Angled inlet system for a precooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810147-B2
Application number	US-201314068403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2013
Priority date	Oct 31, 2013
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a leading edge of an inlet. The leading edge of the inlet is positioned relative to a direction of air flow such that a total pressure of air along the leading edge of the inlet is equalized within selected tolerances.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a leading edge of an inlet, through a bifurcation surface located downstream of a leading edge of a bifurcation in a fan duct within an engine system positioned relative to a direction of air flow through the engine system such that the leading edge is swept at a first angle relative to a first normal axis of the engine system such that an upper portion at an upper end of the leading edge is downstream relative to a lower portion at a lower end of the leading edge relative to the direction of air flow, and such that the leading edge is swept at a second angle relative to a second normal axis that is substantially normal to the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow such that the upper portion at the upper end is offset along the second normal axis relative to the lower portion at the lower end, wherein the first normal axis extends radially outward from a center axis of the engine system and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow through the engine system, and wherein the leading edge extends linearly from the upper end to the lower end along a length of the leading edge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the inlet being flush with the bifurcation surface; and
each of the first angle and the second angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a vane associated with the inlet, wherein the vane has a vane leading edge positioned relative to the direction of air flow such that a total pressure of air along the vane leading edge is equalized.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the vane leading edge has a first angle relative to the first normal axis that is substantially normal to the direction of the air flow and a second angle relative to the second normal axis that is substantially normal the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the direction of the air flow.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the vane leading edge and the leading edge of the inlet are substantially parallel to each other.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the air flow is created by a fan such that a total pressure of air within the air flow varies radially outward from a center axis of the fan.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:
the inlet, wherein the inlet is part of an inlet system that controls a flow of air from the inlet to a precooler.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the flow of the air into the inlet when the inlet system is operating in one of a no-flow state and a low-flow state is reduced when a total pressure of air along the leading edge of the inlet is equalized.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the precooler is located in the engine system of a vehicle and wherein the total pressure of the air along the leading edge of the inlet is equalized to reduce disruption of the air flow through the fan duct of the engine system when the inlet system is operating in one of the no-flow state and the low-flow state.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and wherein the inlet system is configured to operate in one of the no-flow state and the low-flow state when the aircraft is in a cruise phase of flight.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inlet having a second leading edge positioned relative to the direction of the air flow to substantially equalize a total pressure of air along the second leading edge.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is mounted substantially flush with the bifurcation surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the bifurcation surface is a surface associated with a nacelle of the engine system and used to form the fan duct in the engine system.

14. An inlet system comprising:
an inlet through a bifurcation surface downstream from a leading edge of a bifurcation in a fan duct;
a leading edge of the inlet within an engine system in which the leading edge of the inlet is positioned relative to a direction of air flow through the engine system such that the leading edge is swept at a first angle relative to a first normal axis of the engine system such that an upper portion at an upper end of the leading edge is downstream relative to a lower portion at a lower end of the leading edge relative to the direction of air flow, and such that the leading edge is swept at a second angle relative to a second normal axis that is substantially normal to the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow such that the upper portion at the upper end is offset along the second normal axis relative to the lower portion at the lower end, wherein the first normal axis extends radially outward from a center axis of the engine system and is substantially normal to the direction of air flow through the engine system, and wherein the leading edge extends linearly from the upper end to the lower end along a length of the leading edge; and
a vane associated with the inlet in which the vane has a vane leading edge positioned relative to the direction of air flow through the engine system such that the vane leading edge is substantially parallel to the leading edge.

15. The inlet system of claim 14 , further comprising the inlet being mounted substantially flush in the bifurcation surface associated with a of an aircraft, in which the inlet system configured to:
operate in one of:
a no-flow state; and
a low-flow state, during a cruise phase of flight of the aircraft; and

reduce an undesired spillage from the inlet into the fan duct; and
improve performance of the engine system during the cruise phase of flight.

16. A method for improving performance of an engine system, the method comprising:
creating an air flow through a fan duct in the engine system; and
positioning a leading edge of an inlet in a bifurcation surface downstream of a leading edge of a bifurcation of the fan duct such that the leading edge is swept at a first angle relative to a first normal axis of the engine system such that an upper portion at an upper end of the leading edge is downstream relative to a lower portion at a lower end of the leading edge relative to a flow direction of the air flow, and such that the leading edge is swept at a second angle relative to a second normal axis that is substantially normal to the first normal axis and is substantially normal to the flow direction of the air flow such that the upper portion at the upper end is offset along the second normal axis relative to the lower portion at the lower end, wherein the first normal axis extends radially outward from a center axis of the engine system and is substantially normal to the flow direction of the air flow through the engine system, and wherein the leading edge extends linearly from the upper end to the lower end along a length of the leading edge.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:
equalizing a total pressure of air along a vane leading edge of a vane associated with the inlet;
reducing a disruption of the air flow through the fan duct; and
improving the performance of the engine system.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
equalizing a total pressure of air along the leading edge of the inlet in the engine system and reducing undesired spillage of air from the inlet into the fan duct.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Tretow Paul R
• Willie Robert Henry
• Robinson Donald Edwin

Classifications

• F02C7/04 Primary

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

• F05D2260/213

  by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit · CPC title

• B64D13/06

  the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) · CPC title

• B64D2241/00

  NACA type air intakes · CPC title

• B64D13/02

  the air being pressurised · CPC title