Rotatable Airflow Disruptor Plate for Gas Turbine Anti-Ice Exhaust Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-ice systems for aircraft generate high-temperature air that can lead to overheating of external surfaces, requiring special materials or increased structural weight to manage heat effects, and may impinge on critical areas due to inadequate airflow mixing.
Innovation Solution
An airflow disruptor with a rotatable plate upstream of the exhaust port, actuated by a temperature sensor and control system, creates turbulence in external airflow to mix and cool the exhaust flow before it impinges on surfaces, using a temperature sensor to adjust the plate's position based on exhaust duct temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high temperature air is exhausted directly from the exhaust port, then the anti-ice system effectiveness is improved, but the external surface overheating increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary airflow disruptor plate positioned between the exhaust port and the external surface. This disruptor creates turbulence in the external airflow, which acts as a mediator to mix with and cool the hot exhaust air before it impinges on the surface, thus reducing overheating while maintaining anti-ice effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow regime parameter of the external airflow by introducing turbulence through the disruptor plate. This parameter change transforms the laminar external flow into a turbulent flow, enhancing mixing and heat transfer characteristics that cool the exhaust air without compromising the anti-ice system performance
2Object-affected harmful factors
If special materials are used to accommodate heating effects, then the surface overheating is reduced, but the structural weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using heavy heat-resistant materials, the patent employs an intermediary airflow disruptor that creates turbulence to cool the exhaust air. This approach reduces the need for special heat-resistant materials, thereby reducing structural weight while still managing heating effects
3Productivity
If the disruptor plate is positioned further upstream, then the airflow mixing is improved, but the aerodynamic performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable disruptor plate that can be positioned dynamically based on flight conditions. The plate is actuated by a actuator mechanism that adjusts its position to optimize the balance between airflow mixing efficiency and aerodynamic performance, allowing adaptation to different operating regimes
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 solution reduces the temperature of the exhaust flow, allowing for the use of lighter, less expensive materials downstream and mitigating overheating issues, while maintaining aerodynamic performance by controlling the disruptor plate's position based on temperature thresholds.
Implementation Method 1
the external airflow is turbulated upstream of the exhaust port
Implementation Method 2
aerodynamic disruption and flow mixing of anti-ice system exit air
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is placed to sense temperature in the exhaust duct
Data Source
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AI summary
An airflow disruptor (34, 134, 234) for a gas turbine engine bleed air exhaust port (28) employs a disruptor plate (36) rotatably mounted upstream from an exhaust port (28) of an exhaust duct (26). An actuator is coupled to the disruptor plate (36) and adapted to rotate the disruptor plate (36) into an external airflow (29) responsive to temperature of exhaust flow (31) in the exhaust port (28) whereby the external airflow (29) is turbulated upstream of the exhaust port (28).