Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Ice prevention
Patent
1993-08-16
1995-03-28
Barefoot, Galen L.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Ice prevention
60 39093, B64D 1504
Patent
active
054009847
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to thermal anti-icing arrangements for aircraft structures and is particularly although not exclusively concerned with a thermal anti-icing arrangement for an aircraft engine nacelle nose cowl.
In EP 0205283, a thermal anti-icing arrangement is disclosed for preventing the accumulation of ice on the leading edge of an aircraft engine nacelle nose cowl. The nose cowl comprises an annular forward compartment bounded by an annular forward bulkhead and a skin structure which extends forwardly of the forward bulkhead to form the leading-edge profile, the outer surface of which requires to be protected from accumulation of ice thereon and an annular rear compartment which is bounded by the forward bulkhead and an annular rear bulkhead and inner and outer circumferentially extending skin structures. A supply duct extends from the rear bulkhead through the rear compartment and through the forward bulkhead into the forward compartment for delivery to an annular spray ring of pressurised hot gases for distribution over the inner surface of the skin structure of the forward compartment to prevent accumulation of ice on the outer surface of the skin structure. A discharge duct for the exhaustion to atmosphere of spent gases from the forward compartment encloses the supply duct, extends from the forward bulkhead to the rear bulkhead and forms an annular space, which is closed off at its rear end at the rear bulkhead and which is open at its forward end to provide gaseous flow communication with the forward compartment. Leakage of hot gases from the supply duct upon rupture are thus prevented by the discharge duct from entering the rear compartment. The discharge duct in the region of the rear bulkhead communicates with an outlet duct to discharge spent gases from the forward compartment which are channelled rearwardly in the annular space between the discharge duct and the supply duct and are discharged through the outlet duct to atmosphere through an opening in the radially outer skin structure of the rear compartment. As a consequence, hot gases from a ruptured supply duct are also discharged to atmosphere through the outlet duct.
While the supply and discharge duct arrangement described in the prior patent has been found to be successful in preventing the leakage of hot gases from a ruptured supply duct from entering the rear compartment, it has been found to be a disadvantage to use the concentric arrangement of ducts where space considerations need to be taken into account and in particular it has been found that with strict space limitations the annular space provided for channelling the spent gases rearwardly from the forward compartment is insufficient to provide optimum flow to and from the forward compartment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal anti-icing arrangement for an aircraft engine nacelle nose cowl which while maintaining the advantage of preventing the leakage of hot gases into the rear compartment following rupture of the supply duct will at the same time place little or no restriction on the size of the discharge duct.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a thermal anti-icing arrangement which maintains or partially maintains flow of hot gases for anti-icing purposes in the event of a leakage of hot gases from the supply duct.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an aircraft structural component comprising a forward compartment formed by a forward bulkhead and a skin structure which extends forwardly of the forward bulkhead and which has an outer surface which requires to be protected from accumulation of ice thereon, a rear compartment between the forward bulkhead and a rear bulkhead, supply duct means extending through the rear compartment and into the forward compartment for the delivery thereto of pressurised hot gases for distribution over the inner surface of the skin structure to prevent accumulation of ice on or to remove ice from the outer surface of the skin structure, protect
REFERENCES:
patent: 2556736 (1951-06-01), Palmatier
patent: 2625010 (1953-01-01), Clark
patent: 4482114 (1984-11-01), Gupta et al.
patent: 4615499 (1986-10-01), Knowler
patent: 5011098 (1991-04-01), McLaver et al.
patent: 5257498 (1993-11-01), Nikkanen et al.
Arnold Michael J.
Cole Derek
Barefoot Galen L.
Short Brothers PLC
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