NACELLE FLOW ASSEMBLY

• US 20110020105A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ashok K. Jain
• Inventors: Jain, Ashok K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0226 comprising boundary layer control means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2033/0286 for turbofan engines
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/00 Power-plant nacelles, fairings, or cowlings nacelles not otherwise provided for B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/02 of combustion air intakes air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants per se F02C7/04; air intakes for combustion engines in general F02M35/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2842 With flow starting, stopping or maintaining means

Abstract

A nacelle assembly for a turbine engine has a cowl for a turbine engine. The cowl has a first surface spaced from a second surface. The second surface defines defining a bypass flow passage. A flow volume is spaced between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of holes are disposed on the cowl. Each of the plurality of holes are configured to alter local air pressure about one of the first surface and the second surface of the cowl. The plurality of holes are in communication with the flow volume.

Claims

1. A method of altering air pressure on a surface of a nacelle assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing an operable condition of an aircraft; and

(b) selecting between increasing local air pressure and decreasing local air pressure at a nacelle surface through a plurality of holes on said nacelle surface based on the sensed operable condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the operable condition comprises at least one of a static takeoff condition, a crosswind condition, a climb condition, a cruise condition, and a windmill condition.

3. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(c) increasing air flow at the nacelle surface to increase local air pressure at the nacelle surface.

4. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(c) decreasing air flow at the nacelle surface to decrease local air pressure at the nacelle surface.

5. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(c) increasing air flow at a first area of the nacelle surface and decreasing airflow at a second area of the nacelle surface, the first area different from the second area.

6. The method of claim 1 including the steps of:

passing air from a first interior volume of the nacelle to a first exterior area of the nacelle via holes in the nacelle to increase local air pressure at the first exterior area of the nacelle; and

passing air from a second exterior area different from the first exterior area of the nacelle to a second interior volume of the nacelle via holes in the nacelle to decrease local air pressure at the second exterior area of the nacelle.

7. A method of altering air pressure on a surface of a nacelle assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing an operable condition of an aircraft; and

passing air between a selected one of a plurality of interior nacelle volumes and a nacelle exterior region via holes connecting the selected interior nacelle volume and the nacelle exterior region in response to the sensed operable condition to alter an air pressure at the nacelle exterior region.