Nozzle and vane system for nacelle anti-icing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017210475-A1
Application number	US-201615008046-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft anti-icing system includes an inlet lip that includes an outer shell attached to a bulkhead. The inlet lip encloses an annular housing volume. The system further includes one or more vanes extending from the bulkhead into the annular housing volume. Each vane of the one or more vanes includes a first end coupled to the bulkhead, a free end extending into the annular housing volume, and a vane body extending therebetween. The one or more vanes are positioned downstream from a nozzle configured to direct a high temperature gas stream into the annular housing volume in a first direction. The one or more vanes are configured to redirect the high temperature gas stream through a first turn angle from the first direction to a second direction. The second direction is configured to reduce a direct impingement of the high temperature gas stream on an inner surface of the inlet lip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aircraft anti-icing system comprising:
an inlet lip comprising an outer shell attached to a bulkhead, said inlet lip enclosing an annular housing volume; and one or more vanes extending from said bulkhead into said annular housing volume, each vane of said one or more vanes comprising a first end coupled to said bulkhead, a free end extending into said annular housing volume, and a vane body extending therebetween, wherein:
said one or more vanes positioned downstream from a nozzle configured to direct a high temperature gas stream into said annular housing volume in a first direction; and
said one or more vanes configured to redirect said high temperature gas stream through a first turn angle from said first direction to a second direction, said second direction configured to reduce a direct impingement of said high temperature gas stream on an inner surface of said inlet lip.

2 . A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said free end of said each vane extends to a vane height that is higher than a corresponding height of said high temperature gas stream from said bulkhead as said high temperature gas stream impinges said one or more vanes.

3 . A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said each vane further comprises:
a leading edge aligned with said first direction and positioned downstream of said nozzle; and a trailing edge aligned with said second direction and positioned downstream of said leading edge.

4 . A system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said each vane further comprises an airfoil profile extending from said leading edge to said trailing edge.

5 . A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said second direction is toward an inner circumference of said annular housing volume.

6 . A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said one or more vanes comprise a first vane and a second vane, said first vane positioned closer to an inner circumference of said annular housing volume relative to said second vane, wherein:
said first vane comprises a first leading edge aligned with said first direction and positioned downstream of said nozzle, and a first trailing edge aligned with said second direction and positioned downstream of said first leading edge; said second vane comprises a second leading edge aligned with said first direction and positioned downstream of nozzle, and a second trailing edge aligned with a third direction and positioned downstream of said second leading edge; said first vane configured to redirect said high temperature gas stream through a first turn angle from said first direction to said second direction toward an inner circumference of said annular housing volume; said second vane configured to redirect said high temperature gas stream through a second turn angle from said first direction to said third direction toward an inner circumference of said annular housing volume; and said second turn angle is higher relative to said first turn angle.

7 . A system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said first and second leading edges are separated by a leading edge gap, said leading edge gap configured to capture said high temperature gas stream between said first and second vanes.

8 . A system in accordance with claim 7 , wherein said first and second trailing edges are separated by a trailing edge gap that is narrower than said leading edge gap.

9 . A system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said one or more vanes are positioned to redirect said high temperature gas stream before high temperature gas stream mixes with ambient air within said annular housing volume

10 . A method for preventing icing of an inlet lip of an aircraft engine, said method comprising:
directing a high temperature gas stream at a first direction from a nozzle into an inlet lip comprising an outer shell attached to a bulkhead, the inlet lip enclosing an annular housing volume; redirecting the high temperature gas stream through a first turn angle from the first direction to a second direction using one or more vanes positioned downstream from the nozzle, the second direction configured to reduce a direct impingement of the high temperature gas stream on an inner surface of the inlet lip.

11 . A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the one or more vanes each comprise a first end coupled to the bulkhead, a free end extending into the annular housing volume, and a vane body extending therebetween.

12 . A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the free end of each vane extends to a vane height that is higher than a corresponding height of the high temperature gas stream from the bulkhead as the high temperature gas stream impinges the one or more vanes.

13 . A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the high temperature gas stream is redirected to second direction comprising toward an inner circumference of the annular housing volume.

14 . A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein each vane further comprises:
a leading edge aligned with the first direction and positioned downstream of the nozzle; and a trailing edge aligned with the second direction and positioned downstream of the leading edge.

15 . A method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein each vane further comprises an airfoil profile extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

16 . A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein redirecting the high temperature gas stream further comprises:
redirecting the high temperature gas stream through a first turn angle from the first direction to the second direction using a first vane of the one or more vanes, wherein the second direction is toward an inner circumference of the inlet lip; redirecting the high temperature gas stream through a second turn angle from the first direction to a third direction using a second vane of the one or more vanes, wherein:
the second vane is positioned farther from the inner circumference of the inlet lip relative to the first vane; and
the second turn angle is directed more toward the inner circumference relative to the first turn angle.

17 . A method in accordance with claim 16 , further capturing the high temperature gas stream between the first and second vanes prior to redirecting the high temperature gas stream.

18 . A jet aircraft comprising an anti-icing system, said anti-icing system comprising;
an inlet lip comprising an outer shell attached to a bulkhead, said inlet lip enclosing an annular housing volume; and one or more vanes extending from said bulkhead into said annular housing volume, each vane of said one or more vanes comprising a first end coupled to said bulkhead, a free end extending into said annular housing volume, and a vane body extending therebetween, wherein:
said one or more vanes are positioned downstream from a nozzle configured to direct a high temperature gas stream into said annular housing volume in a first direction; and
said one or more vanes are configured to redirect said high temperature gas stream through a first turn angle from said first direction to a second direction, said second direction configured to reduce a direct impingement of said high temperature gas stream on an inner surface of said inlet lip.

19 . A jet aircraft in accordance with claim 18 , wherein said free end of said each vane extends to a vane height that is higher than a corresponding height of said high temperature gas stream from said bulkhead as said high temperature gas stream impinges said one or more vanes.

20 . A jet

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Wiberg Clark George
• Mukherjee Shiladitya

Classifications

• F05D2260/201

  by impingement of a fluid · CPC title

• B64D15/04 Primary

  Hot gas application · CPC title

• F05D2240/128

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B64D27/16

  of jet type · CPC title

• F02C7/047

  Heating to prevent icing · CPC title