Protective cover for aircraft propulsion engine.

Abstract

Protective cover for an aircraft propulsion engine. The protective cover (10) for a propulsion engine (3) of an aircraft (1) is made of a material having a sufficiently high air permeability index to prevent the accumulation of moisture inside the engine or a nacelle (5) surrounding the engine. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Protective cover for aircraft propulsion engine.

[0001] The invention relates to the field of protection of aircraft propulsion engines. When an aircraft is parked on the ground, especially if the parking period exceeds a few days, it is customary to protect an air inlet and sometimes an air outlet of the engine by means of a protective cover. This cover is generally installed on a nacelle surrounding the engine, more particularly at the level of an air inlet lip of the nacelle. The purpose of installing such a cover is in particular to protect the engine and the nacelle from sand, rain, strong wind as well as intrusions of insects or birds. Such a cover is generally made of a material corresponding to a plastic or a fabric impregnated with plastic, so as to be watertight and airtight.

[0002] However, it has been observed that during prolonged parking of an aircraft, for example for a period of several weeks or several months, such a cover promotes the accumulation of moisture inside the engine and the nacelle, in particular on the lip of the air intake of the nacelle. In order to avoid any risk of corrosion, it would be desirable to find a solution to this problem of moisture accumulation. Statement of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims in particular to provide a solution to this problem. It relates to a protective cover for a propulsion engine of an aircraft. This cover is remarkable in that it is made of a material having an air permeability index high enough to prevent the accumulation of moisture inside the engine or a nacelle surrounding the engine.

[0004] Thus, the material of the tarpaulin is a so-called “breathable” material, which prevents the accumulation of humidity inside the engine and the nacelle.

[0005] According to different embodiments which can be taken in isolation or in combination:

[0006] - said material corresponds to a mesh net of less than or equal to 2mm. In such a way particular, the mesh of the net is less than or equal to 1mm;

[0007] - said material is of the stretched PTFE type;

[0008] - the tarpaulin comprises a first part whose material is of the stretched PTFE type and a second part whose material corresponds to a mesh net of less than or equal to 2 mm. In particular, the first part corresponds to an external part of the tarpaulin, intended to be arranged at least in part on a nacelle surrounding the engine and the second part is an internal part of the tarpaulin, surrounded at least in part by the first part;

[0009] - the tarpaulin is intended to be installed at the level of an air inlet of a nacelle of an aircraft engine;

[0010] - the tarpaulin is intended to be installed at the level of an air outlet of an assembly engine plus nacelle of an aircraft. Description of the embodiments

[0011] The invention will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the attached figures.

[0012] [Fig.l] is a simplified perspective view of an aircraft.

[0013] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a protective cover for an aircraft propulsion engine, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0014] [Fig. 3] schematically illustrates a protective cover for an aircraft propulsion engine, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

[0015] The aircraft 1 shown in [Fig.l] comprises wings 4 secured to a fuselage 2. It also comprises propulsion engines 3 attached to the wings 4. An engine 3 is surrounded by a nacelle 5 as illustrated in [Fig.2]. When the aircraft 10 is parked on the ground, it can be equipped with a protective cover 10 for a propulsion engine 3. The cover 10 is arranged on an upstream part of the nacelle, the notion of upstream being considered in relation to the direction of air circulation in the engine when the latter is in operation. The cover 10 comprises a face 12 provided to obstruct an air inlet of the nacelle, as well as a rim 14 provided to attach the cover 10 to the nacelle 5, for example by means of fasteners 18.

[0016] In a first embodiment, the cover 10 is made of a material corresponding to stretched PTFE (acronym for polytetrafluoroethylene). This material has the property of being “breathable”, that is to say of allowing the evacuation of moisture contained in the engine or in the nacelle, due to a sufficiently high air permeability index of said material. Such a material is for example marketed under the brand name Gore® or Gore Tex®. This material allows the cover to fulfill its usual functions, that is to say of protecting the engine and the nacelle against the entry of dust, sand, rain, insects, birds, etc. In addition, the material being breathable, it has the advantage of preventing the accumulation of moisture inside the engine and the nacelle.This material is also flexible and can be easily stretched, which has the advantage of allowing the edge 14 of the tarpaulin to be well stretched and pressed against the nacelle 5 when the tarpaulin is installed on the nacelle.

[0017] In a second embodiment, the tarpaulin 10 is made of a material corresponding to a fine mesh net, for example less than or equal to 2 mm. In particular, the mesh of the net is less than or equal to 1 mm. This material allows It also allows the tarpaulin to fulfill its usual functions as long as the mesh of the net is fine enough. In addition, it is breathable since air can pass through the mesh of the net. This helps prevent moisture from accumulating inside the engine and the nacelle.

[0018] In a third embodiment, as shown in [Fig. 3], the tarpaulin 10 comprises a first part 12a, 14 whose material is of the stretched PTFE type and a second part 12b whose material corresponds to a fine mesh net. The dimensions of the mesh of the net are for example similar to those of the net of the second embodiment. The two parts of the tarpaulin are for example assembled together by sewing or welding. The first part 12a, 14 corresponds to an external part of the tarpaulin, intended to be arranged at least in part on the nacelle 5 and the second part 12b is an internal part of the tarpaulin, surrounded by the first part 12a. Thus, the second part 12b whose material corresponds to a net, is located in a central part of the face 12 of the tarpaulin.This embodiment makes it possible to benefit from the advantage of the first embodiment which allows the edge 14 of the cover to be well stretched and pressed against the nacelle 5 when the cover is installed on the nacelle. This also makes it possible to choose a net for the material of the second part 12b, which can be more breathable than the stretched PTFE type material of the first part, so as to increase the breathability of the cover 10 and thus improve the evacuation of moisture in the engine and the nacelle.

[0019] Although the different embodiments have been described for an air inlet cover of the engine 3 plus nacelle 5 assembly, this is not limiting of the invention which also applies to a cover intended to be arranged on an air outlet of the engine plus nacelle assembly.

Claims

Claims

1. 1) Protective cover (10) for a propulsion engine (3) of an aircraft (1), said cover being made of a material having an air permeability index sufficiently high to prevent the accumulation of moisture inside the engine (3) or a nacelle (5) surrounding the engine, characterized in that it comprises a first part (12a, 14) whose material is of the stretched PTFE type and a second part (12b) whose material corresponds to a mesh net of less than or equal to 2mm and in that the first part (12a, 14) corresponds to an external part of the cover, intended to be arranged at least in part on a nacelle (5) surrounding the engine and the second part (12b) is an internal part of the cover, surrounded at least in part by the first part.

2. 2) Tarpaulin according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the mesh of the net is less than or equal to 1 mm.

3. 3) Cover according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is intended to be installed at the level of an air inlet of a nacelle of an aircraft engine.

4. 4) Cover according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that it is intended to be installed at the level of an air outlet of an engine plus nacelle assembly of an aircraft.

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