Air intake arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160757-A1
Application number	US-201514954406-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An intake for channeling air flowing past a propeller to an inlet of an aircraft engine driving the propeller through a drive shaft comprising: a static cowling extending about an axis and which flares from an upstream end, an intake slot formed in the flared portion which bounds a passage to the inlet of the aircraft engine, the intake slot opening over an arc that extends less than 360 degrees of the circumference of the cowling and having an axially rearward edge that blends into the cowling through a curve having a vertex, wherein the vertex is radially inside a projected extension of the flared portion from an upstream portion of the flared cowling across the intake slot.

First claim

1 . An intake for channeling air flowing past a propeller to an inlet of an aircraft engine driving the propeller through a drive shaft comprising:
a static cowling extending about an axis and which flares from an upstream end, an intake slot formed in the flared portion which bounds a passage to the inlet of the aircraft engine, the intake slot opening over an arc that extends less than 360 degrees of the circumference of the cowling and having an axially rearward edge that blends into the cowling through a curve having a vertex, wherein the vertex is radially inside a projected extension of the flared portion from an upstream portion of the flared cowling across the intake slot.

2 . An intake according to claim 1 , wherein an array of rotating aerofoils is provided forward of the upstream end of the static cowling.

3 . An intake according to claim 2 , wherein the intake slot extends in an arc that is less than 180 degrees of the circumference.

4 . An intake according to claim 2 , wherein the intake slot extends in an arc that is greater than 45 degrees of the circumference.

5 . An intake according to claim 1 , wherein one or more structural rods connecting a gearbox and the engine extend across the intake slot.

6 . An intake according to claim 5 , wherein the rods are aerodynamically shaped or encased by an aerodynamically shaped fairing.

7 . An intake according to claim 1 , wherein the intake slot has an upstream edge comprising a partial boundary layer separator comprising a circumferential channel for directing boundary layer away from the intake slot.

8 . An intake according to claim 7 , wherein the partial boundary layer separator further comprises one or more scoops for directing boundary layer air into a conduit directed towards one or more gearbox elements.

9 . An intake according to claim 7 , wherein the static cowling has a first part and a second part, the boundary of the first and second part extending circumferentially and located immediately upstream of the partial boundary layer separator.

10 . An intake according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second parts can move independently of each other.

11 . An intake according to claim 1 , further comprising a translating cowl having a stowed position axially aft of the intake slot and a deployed position axially aligned with the intake slot.

12 . An intake according to claim 11 , wherein in the deployed position a channel is opened between the static cowl and the translating cowl, the rear of the channel opening outside the static cowl.

13 . An intake according to claim 11 , wherein the translating cowl extends circumferentially over a shorter arc than the intake slot.

14 . An intake according to claim 1 , wherein the arc of the intake slot has at least two portions, a first portion at an end of the arc and a second portion towards the centre of the arc, wherein the first portion has an upstream edge that is further axially forward than the second portion.

15 . An intake according to claim 14 , wherein the arc of the intake slot has a third portion at the end of the arc opposite the first end, wherein the third portion has an upstream edge that is further axially forward than the second portion.

16 . An intake for channeling air flowing past a propeller to an inlet of an aircraft engine driving the propeller through a drive shaft comprising:
a static cowling extending about an axis and which flares from an upstream end; an intake slot formed in the flared portion which bounds a passage to the inlet of the aircraft engine, the intake slot opening over an arc that extends less than 360 degrees of the circumference of the cowling and having an axially rearward edge that blends into the cowling through a curve having a vertex, wherein the vertex is radially inside a projected extension of the flared portion from an upstream portion of the flared cowling across the intake slot; wherein the intake slot is an arc having at least two portions, a first portion at an end of the arc and a second portion towards the centre of the arc, wherein the first portion has an upstream edge that is further axially forward than the second portion; and having a translating cowl having a stowed position axially aft of the intake slot and a deployed position axially aligned with the intake slot.

17 . An intake for channeling air flowing past a propeller to an inlet of an aircraft engine driving the propeller through a drive shaft comprising:
a static cowling extending about an axis and which flares from an upstream end; an intake slot formed in the flared portion which bounds a passage to the inlet of the aircraft engine, the intake slot opening over an arc that extends less than 360 degrees of the circumference of the cowling and having an axially rearward edge that blends into the cowling through a curve having a vertex, wherein the vertex is radially inside a projected extension of the flared portion from an upstream portion of the flared cowling across the intake slot; wherein the intake slot is an arc having at least two portions, a first portion at an end of the arc and a second portion towards the centre of the arc, wherein the first portion has an upstream edge that is further axially forward than the second portion; and wherein the intake slot has an upstream edge comprising a partial boundary layer separator comprising a circumferential channel for directing boundary layer away from the intake slot.

18 . An intake according to claim 17 , further having a translating cowl having a stowed position axially aft of the intake slot and a deployed position axially aligned with the intake slot.

19 . An intake according to claim 18 , wherein the static cowling has a first part and a second part, the boundary of the first and second part extending circumferentially and located immediately upstream of the partial boundary layer separator.

20 . An intake according to claim 19 , wherein the first and second parts can move independently of each other.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Deutschland

Inventors

• Todorovic Predrag

Classifications

• F02C7/04 Primary

  Air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants · CPC title

• F02C7/052 Primary

  with dust-separation devices · CPC title

• B64D2033/022

  comprising bird or foreign object protections · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• F05D2270/17

  to control boundary layer · CPC title