Apparatus for protecting aircraft components against foreign object damage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016017804-A1
Application number	US-201414773578-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 6, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for protecting aircraft equipment against contact by a foreign object including an interference arrangement disposed in an air inlet upstream from the aircraft equipment where the interference arrangement is configured to physically obstruct passage of the foreign object within the air inlet.

First claim

1 . A device for protecting a precooler heat exchanger against contact by a foreign object, the precooler being disposed downstream from an air inlet, the device comprising:
an interference arrangement disposed in the air inlet upstream from the precooler heat exchanger; wherein the interference arrangement is configured to physically obstruct passage of the foreign object within the air inlet, wherein the precooler heat exchanger and the air inlet are disposed within an aircraft turbine engine.

2 .- 3 . (canceled)

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet is disposed in a forward facing arrangement downstream from a fan of the turbine engine.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the interference arrangement comprises a plurality of substantially linear rods which extend across the air inlet in a direction generally perpendicular to airflow.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of linear rods are disposed in a staggered manner with regard to one another in the direction of the airflow.

7 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of linear rods comprise a first row of rods positioned generally in a first plane extending across the air inlet and a second row of rods positioned in a second plane extending across the air inlet, where the first plane is upstream relative to the second plane and the rods of the first row are staggered with respect to the rods of the second row.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the rods are staggered such that the foreign object traveling in the air inlet in a direction parallel to air flow will strike a rod from the first row or a rod from the second row.

9 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the rods have a generally circular cross-section.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the interference arrangement comprises a heat element configured to prevent ice accumulation on the interference arrangement.

12 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the interference arrangement is further configured to minimize a pressure drop in the airflow across the interference arrangement.

16 . A precooler for a geared turbofan aircraft engine, comprising:
a heat exchanger; an air inlet scoop disposed upstream from and in fluid communication with the heat exchanger, the scoop facing a direction of travel of the aircraft so as to directly receive ambient airflow entering the engine from outside of the aircraft; and an interference arrangement disposed upstream from the heat exchanger and configured to physically obstruct passage of a foreign object within the precooler.

17 . A geared turbofan aircraft engine assembly, comprising:
a nacelle; an engine disposed within an annular cavity of the nacelle and supported by a pylon; a precooler configured to receive and condition hot bleed air from the engine and ambient air entering the nacelle from an exterior of the aircraft; wherein the precooler comprises a forward facing scoop configured to receive the ambient air; and wherein the precooler further comprises an interference arrangement configured to physically obstruct passage of a foreign object travelling in the ambient air within the precooler.

18 . The precooler of claim 16 , wherein the interference arrangement comprises a plurality of substantially linear rods which extend across the air inlet scoop in a direction generally perpendicular to airflow.

19 . The precooler of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of linear rods are disposed in a staggered manner with regard to one another in the direction of the airflow.

20 . The precooler of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of linear rods comprise a first row of rods positioned generally in a first plane extending across the air inlet scoop and a second row of rods positioned in a second plane extending across the air inlet scoop, where the first plane is upstream relative to the second plane and the rods of the first row are staggered with respect to the rods of the second row.

21 . The precooler of claim 20 , wherein the rods are staggered such that the foreign object traveling in the air inlet scoop in a direction parallel to air flow will strike a rod from the first row or a rod from the second row.

22 . The precooler of claim 18 , wherein the rods have a generally circular cross-section.

23 . The precooler of claim 16 , wherein the interference arrangement is further configured to minimize a pressure drop in the airflow across the interference arrangement.

24 . The precooler of claim 16 , wherein the interference arrangement comprises a heat element configured to prevent ice accumulation on the interference arrangement.

25 . An aircraft comprising the device of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Bombardier Inc

Inventors

• Afrianto Sigit
• Brousseau Jean

Classifications

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F02C7/055 Primary

  with intake grids, screens or guards · CPC title

• F02C9/18

  by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · CPC title

• F02K3/06

  with front fan · CPC title