Aircraft Turbine Inlet Cone Eccentric Tip Ice Detachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engine air inlet cones are prone to ice accretion, which can lead to damage when ice breaks off and ingests into the engine, as existing de-icing systems are costly, complex, and inefficient in rapidly detaching ice layers due to the rotating nature of the cone.
Innovation Solution
An air inlet cone with a frustoconical body and a tip made from elastically deformable material, featuring an inclined connecting plane that creates an eccentric shape, amplifying centrifugal forces to rapidly detach ice accretions before they reach critical sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional rigid inlet cone with axisymmetric tip is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but ice accretion accumulates unevenly and ice pieces can grow to large sizes before breaking off, causing damage to fan blades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by making the tip of the inlet cone non-axisymmetric, specifically with an eccentric base that is not perpendicular to the rotation axis. This asymmetric geometry causes uneven ice distribution during rotation, promoting more frequent and controlled ice break-off before ice accumulates to dangerous sizes, thereby protecting the engine without requiring complex de-icing systems
2Reliability
If a flexible material tip is used to detach ice layer, then ice can be detached from the cone surface, but the detachment process is slow and incomplete for large ice layers formed during in-flight operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes mechanical vibration through the rotating motion of the inlet cone itself. The non-axisymmetric geometry creates varying centrifugal forces during rotation that effectively vibrate and stress the ice layer, causing it to break off more rapidly and completely compared to static or slowly rotating configurations, thus reducing ice detachment time during in-flight operation
3Reliability
If a de-icing system is implemented on the rotating inlet cone, then ice accretion can be managed, but the system becomes expensive in terms of mass and size and difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing the inlet cone itself to perform the ice management function through its inherent rotating motion and non-axisymmetric geometry. The cone's rotation naturally creates centrifugal forces that promote ice break-off, eliminating the need for external de-icing systems such as heating elements or mechanical removal devices, thereby reducing mass, size, and complexity while maintaining effective ice management
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 design effectively reduces ice fragment size and impact energy on the turbine engine, offering a simple, reliable, and cost-effective solution with minimal space penalty, ensuring efficient ice de-accretion and prolonged service life.
Implementation Method 1
the larger the size of the ice layer, the slower and more difficult it is to form cracks in this layer. Such a solution is therefore not sufficient to quickly and completely detach the ice layer forming on the tip of the inlet cone
Implementation Method 2
a tip made from elastically deformable material fixed to an end of smaller diameter of said body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention thus proposes an inlet cone for an aircraft turbine engine, comprising a frustoconical body and a tip made from elastically deformable material fixed to an end of smaller diameter of said body, the tip comprising a top configured to be situated on an axis of rotation of the cone and a fastening base for attachment on said end of said body. Said base extends in a connecting plane P. Said connecting plane P is inclined relative to said axis of rotation. Said base has a generally circular or oval shape. According to the invention, said connecting plane P is inclined relative to a transverse plane T perpendicular to said axis of rotation.