Aircraft equipped with a leading edge ice protection device

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of front ice prevention device (1), including pipeline assembly (2) and the front skin (8) being covered on the outer circumferential surface of pipeline assembly.It includes: fixed to the inner circumferential surface of pipeline assembly and extends along the length direction of pipeline assembly air supply pipe (3);Gas distribution pipe (4) is located at the air inlet end, and gas distribution pipe is communicated with air supply pipe at air inlet end;Hot gas channel (5) is arranged in the length direction of pipeline assembly, and hot gas channel is made of multiple hot gas pipeline (51), and gas distribution pipe is communicated with the first end of hot gas channel at air inlet end;Gas collection pipe (6) is located at the air outlet end, and gas collection pipe is communicated with the second end of hot gas channel at air outlet end;And air outlet pipe (7), air outlet pipe is communicated with gas collection pipe at air outlet end.The front ice prevention device not only can solve the problem that front composite structure is easy to fail, but also can improve the utilization efficiency of anti-icing hot gas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a leading-edge anti-icing device. More specifically, this invention relates to a leading-edge anti-icing device for aircraft slats to improve the utilization efficiency of anti-icing hot gases.

[0002] The present invention also relates to an aircraft equipped with the aforementioned leading-edge anti-icing device. Background Technology

[0003] Existing aircraft slat technology prevents icing by directly supplying anti-icing hot gas to the fixed leading-edge skin through exhaust vents. However, this leads to premature failure of the composite skin in adjacent areas, significantly limiting the application of composite structures. To address this failure issue, those skilled in the art have proposed replacing the composite skin with aluminum skin. However, the allowable strength of aluminum skin decreases under high temperatures.

[0004] Meanwhile, the anti-icing design of the slats results in the anti-icing cavity within the slats being filled with hot gas, simultaneously heating other unrelated structures and leading to low utilization efficiency of the hot gas. Furthermore, when the hot gas exits the slats through the exhaust port, it is often vented towards the fixed leading edge skin behind the slats, where the high-temperature gas can adversely affect the material of the fixed leading edge skin, thus increasing design costs. In addition, since the anti-icing cavity and / or leading edge slats are made of metal, the exhaust high-temperature gas can damage composite material parts in the vicinity.

[0005] Therefore, a series of improved inventions have emerged in this field, aiming to completely solve the various problems and shortcomings mentioned above.

[0006] For example, in patent CN205440885U, filed by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) on December 17, 2015, entitled "Slat Leading Edge Anti-icing Cavity," a slat leading edge anti-icing cavity is disclosed. This anti-icing cavity is disposed along the skin of the slat leading edge and includes a front cavity and a rear cavity separated by an anti-icing beam. A flute-shaped tube is arranged in the front cavity to heat the skin using introduced hot air. Multiple venting slots connecting the front and rear cavities are disposed between the anti-icing beam and the skin, and these venting slots are configured to gradually narrow from the front cavity to the rear cavity. This slat leading edge anti-icing cavity facilitates an increase in the temperature of the skin on the rear cavity, thereby improving anti-icing capability.

[0007] However, the exhaust port of this type of anti-icing cavity is usually located on the inner skin and does not have a flow guiding structure. Therefore, the problem of low heat utilization efficiency still cannot be solved.

[0008] For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,921,502, filed by Cox on June 19, 1996, entitled "HYBRID ICE-PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR USE ON ROUGHNESS-SENSITIVE AIRFOILS," discloses a hybrid anti-icing leading-edge structure. This structure utilizes both heating wires and hot gas for de-icing, wherein hot gas heats the front cavity, and the upper and lower skins are heated by heating wires.

[0009] However, the aforementioned patent utilizes hot air to heat the front cavity but does not involve guiding the hot air exhaust, thus still suffers from low hot air utilization efficiency. Moreover, heating by arranging heating wires consumes a large amount of energy and still has an adverse effect on the material used to fix the leading edge skin.

[0010] For example, Chinese invention patent application CN110001971A, filed by Airbus Operations LLC on December 27, 2018, entitled "Leading Edge Structure for Airflow Control System of Aircraft," discloses a leading edge structure for an airflow control system of an aircraft. This leading edge structure includes a double-walled leading edge panel, comprising an inner wall element and an outer wall element. The outer wall element includes multiple micropores, and the inner wall element includes passages forming a fluid connection between a hollow chamber and a vacuum system. A reinforcing member forms a hot air duct configured to connect to a hot air system, and the reinforcing member includes multiple hot air openings forming a fluid connection between the hot air duct and the hollow chamber, thereby providing a simple and effective anti-icing system in the leading edge structure for the airflow control system.

[0011] This leading-edge structure uses micropores on the hot air duct to de-ice the outer surface of the outer wall components. Although the structure is simple, it still cannot solve the problems of low hot air utilization efficiency and impact on the skin material.

[0012] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field to design a novel leading-edge anti-icing device to solve the problem of easy failure of leading-edge composite structures and improve the utilization efficiency of anti-icing hot gases. Summary of the Invention

[0013] The purpose of this invention is to provide a leading edge anti-icing device that not only solves the problem of easy failure of leading edge composite structures, but also improves the utilization efficiency of anti-icing hot gases.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide an aircraft equipped with the aforementioned leading-edge anti-icing device.

[0015] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a leading-edge anti-icing device, comprising: a pipeline assembly; and a leading-edge skin covering the outer peripheral surface of the pipeline assembly, the pipeline assembly comprising: an air supply pipe fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the pipeline assembly and extending along the length direction of the pipeline assembly; an air distribution pipe located at an air inlet end, the air distribution pipe communicating with the air supply pipe at the air inlet end; a hot air passage arranged along the length direction of the pipeline assembly, the hot air passage being composed of multiple hot air pipes, the air distribution pipe communicating with a first end of the hot air passage at the air inlet end; an air collecting pipe located at an exhaust end, the air collecting pipe communicating with a second end of the hot air passage at the exhaust end; and an exhaust pipe communicating with the air collecting pipe at the exhaust end.

[0016] In the above technical solution, the term "length direction of the piping assembly" refers to the arrangement direction of the piping assembly or the wingspan direction along the leading edge slat. Since the main body of the piping assembly is a long and thin hot air pipe, when the piping assembly is arranged on the leading edge of the aircraft's wing, the so-called "length direction of the piping assembly" is actually the wingspan direction of the aircraft.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the terms "inlet end" and "exhaust end" refer to the two ends of the pipeline assembly. The end where hot gas flows into the pipeline assembly is called the "inlet end", and the end where hot gas flows out of the pipeline assembly is called the "exhaust end".

[0018] The term "connected to" indicates that there is an open and interconnected space between two components, allowing hot gas to flow unimpeded from the interior of one component to the interior of the other. This term includes both direct connections and indirect connections via other fittings.

[0019] The term "streamlined shape" refers to a shape made according to aerodynamic principles that minimizes air resistance experienced by aircraft slats during flight, a shape that should be well known to those skilled in the art.

[0020] In the preferred embodiment described above, not only can the air distribution duct have a streamlined shape that is substantially the same as that of the piping assembly, but the air collection duct can also have a streamlined shape that is substantially the same as that of the piping assembly. This streamlined shape of the air distribution duct and the air collection duct is adapted to other components of the aircraft slats, which can effectively reduce wind resistance and minimize flight drag.

[0021] The application of the above technical solutions to aircraft anti-icing is not obvious, for the following reasons:

[0022] (i) This application provides a working structure that also has the ability to conduct heat, and allows for simple selection and modification of the circulating refrigerant;

[0023] (ii) The internal wall panels provided in this application not only form a passageway together with the outer skin, but also provide support and reinforcement for the outer skin, and are not simply a thermal circulation device; and

[0024] (iii) This application can directly heat the main body of the structural component without the need for other media to cool the workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the piping assembly can be an elongated sheet metal part with a generally streamlined cross-section.

[0025] In another preferred embodiment, the hot gas ducts can extend continuously along the length of the piping assembly, and each hot gas duct has a different arrangement density depending on the icing position at the leading edge and / or the hot gas flow rate requirement.

[0026] Since the hot air duct is composed of multiple hot air pipes, the arrangement density of the hot air pipes depends on the distance between each hot air pipe and the adjacent hot air pipes. That is, the smaller the distance between the hot air pipes, the greater the arrangement density of the hot air pipes.

[0027] Those skilled in the art should understand that if icing at the leading edge is severe, the heat supply of the hot gas needs to be increased, and the density of the hot gas pipelines should be increased accordingly, i.e., the spacing between the hot gas pipelines should be reduced. Similarly, if icing at the leading edge is not severe, the heat supply of the hot gas can be reduced, and the density of the hot gas pipelines should be reduced accordingly, i.e., the spacing between the hot gas pipelines should be increased.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment described above, at least one hot gas pipe in the hot gas duct can be arranged in a straight or curved manner. Furthermore, the cross-section of the hot gas pipe can be designed as a constant cross-section or a variable cross-section.

[0029] The above design allows for easy adjustment of local heating to meet the actual demand for heat flow.

[0030] In another preferred embodiment, the gas supply pipe can be tapered gradually along the length of the pipeline assembly according to pressure distribution requirements.

[0031] By changing the diameter of the gas supply pipe, the rate and flow rate of hot gas supplied can be controlled, thereby meeting the desired pressure distribution requirements.

[0032] In the above embodiments, the leading-edge anti-icing device is applicable to aircraft slats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that this leading-edge anti-icing device can also be applied to other fields.

[0033] A second aspect of the invention relates to an aircraft equipped with a leading-edge anti-icing device as described in the first aspect of the invention.

[0034] In summary, the leading-edge anti-icing device according to the present invention has the following advantages:

[0035] (i) Hot gas flows on the skin surface, significantly improving heat utilization efficiency;

[0036] (ii) It avoids other structures being directly exposed to the hot gas environment, and significantly reduces heat loss;

[0037] (iii) Since the exhaust gas flowing through the hot air passage is discharged in a concentrated manner through the exhaust pipe, the influence of hot gas on other structures is eliminated, and damage to composite material parts in the nearby area is also avoided.

[0038] (iv) The layout of the hot air duct can be flexibly designed according to the location of icing and the need for anti-icing. The variable cross-section and curved design of the hot air duct are conducive to further improving the de-icing effect. Attached Figure Description

[0039] To further illustrate the structure and technical effects of the leading-edge anti-icing device according to the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, wherein:

[0040] Figure 1 This is a general schematic diagram of an aircraft equipped with a leading-edge anti-icing device according to the present invention;

[0041] Figure 2A This is a perspective view of the leading edge anti-icing device as seen from the outside side;

[0042] Figure 2B This is a perspective view of the leading edge anti-icing device as seen from its internal side.

[0043] Figure 3 yes Figure 2A and 2B The diagram shown is an exploded view of the leading edge anti-icing device, which is divided into two parts: the piping assembly and the leading edge skin.

[0044] Figure 4 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the air supply pipe and air distribution pipe that make up the leading edge anti-icing device;

[0045] Figure 5 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the hot air duct that makes up the leading edge anti-icing device;

[0046] Figure 6 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the air intake pipe and exhaust pipe that make up the leading-edge anti-icing device; and

[0047] Figure 7 and Figure 5 A similar diagram shows the path and direction of the hot airflow in the hot air duct, indicated by solid lines with arrows.

[0048] Figure Labels

[0049] 1 Leading edge anti-icing device

[0050] 2 Piping Components

[0051] 3. Gas supply pipe

[0052] 4-way air manifold

[0053] 5. Hot air duct

[0054] 51 Hot gas piping

[0055] 52. Cross-section of hot gas pipeline

[0056] 6. Gas collection tube

[0057] 7. Exhaust pipe

[0058] 8 Leading edge skin Detailed Implementation

[0059] The structure, working principle, and technical effects of the leading edge anti-icing device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] It should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification cover only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described in this specification without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0061] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0062] For example, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. The singular forms "a," "described," and "the" as used in the embodiments of the invention and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0063] Figure 1 An aircraft equipped with a leading-edge anti-icing device 1 is schematically shown. Figure 1 As shown, the leading-edge anti-icing device 1 is arranged on the leading edge of the aircraft's slats. Since the slats of an aircraft all have streamlined shapes made according to aerodynamic principles, the leading-edge anti-icing device 1 arranged at its leading edge should also be designed to have a corresponding streamlined shape, which will be described in detail below.

[0064] Figure 2A and Figure 2B These are perspective views of the leading-edge anti-icing device, seen from both the outer and inner sides. (Example:) Figure 2A As shown, the leading edge anti-icing device 1 has a streamlined body, which helps to improve the lift, drag and fuel efficiency of the aircraft. This should be well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0065] from Figure 2B As can be clearly seen, the air supply pipe 3 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the streamlined body of the leading edge anti-icing device 1 and extends along the length of the streamlined body. In other words, the air supply pipe 3 is essentially surrounded by the streamlined body of the leading edge anti-icing device 1 and is hidden within the space enclosed by the leading edge anti-icing device 1 when viewed from the outside. The specific arrangement of the air supply pipe 3 will be described in detail below in conjunction with the construction of the leading edge anti-icing device 1.

[0066] Please see Figure 3 This figure is an exploded view of the leading edge anti-icing device 1. It can be seen that the leading edge anti-icing device 1 includes a piping assembly 2 and a leading edge skin 8 covering the outer peripheral surface of the piping assembly 2. Based on the above description, the streamlined main body of the leading edge anti-icing device 1 can be considered as... Figure 3 Piping assembly 2. This piping assembly 2 is a slender sheet metal part with a generally streamlined cross-section. It will be discussed below in conjunction with... Figures 4 to 6 Describe the specific structure of piping assembly 2.

[0067] The piping assembly 2 includes: a distribution pipe 4 located at the air inlet end, which is connected to the air supply pipe 3 at the air inlet end; a hot air passage 5 arranged along the length of the piping assembly 2, which is composed of multiple hot air pipes 51, and the distribution pipe 4 is also connected to the first end of the hot air passage 5 at the air inlet end; a collecting pipe 6 located at the exhaust end, which is connected to the second end of the hot air passage 5 at the exhaust end; and an exhaust pipe 7, which is connected to the collecting pipe 6 at the exhaust end.

[0068] like Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the structure of the pipeline assembly 2 at its air inlet end is illustrated, mainly including the air supply pipe 3 and the air distribution pipe 4.

[0069] from Figure 4 As can be seen, the air supply pipe 3 extends along the length of the piping assembly 2, i.e., along the wingspan of the aircraft, within the space bounded by the leading-edge anti-icing device 1. Its end near the air inlet of the piping assembly 2 connects to the air distribution pipe 4 to deliver hot gas from the heat source to the air distribution pipe 4 for subsequent air distribution. Preferably, the air supply pipe 3 tapers progressively along the length of the piping assembly 2 according to pressure distribution requirements.

[0070] The air distribution pipe 4 is installed at the air inlet end of the piping assembly 2 and has a streamlined shape that is substantially the same as that of the piping assembly 2. In this embodiment, the air supply pipe 3 is preferably connected to the inside of the air distribution pipe 4 via a connecting port. Of course, for those skilled in the art, any modifications that eliminate the connecting port and directly connect the air supply pipe 3 and the air distribution pipe 4, or that integrate the two, should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0071] like Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the streamlined main body constituting the leading edge anti-icing device 1, namely the hot air passage 5 of the pipeline assembly 2, is illustrated.

[0072] In this figure, the left end of the piping assembly 2 is the air inlet, and the right end is the exhaust end. It can be seen that the hot air passage 5 consists of multiple hot air pipes 51 extending from the air inlet along the length of the piping assembly 2 to the exhaust end. The number and distribution of these hot air pipes 51 are substantially consistent with the pre-set interfaces on the air distribution pipe 4, allowing the air distribution pipe 4 to communicate with the end of the hot air passage 5 near the air inlet of the piping assembly 2 at the air inlet. In this embodiment, the shape of the air distribution pipe 4 resembles a dental brace that can be nested on teeth. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the shape of the air distribution pipe 4, the number of hot air pipes 51, and their distribution within the scope of protection of this invention, and such modifications will not exceed the scope of protection of this invention.

[0073] Please continue reading Figure 5 The hot air duct 5 extends continuously along the length of the pipe assembly 2, and each hot air duct 51 can have a different arrangement density depending on the icing position at the leading edge and / or the hot air flow rate requirement.

[0074] As an example, at least one hot air pipe 51 in the hot air duct 5 can be arranged in a straight line or a curved line. In this case, the arrangement density of the hot air pipes 51 will depend on the spacing between each hot air pipe 51 and the adjacent hot air pipes 51. That is, the smaller the spacing between the hot air pipes, the greater the arrangement density of the hot air pipes, and vice versa.

[0075] As another example, the cross-section 52 of the hot gas pipe 51 can be designed as a constant cross-section or a variable cross-section, such as... Figure 5 As shown. Similarly, as the cross-section 52 of the hot gas pipeline 51 gradually increases, the spacing between the hot gas pipelines decreases, and the arrangement density of the hot gas pipelines increases accordingly, and vice versa.

[0076] like Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the structure of the pipeline assembly 2 at its exhaust end mainly includes the gas collection pipe 6 and the exhaust pipe 7.

[0077] from Figure 6As can be seen, the gas collecting pipe 6 is installed at the exhaust end of the pipe assembly 2, and it has a streamlined shape that is substantially the same as that of the pipe assembly 2 and the gas distribution pipe 4. In this embodiment, the exhaust pipe 7 is preferably connected to the outside of the gas collecting pipe 6 by means of a connecting port. Of course, for those skilled in the art, any modifications that eliminate the connecting port and directly connect the exhaust pipe 7 to the gas collecting pipe 6, or that integrate the two, should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0078] Similar to the gas distribution pipe 4, the number and distribution of hot gas pipes 51 are substantially the same as the preset interfaces on the gas collecting pipe 6, allowing the gas collecting pipe 6 to communicate with one end of the hot gas passage 5 near the exhaust end of the pipe assembly 2. This enables the hot gas leaving the hot gas passage 5 to enter the exhaust pipe 7 via the gas collecting pipe 6 for subsequent discharge. In this embodiment, the shape of the gas collecting pipe 6 is also similar to a dental brace that can be nested on teeth. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the shape of the gas collecting pipe 6 within the scope of protection of this invention, and such modifications will not exceed the scope of protection of this invention.

[0079] The following will combine Figure 7 Detailed description of the flow process of hot gas in the leading edge anti-icing device:

[0080] like Figure 7 As indicated by the solid arrows, hot gas from a heat source (not shown) is introduced into the air supply pipe 9. At the air inlet of the pipe assembly 2, the hot gas flows out from the air supply pipe 9 and is introduced into the various hot gas pipes 51 that constitute the hot gas duct 5 via the air distribution pipe 4. As the hot gas gradually fills the various hot gas pipes 51, the hot gas begins to be transported along the length of the pipe assembly 2, i.e., along the wingspan of the aircraft, toward the exhaust end of the pipe assembly 2, and heats the leading edge skin 8 covering the pipe assembly 2. After reaching the exhaust end of the pipe assembly 2, the heated exhaust gas enters the exhaust pipe 7 via the air collection pipe 6 and is finally discharged from the fuselage structure from the exhaust pipe 7.

[0081] Compared with traditional leading-edge anti-icing devices, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0082] (i) Hot gas flows on the skin surface, significantly improving heat utilization efficiency;

[0083] (ii) No other structures are directly exposed to the hot gas environment, resulting in a significant reduction in heat loss;

[0084] (iii) Because the exhaust gas flowing through the hot air passage is discharged in a centralized manner through the exhaust pipe, the influence of hot gas on other structures is eliminated;

[0085] (iv) The layout of the hot air duct can be flexibly designed according to the location of icing and the need for anti-icing. The variable cross-section and curved design of the hot air duct are conducive to further improving the de-icing effect.

[0086] Although the structure, working principle, and technical effects of the leading-edge anti-icing device according to the present invention have been described above in conjunction with preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above examples are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the invention. Therefore, modifications and variations can be made to the invention within the spirit and scope of the claims, and all such modifications and variations will fall within the scope claimed by the claims.

Claims

1. A leading-edge anti-icing device (1), comprising: Piping assembly (2); as well as The leading edge skin (8) covering the outer peripheral surface of the pipeline assembly (2), Its features are, The leading-edge anti-icing device (1) is suitable for aircraft slats. The piping assembly (2) includes: An air supply pipe (3) is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe assembly (2) and extends along the length direction of the pipe assembly (2); A distribution pipe (4) located at the air inlet end, the distribution pipe (4) being connected to the air supply pipe (3) at the air inlet end; A hot air duct (5) is arranged along the length of the pipeline assembly (2). The hot air duct (5) is composed of multiple hot air pipelines (51). The gas distribution pipe (4) is also connected to the first end of the hot air duct (5) at the air inlet end. A gas collecting pipe (6) located at the exhaust end, the gas collecting pipe (6) being connected at the second end of the exhaust end to the hot gas passage (5); and An exhaust pipe (7) is connected to the gas collecting pipe (6) at the exhaust end. The hot air duct (5) extends continuously along the length of the pipe assembly (2), and the hot air duct (51) has different arrangement densities depending on the icing position at the leading edge and / or the hot air flow rate requirement, and the cross section (52) is designed as a constant cross section or a variable cross section.

2. The leading edge anti-icing device (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The piping assembly (2) is a slender sheet metal part with a generally streamlined cross-section.

3. The leading edge anti-icing device (1) as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The gas distribution pipe (4) has a streamlined shape that is substantially the same as that of the pipeline assembly (2).

4. The leading edge anti-icing device (1) as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The gas collecting pipe (6) has a streamlined shape that is substantially the same as that of the pipeline assembly (2).

5. The leading edge anti-icing device (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the hot air ducts (51) in the hot air duct (5) is arranged in a straight line or a curved line.

6. The leading edge anti-icing device (1) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas supply pipe (3) gradually tapers along the length of the pipeline assembly (2) according to the pressure distribution requirements.

7. An aircraft equipped with a leading-edge anti-icing device (1) as described in claim 1.

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