Anti-icing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200442-A1
Application number	US-201614996050-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Jan 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A bleed air pressure regulation system for an aircraft anti-icing system comprises a first, upstream pressure regulating valve and a second, downstream pressure regulating valve arranged in series in a bleed airflow path. The respective pressure regulating valves each have a regulating pressure chamber in fluid communication with a respective pressure setting valve. Each pressure setting valve is in fluid communication with a bleed air inlet upstream of the first, upstream pressure regulating valve. The first, upstream pressure regulating valve is set to regulate the pressure of the bleed air to a first pressure and the second, downstream pressure regulating valve is set to regulate the pressure of the bleed air to a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure.

First claim

1 . A bleed air pressure regulation system for an aircraft anti-icing system, the bleed air control system comprising a first, upstream pressure regulating valve and a second, downstream pressure regulating valve arranged in series in a bleed airflow path, the upstream pressure regulating valve being configured to regulate the bleed air flow to a first pressure and the downstream pressure regulating valve being configured to regulate the bleed air flow to a second, higher pressure, but to allow passage of bleed air therethrough from the upstream pressure regulating valve at the first pressure.

2 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the respective pressure regulating valves each have a regulating pressure chamber in fluid communication with a respective pressure setting valve and wherein the first pressure setting valve is configured to provide a first pressure to the regulating pressure chamber of the upstream pressure regulating valve and the second pressure setting valve is configured to provide a second, higher pressure to the regulating pressure chamber of the downstream pressure regulating valve.

3 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each pressure setting valve is in fluid communication with a bleed air inlet upstream of the first, upstream pressure regulating valve.

4 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein an or each pressure regulating valve comprises a valve body having a bleed air inlet, a regulating bore, and a regulating piston slidably received within the control bore for regulating the flow of bleed air through the pressure regulating valve.

5 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the regulating pressure chamber is defined within the bore on one side of the regulating piston.

6 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the bore comprises one or more bleed air openings in a side wall thereof, and the piston comprises one or more bleed air inlets for selective alignment with the one or more bore bleed air openings and a bleed air outlet, such that when the one or more piston bleed air inlets align with the one or more bore openings bleed air may flow from the bleed air inlet, through the one or more bore openings, through the one or more piston bleed air inlets and out from a piston outlet to a further valve stage or to an area to be heated.

7 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein an or each pressure setting valve is a pressure relief valve or a pressure limiting valve.

8 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein an or each pressure setting valve is a variable pressure valve.

9 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a or the respective pressure setting valve are connected to the bleed air inlet upstream of the first, upstream pressure regulating valve by a bleed air feed line, and wherein a flow restriction is provided in the bleed air feed line to control or limit the flow of bleed air into the bleed air feed line.

10 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a or the pressure setting valve is fluidly connected to a pressure dump valve.

11 . A bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising more than two pressure regulating valves arranged in series.

12 . An aircraft engine nacelle anti-icing system comprising a bleed air duct in fluid communication with a source of bleed air for conducting bleed air to a nacelle inlet and a bleed air pressure regulation system as claimed in any preceding claim arranged in fluid communication with said bleed air duct for regulating the pressure of the bleed air supplied to the nacelle inlet by the duct.

13 . An aircraft engine nacelle anti-icing system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the bleed air pressure regulation system is arranged in the nacelle.

14 . A method of regulating bleed air in an anti-icing system comprising flowing bleed air through a first, upstream pressure regulating valve and a second, downstream pressure regulating valve arranged in series with the first pressure regulating valve, and setting the regulating pressure of the second pressure regulating valve to be higher than that of the first pressure regulating valve and such that regulated bleed air may pass therethrough from the first pressure regulating valve at the first pressure.

15 . A method of regulating bleed air in an anti-icing system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the respective regulating pressures are set by means of pressure setting valves arranged in fluid communication with the bleed air flow upstream of the first pressure regulating valve.

Assignees

• Goodrich Actuation Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Jones Tony

Classifications

• F16K31/12

  actuated by fluid ({fluid-actuated lift valves F16K1/126} ; fluid-actuated check valves F16K15/00; fluid-actuated safety valves F16K17/00) · CPC title

• F16K31/1245

  with more than one valve · CPC title

• F16K31/52475

  comprising a sliding valve · CPC title

• B64D15/04 Primary

  Hot gas application · CPC title

• F02C7/047

  Heating to prevent icing · CPC title