AIRCRAFT AND ASSOCIATED METHOD FOR PROVIDING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO AN ANTI-ICING SYSTEM

• US 20170210478A1
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mackin, Steve G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,377,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/12 by electric heating electric heating elements in general H05B
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/00 Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft, an aircraft engine and a corresponding method provide for anti-icing based upon energy provided by a fan assembly of the aircraft engine, such as by rotation of a low pressure shaft of the fan assembly. The aircraft includes an aircraft body having wings and an aircraft engine carried by the aircraft body. The aircraft engine includes a core gas turbine engine and a fan assembly coupled to the core gas turbine engine. The fan assembly may include a fan, a low pressure turbine and a low pressure shaft connecting the fan and the low pressure turbine. The aircraft engine also includes an electric anti-icing system that has a variable frequency generator driven by the fan assembly, and one or more resistive heaters carried by the wings. The variable frequency generator is configured to provide electrical energy to the one or more resistive heaters.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

an aircraft body comprising one or more wings;

an aircraft engine carried by the aircraft body, wherein the aircraft engine includes;

a core gas turbine engine; and

a fan assembly coupled to the core gas turbine engine; and

an electric anti-icing system comprising a variable frequency generator driven by the fan assembly, and one or more resistive heaters carried by the wings, wherein the variable frequency generator is configured to provide electrical energy to the resistive heaters.

2. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the electric anti-icing system further comprises an anti-icing control system configured to control delivery of the electrical energy from the variable frequency generator to the one or more resistive heaters.

3. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the electric anti-icing system further comprises a heater mat that includes the one or more resistive heaters carried by a leading edge of the wings.

4. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the fan assembly includes a fan, a low pressure turbine and a low pressure shaft connecting the fan and the low pressure turbine, the variable frequency generator being directly driven by the low pressure shaft.

5. An aircraft according to claim 1 wherein the variable frequency generator is dedicated to providing electrical energy to the electric anti-icing system.

6. An aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising a pneumatic system to controllably provide air to a cabin of the aircraft, wherein the pneumatic system comprises a pre-cooler configured to reduce a temperature of the air delivered to the cabin, and wherein the electric anti-icing system is independent of the pneumatic system.

7. An aircraft according to claim 1 further comprising a floor heater mat, wherein the variable frequency generator is also configured to provide electrical energy to the floor heater mat.

8. An aircraft according to claim 7 wherein the variable frequency generator is further configured to discontinue provision of electrical energy to the floor heater mat upon detection of an icing condition.

9. An aircraft engine comprising:

a core gas turbine engine;

a fan assembly coupled to the core gas turbine engine; and

an electric anti-icing system comprising a variable frequency generator driven by the fan assembly, and one or more resistive heaters carried by wings of an aircraft, wherein the variable frequency generator is configured to provide electrical energy to the resistive heaters.

10. An aircraft engine according to claim 9 wherein the fan assembly includes a fan, a low pressure turbine and a low pressure shaft connecting the fan and the low pressure turbine, and wherein the electric anti-icing system further comprises a drive shaft extending between the variable frequency generator and the low pressure shaft and one or more gears mechanically coupling the drive shaft and the low pressure shaft such that rotation of the low pressure shaft drives the motor shaft.

11. An aircraft engine according to claim 10 wherein the variable frequency generator is directly driven by the low pressure shaft.

12. An aircraft engine according to claim 9 wherein the variable frequency generator is dedicated to providing electrical energy to the electric anti-icing system.

13. An aircraft engine according to claim 9 wherein the variable frequency generator is also configured to provide electrical energy to a floor heater mat in an instance in which an icing condition has not been detected.

14. A method comprising:

driving a variable frequency generator of an electric anti-icing system with a fan assembly of an aircraft engine;

providing electrical energy to one or more resistors of the electric anti-icing system from the variable frequency generator; and

resistively heating an exterior surface of the aircraft in response to provision of the electrical energy to the electric anti-icing system.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the one or more resistive heaters are carried by a leading edge of a wing of an aircraft, wherein the electric anti-icing system further comprises an anti-icing control system, and wherein resistively heating the exterior surface of the aircraft comprises controlling delivery of the electrical energy from the variable frequency generator to the one or more resistive heaters with the anti-icing control system.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein resistively heating the exterior surface of the aircraft comprises resistively heating the exterior surface with a heater mat that includes the one or more resistive heaters carried by a leading edge of a wing of an aircraft.

17. A method according to claim 14 wherein the fan assembly includes a fan, a low pressure turbine and a low pressure shaft connecting the fan and the low pressure turbine, wherein driving the variable frequency generator comprises directly driving the variable frequency generator with the low pressure shaft.

18. A method according to claim 14 wherein the variable frequency generator is dedicated to providing electrical energy to the electric anti-icing system.

19. A method according to claim 14 further comprising providing electrical energy to a floor heater mat of an aircraft with the variable frequency generator.

20. A method according to claim 14 further comprising discontinuing provision of electrical energy to the floor heater mat upon detection of an icing condition.