Method For Regulating The De-Icing Of A Leading Edge Of An Aircraft And Device For Its Implementation

• US 20150034767A1
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Pirat, Guillaume
• Granted Patent: US 9,346,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/134.B
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/04 Hot gas application
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0233 comprising de-icing means
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/047 Heating to prevent icing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/12 actuated by fluid fluid-actuated lift valves F16K1/126 ; fluid-actuated check valves F16K15/00; fluid-actuated safety valves F16K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A method of regulating the de-icing of a leading edge of an aircraft includes regulating the flow of air used for de-icing by at least a first regulator valve in accordance with two regulation levels, a first regulation level corresponding to the regulated position of the first regulator valve and a second regulation level corresponding to the fully open position of the first regulator valve. A de-icing device enables implementation of the regulation method.

Claims

1. A method for regulating the de-icing of a leading edge of an aircraft, said method employing a de-icing device including a duct for routing a flow of hot air from a hot air source to at least one outlet and a regulator device for regulating said flow of hot air including:

a first regulator valve regulated pneumatically with a single first regulation level and controlled by a first controller setting said first regulator valve in accordance with a fully open position and a regulated position at a first regulation level, and

a second regulator valve regulated pneumatically with a single second regulation level and controlled by a second controller setting said second regulator valve in accordance with a fully open position and a regulated position at the first regulation level

wherein the regulation method comprises;

regulating the flow of air in accordance with two regulation levels, a first regulation level for which the first controller sets the first regulator valve to the regulated position or in the event of a malfunction of the first regulator valve the second controller sets the second regulator valve to the regulated position, and a second regulation level for which the first controller and the second controller respectively set the first regulator value and the second regulator valve to the fully open position of both regulator valves.

2. The regulation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first regulation level corresponds to a pressure of the order of 3.45+/−

0.3 bar.

3. The regulation method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the regulator device includes a control system transmitting signals to the first and second controllers and automatically switching the de-icing device to an activated state at the first regulation level or to an activated state at the second regulation level.

4. The regulation method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control system switches the de-icing device to the activated state at the first regulation level or to the activated state at the second regulation level as a function of at least one characteristic of the flow of hot air and/or at least one parameter of the air around the aircraft.

5. The regulation method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hot air source is provided by at least one outlet of an engine of the aircraft and in that the characteristic or characteristics of the flow of hot air is or are supplied by an engine control system.

6. The regulation method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the characteristic or characteristics of the flow of hot air is or are calculated from parameters of the engine known to the engine control system.

7. The regulation method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control system switches the de-icing device:

from the activated state at the first regulation level N1 to the activated state at the second regulation level N2 when at least one characteristic of the flow of hot air and/or at least one parameter of the air around the aircraft has a value that falls below a given threshold K1, and

from the activated state at the second regulation level N2 to the activated state at the first regulation level N1 if at least one characteristic of the flow of hot air and/or at least one parameter of the air around the aircraft has a value that rises above a given threshold K2.

8. The regulation method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the given threshold K1 is lower than the given threshold K2.

9. The regulation method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control system switches the de-icing device to the activated state at the second regulation level when the total air temperature TAT is lower than a total air temperature threshold TAT_ref1 and the temperature ST of the hot air supplied by the hot air source is lower than a temperature threshold ST_ref1 and the pressure SP of the hot air supplied by the hot air source is lower than a pressure threshold SP_ref1.

10. The regulation method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control system switches the de-icing device to the activated state at the first regulation level when the total air temperature TAT is higher than a total air temperature threshold TAT_ref2 or the temperature ST of the hot air supplied by the hot air source is higher than a temperature threshold ST_ref2 or the pressure SP of the hot air supplied by the hot air source is higher than a pressure threshold SP_ref2.

11. The regulation method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control system switches the de-icing device to the activated state at the first regulation level when the total air temperature TAT is higher than a total air temperature threshold TAT_ref2 or the temperature ST of the hot air supplied by the hot air source is higher than a temperature threshold ST_ref2 or the pressure SP of the hot air supplied by the hot air source is higher than a pressure threshold SP_ref2, and

wherein the total air temperature threshold TAT_ref1 is lower than the total air temperature threshold TAT_ref2, the temperature threshold ST_ref1 is lower than the temperature threshold ST_ref2 and the pressure threshold SP_ref1 is lower than the pressure threshold SP_ref2.

12. A device for de-icing a leading edge of an aircraft comprising:

a duct for routing a flow of hot air from a hot air source to at least one outlet;

a regulator device comprising;

a first regulator valve regulated pneumatically with a single regulation level and controlled by a first controller setting said first regulator valve in accordance with a fully open position and a regulated position at a first regulation level; and

a second regulator valve regulated pneumatically with a single regulation level and controlled by a second controller setting said second regulator valve in accordance with a fully open position and a regulated position at the first regulation level; and

a control system transmitting signals to the first and second controllers and automatically switching the de-icing device to an activated state at a first regulation level or to an activated state at a second regulation level.

13. The de-icing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control system comprises:

a memory for storing at least one given threshold;

means for effecting at least one comparison between at least one characteristic of the flow of hot air and/or at least one parameter of the air around the aircraft and the given threshold or thresholds; and

means for generating at least one control signal for the regulator valve or valves as a function of the comparison or comparisons.

14. An aircraft including a de-icing device, the de-icing device comprising:

a duct for routing a flow of hot air from a hot air source to at least one outlet;

a regulator device comprising;

a first regulator valve regulated pneumatically with a single regulation level and controlled by a first controller setting said first regulator valve in accordance with a fully open position and a regulated position at a first regulation level; and

a second regulator valve regulated pneumatically with a single regulation level and controlled by a second controller setting said second regulator valve in accordance with a fully open position and a regulated position at the first regulation level; and

a control system transmitting signals to the first and second controllers and automatically switching the de-icing device to an activated state at a first regulation level or to an activated state at a second regulation level.