake structure, and has a stop point, which is a foremost point of the air intake lip;
an acoustic panel fixed directly to a rear of the air intake lip on a side of the inner face of the air intake structure, in a position level with a first assembly point;
an outer panel fixed behind the air intake lip on a side of the outer face of the air intake structure, in a position level with a second assembly point; and
a front reinforcing frame that is positioned inside of the air intake lip and is fixed to the air intake lip at a first fixing point, which is on the side of the inner face of the air intake structure, and at a second fixing point, which is on the side of the outer face of the air intake structure;
wherein a chord length between the stop point and the first fixing point is from ⅓ to ⅙, inclusive, of a chord length between the stop point and the first assembly point; and
wherein a chord length between the stop point and the second fixing point is from ⅓ to ⅙, inclusive, of a chord length between the stop point and the second assembly point;

a feed pipe configured to remove hot gas from the engine and to inject the hot gas into a space between the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame;
a control unit;
a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure in the feed pipe and to transmit pressure information to the control unit; and
a single valve mounted on the feed pipe and configured to adopt, alternately, an open position, in which the valve allows the hot gas to pass through the feed pipe, and a closed position, in which the valve does not allow the hot gas to pass through the feed pipe, wherein a position of the valve is controlled by the control unit depending on the pressure information that the control unit receives from the pressure sensor.

7. An aircraft comprising at least one nacelle according to claim 6 .

8. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein the front reinforcing frame is attached to the air intake lip by rivets at the first fixing point and/or at the second fixing point.

9. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein the front reinforcing frame is welded to the air intake lip at the first fixing point and/or at the second fixing point.

10. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein, at the first fixing point and/or at to the second fixing point, the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame are formed integrally from a single material.

11. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein, at the first fixing point and/or at to the second fixing point, the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame are formed as a single part.

12. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame comprise a titanium alloy.

13. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein the acoustic panel and the outer panel are made of one or more composite materials.

14. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein the front reinforcing frame has a U-shaped section, which is open towards a rear of the air intake structure.

15. The nacelle according to claim 6 , wherein an inner portion of the air intake lip between the first fixing point and the first assembly point and/or an outer portion of the air intake lip between the second fixing point and the second assembly point are configured as a radiator to dissipate heat from the hot gas in the space prior to the heat being conducted to the acoustic panel and/or the outer panel.

16. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein, at the first fixing point and/or at to the second fixing point, the air intake lip and the front reinforcing frame are formed as a single part.

17. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic panel and the outer panel are made of one or more composite materials.

18. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein the front reinforcing frame has a U-shaped section, which is open towards a rear of the air intake structure.

19. The air intake structure according to claim 1 , wherein an inner portion of the air intake lip between the first fixing point and the first assembly point and/or an outer portion of the air intake lip between the second fixing point and the second assembly point are configured as a radiator to dissipate heat from the hot gas in the space prior to the heat being conducted to the acoustic panel and/or the outer panel.

Assignees

• Airbus Sas
• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Porte Alain
• Haramburu Eric
• Oberle Patrick
• Albet Grégory
• Billerot Vincent
• Piard Frédéric
• Oundjian Franck

Classifications

• F05D2260/96

  Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• B64D2033/0233

  comprising de-icing means · CPC title

• B64D2033/0206

  comprising noise reduction means, e.g. acoustic liners · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title