Swirl anti-ice system
First Claim
1. An anti-icing system for annular jet engine housings which comprises:
- a source of high pressure hot gas;
at least one conduit means to carry hot gases from said source;
a substantially closed annular housing at the leading edge of a jet engine, the annular housing containing a quantity of air;
said at least one conduit means extending into said housing;
an outlet on the end of each of said at least one conduit means extending into said housing, said outlet oriented to eject said hot gases at high velocity substantially tangential to a centerline of said annular housing;
the mass flow rate of the gases and air swirling in said annular housing being at least about three times the mass flow rate of gases leaving said outlet; and
whereby the high velocity hot gases entrain air within said annular housing so that the total volume of air and gases swirling around said annular housing has a substantially uniform temperature intermediate between that of said air and said hot gases.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for circulating heated gases within the circular leading edge of a jet engine housing to prevent ice build-up thereon, or to remove accumulated ice thereform. Hot gases such as air from a hot, high pressure section of the jet-engine are directed through a conduit. The conduit enters the annular leading edge housing, usually from the aft side through a bulkhead, then turns about 90° to a direction tangential to the leading edge annulus. The hot gases exiting the tube entrain the cooler air in the housing, causing a much larger mass of air to swirl circularly around the annular housing. The entering hot gasses heat the mass of air to an intermediate, but still relatively hot, temperature. This large mass of circularly moving hot air is quite efficient in uniformly transferring heat to the skin of the leading edge without leaving any relatively cold areas and preventing the formation of ice thereon.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An anti-icing system for annular jet engine housings which comprises:
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a source of high pressure hot gas; at least one conduit means to carry hot gases from said source; a substantially closed annular housing at the leading edge of a jet engine, the annular housing containing a quantity of air; said at least one conduit means extending into said housing; an outlet on the end of each of said at least one conduit means extending into said housing, said outlet oriented to eject said hot gases at high velocity substantially tangential to a centerline of said annular housing; the mass flow rate of the gases and air swirling in said annular housing being at least about three times the mass flow rate of gases leaving said outlet; and whereby the high velocity hot gases entrain air within said annular housing so that the total volume of air and gases swirling around said annular housing has a substantially uniform temperature intermediate between that of said air and said hot gases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An anti-icing system for annular jet engine housings which comprises:
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a hot, high pressure region of a jet engine; at least one conduit means adapted to carry hot gases from said region having a temperature of about 100 to 500 degrees F. and a velocity of about 3 to 30 ft/min.; a substantially annular housing at the leading edge of said engine, a bulkhead closing the aft end of said housing having at least one hole to allow air and gases within said housing to escape; said at least one conduit extending into said housing through said bulkhead; at least one outlet at the end of each conduit within said housing, said at least one outlet oriented to eject said hot gases at high velocity substantially tangential to a centerline of said annular housing; nozzle means connected to said at least one outlet for increasing the velocity of gases exiting therefrom; and the high velocity hot gases entraining air within said annular housing so that the total volume of air and gases swirling around said annular housing has a substantially uniform temperature of from about 35 to 41 degrees F. when the outside air temperature is about -40 degrees F., and the mass flow rate of said gases and air is at least about three times the mass flow rate of the gases leaving said outlet.
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Specification