Aircraft Structure Dual-Vent Cooling for Composite Anti-Icing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing engine bleed air based thermal anti-icing systems for aircraft structures face issues with high exit temperatures, leading to weight increase and design complexity due to the use of metallic doors, which are necessary to withstand these temperatures.

Innovation Solution

Aircraft structure design featuring dual exhaust vents, where a first vent exhausts a stream of gas that attaches to the structure and a second vent disrupts the ambient airflow to mix with the first stream, reducing thermal damage by cooling the first stream before it attaches to the structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If hot engine bleed air is exhausted directly onto the aircraft structure for anti-icing, then the anti-icing effectiveness is improved, but the thermal damage risk to composite materials increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanti-icing effectivenessVSAvoidthermal damage to composite

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A second exhaust vent is introduced as an intermediary element between the hot gas source and the composite structure. This vent delivers cooler ambient air that mixes with the hot bleed air in the airflow, reducing the temperature of the gas that ultimately contacts the composite leading edge, thereby preventing thermal damage while maintaining anti-icing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-icing system is segmented into two separate exhaust vents with distinct functions: the first vent delivers hot engine bleed air for anti-icing, while the second vent delivers cooler ambient air for thermal protection. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each vent's parameters and enables precise control over the temperature of gas contacting the composite structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Temperature

If a metallic door is used aft of the exhaust vent to withstand high temperatures, then the thermal resistance is improved, but the weight and design complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal resistanceVSAvoiddoor weight

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The high-temperature hot bleed air, which poses a harmful effect on composite materials, is converted into a beneficial resource by using it to heat the leading edge for anti-icing. Simultaneously, the ambient air that would normally be wasted is utilized to cool the mixture, protecting the composite structure. This converts two potential problems (hot gas damage and wasted ambient air) into beneficial functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature parameter of the gas contacting the composite structure is changed from high (350°C+) to a controlled lower temperature through mixing with ambient air from the second vent. This parameter change eliminates the need for high-temperature resistant metallic components while maintaining anti-icing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Area of stationary object

If the first exhaust vent has a larger area to exhaust more hot gas, then the anti-icing coverage is improved, but the thermal damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexhaust vent areaVSAvoidthermal damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature parameter of the exhaust gas is changed by introducing a second vent that delivers ambient air to mix with the hot bleed air. This allows the first vent to maintain its larger area for adequate anti-icing coverage while the mixed gas temperature remains safe for composite materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The dual vent system effectively cools the high-temperature gas stream, reducing thermal damage to fibre-reinforced composite materials by maintaining a sufficient temperature difference, thereby minimizing weight and design complexity.

Implementation Method 1

the second stream of gas disrupts the ambient airflow over the aircraft structure to generate a disrupted ambient airflow which mixes with the first stream of gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMixing:

Implementation Method 2

the second stream of gas disrupts the ambient airflow over the aircraft structure to generate a disrupted ambient airflow which mixes with the first stream of gas, thereby cooling the first stream of gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

the first stream of gas heats the fibre-reinforced composite material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4628402A1Cooling of gas flowing over aircraft structure

Publication Date: 2025.10.08 AIRBUS (SAS)

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Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~5B

AI summary

An aircraft structure configured to be exposed to an ambient airflow which flows over the structure in an airflow direction. The aircraft structure comprises: a first exhaust vent configured to exhaust a first stream of gas into the ambient airflow; and a second exhaust vent configured to exhaust a second stream of gas into the ambient airflow. The first exhaust vent is positioned downstream of the second exhaust vent in the airflow direction, the first exhaust vent is positioned in line with the second exhaust vent relative to the airflow direction, and the first exhaust vent has a larger area than the second exhaust vent.