Integrated thermal anti-icing and environmental control system

Claim 2

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring temperature conditioned compressed air; an air mixing station; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the air mixing station; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the heat exchanger means to the air mixing station; fourth duct means delivering mixed air from the air mixing station to said second region; wherein the first region requiring heat for combating ice formation is an engine inlet cowl having cowl wall means defining the leading edge portions of the inlet cowl and an internal wall defining with said cowl wall means an annular chamber inside the cowl; said heat exchanger means comprising circumferential tube means situated inside of said chamber through which the first portion of the hot compressed air flows; and means for circulating low pressure heat transfer air through the cowl chamber, said heat transfer air having a pressure that is lower than the pressure of said hot compressed air, for picking up heat from the first heat exchanger means and delivering it to the cowl wall means.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, further comprising heat transfer fins on the circumferential tube means.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger means comprises a plurality of tubular rings, some of which are in heat transfering contact with sidewall surface portions of the cowl chamber, to directly transfer heat thereto by conduction.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 1, wherein said cowl chamber includes inlet and outlet openings for ambient air.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 4, wherein at least some of the inlet openings are located in a forward portion of the cowl wall means, so that ambient air is rammed into such openings during airplane travel.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 4, wherein at least some of the outlet openings are formed in the cowl wall means where the local pressure is lower than at the inlet openings.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 6, wherein at least some of the inlet openings are located in a forward portion of the cowl wall means, so that ambient air is rammed into such openings during airplane travel.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 1, comprising inner wall means within said cowl chamber dividing said chamber into a forward plenum and a rearward plenum, with said heat exchanger tube means being located within the forward plenum, said inner wall means including a sidewall spaced inwardly from the cowl wall means, so as to define an air passageway between said walls, and openings in the inner wall means between the forward plenum and said passageway and further openings in said inner wall between a rearward portion of said passageway and the rear plenum, and means for moving air from the rear plenum into the forward plenum, whereby such air will flow around the heat exchanger tube means and pick up heat and will then flow out through the first openings into the air passageway and then from such passageway through the second openings back into the second plenum.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 8, wherein said air moving means is a mechanical fan means.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 1, comprising inner wall means within the cowl chamber dividing such chamber into a forward plenum and a rearward plenum, said wall means including a sidewall means spaced inwardly from the sidewall of the cowl wall means to define a passageway between them, wherein the heat exchanger tube means is housed within the forward plenum chamber; means for delivering low pressure and temperature heat transfer air into the forward plenum, to flow over and around the heat exchanger tube means; outlet openings in a nose portion of the inner wall means, through which heat transfer air flows out from the first plenum means into the passageway between the inner wall means and the cowl wall means, and additional passageway means in the inner wall means through which air from the passageway flows into the rear plenum, and dump openings in an outer rear sidewall portion of the cowl chamber, for discharging heat transfer air from the passageway and the second plenum to the atmosphere.

Claim 12

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a first flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring heat for combating ice formation, including a second heat exchanger means having an inlet; air mixing means having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet, a mixed air outlet, and an ambient air inlet including check valve means adapted to open in response to a drop in pressure within the air mixing means below the ambient pressure, to admit ambient air into the air mixing means as a second source of secondary air; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said first heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the primary air inlet of the air mixing means; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the first heat exchanger means directly to the secondary air inlet of the air mixing means; and fourth duct means delivering mixed primary and secondary air from the outlet of the air mixing means to the inlet of the second heat exchanger means.

Claim 13

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a first flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring heat for combating ice formation, including a second heat exchanger means having an inlet; air mixing means having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet, a mixed air outlet, and an ambient air inlet including check valve means adapted to open in response to a drop in pressure within the air mixing means below the ambient pressure, to admit ambient air into the air mixing means as a second source of secondary air; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said first heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the primary air inlet of the air mixing means; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the first heat exchanger means directly to the secondary air inlet of the air mixing means; and fourth duct means delivering mixed primary and secondary air from the outlet of the air mixing means to the inlet of the second heat exchanger means.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 11, comprising means for sensing the temperature of air in the third duct means; flow control valve means in the first duct means, and means for adjusting said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature in the third duct means sensed by the temperature sensing means, for automatically controlling the flow rate of hot compressed air into the first heat exchanger means as a way of maintaining the air flowing through the third duct means at a desired temperature level.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11, further comprising temperature sensing means in the fourth duct means; flow control valve means in the second duct means; and means for regulating said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature of the air flowing through the fourth duct means, for adjusting the flow rate of hot compressed air into the primary air inlet of the air mixing means as a way of maintaining the air which is delivered from the air mixing means to the second heat exchange at a desired temperature level.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 11, wherein the air mixing means is a fixed nozzle area type ejector and the primary air inlet is an ejector nozzle.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 11, wherein the first region requiring heat for combating ice formation is an engine inlet cowl having cowl wall means defining the leading edge portions of the inlet cowl and an internal wall defining with said cowl wall means an annular chamber inside the cowl; and the first heat exchanger means comprises circumferential tube means situated inside of said chamber through which the first portion of the hot compressed air flows.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 15, further comprising means for circulating heat transfer air through the cowl chamber, for picking heat fom the first heat exchanger means and delivering it to the cowl wall means.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 15, further comprising heat transfer fins on the circumferential tube means.

Claim 20

A system according to claim 15, wherein said first heat exchanger means comprises a plurality of tubular rings, at least some of which are arranged to be in thermal contact with the sidewall surface portions of the cowl chamber, to directly transfer heat thereto by conduction.

Claim 21

A system according to claim 15, wherein said cowl chamber includes inlet and outlet openings for ambient air.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 19, wherein at least some of the inlet openings are located in a forward portion of the cowl wall means, so that ambient air is rammed into such openings during airplane travel.

Claim 23

A system according to claim 19, wherein at least some of the outlet openings are formed in the cowl wall means where the local pressure is lower than at the inlet openings.

Claim 24

A system according to claim 21, wherein at least some of the inlet openings are located in a forward portion of the cowl wall means, so that ambient air is rammed into such openings during airplane travel.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 15, comprising inner wall means within said cowl chamber dividing said chamber into a forward plenum and a rearward plenum, with said heat exchanger tube means being located within the forward plenum, said inner wall means including a sidewall spaced inwardly from the cowl wall means, so as to define an air passageway between said walls, and openings in the inner wall means between the forward plenum and said passageway and further openings in said inner wall between a rearward portion of said passageway and the rear plenum, and means for moving air from the rear plenum into the forward plenum, whereby such air will flows around the heat exchanger tube means and picks up heat and will then flow out through the first openings into the air passageway and then from such passageway through the second openings back into the second plenum.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 23, wherein said air moving means is a mechanical fan means.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 15, comprising inner wall means within the cowl chamber dividing such chamber into a forward plenum and a rearward plenum, said wall means including a sidewall means spaced inwardly from the sidewall of the cowl wall means to define a passageway between them, wherein the heat exchanger ring means is housed within the forward plenum chamber; means fo delivering low pressure and temperature heat transfer air into the forward plenum, to flow over and around the heat exchanger tube means; outlet openings in a nose portion of the inner wall means, through which heat transfer air flows outfrom the first plenum means into the passageway between the inner wall means and the cowl wall means, and additional passageway means in the inner wall means through which air from the passageway flows into the rear plenum, and dump openings in a sidewall portion of the cowl chamber, for discharging heat transfer air from the passageway and the second plenum to the atmosphere.

Claim 28

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a first flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring heat for combating ice formation, including a second heat exchanger means having an inlet; air mixing means positioned between the first and second regions, said air mixing means having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet and a mixed air outlet; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said first heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the primary air inlet of the air mixing means; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the first heat exchanger means directly to the secondary air inlet of the air mixing means; fourth duct means delivering mixed primary and secondary air from the outlet of the air mixing means to the inlet of the second heat exchanger means; means for sensing the temperature of air in the third duct means; flow control valve means in the first duct means; means for adjusting said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature in the third duct means sensed by the temperature sensing means, for automatically controlling the flow rate of hot compressed air into the first heat exchanger means as a way of maintaining the air flowing through the third duct means at a desired temperature level; temperature sensing means in the fourth duct means; flow control valve means in the second duct means; and means for regulating said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature of the air flowing through the fourth duct means, sensed by said second temperature sensing means, for adjusting the flow rate of hot compressed air into the primary air inlet of the air mixing means as a way of maintaining the air which is delivered from the air mixing means to the second heat exchange means at a desired temperature level for use in the second heat exchanger means.

Claim 29

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a first flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring heat for combating ice formation, including a second heat exchanger means having an inlet; air mixing means positioned between the first and second regions, said air mixing means having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet and a mixed air outlet; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said first heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the primary air inlet of the air mixing means; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the first heat exchanger means directly to the secondary air inlet of the air mixing means; fourth duct means delivering mixed primary and secondary air from the outlet of the air mixing means to the inlet of the second heat exchanger means; means for sensing the temperature of air in the third duct means; flow control valve means in the first duct means; means for adjusting said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature in the third duct means sensed by the temperature sensing means, for automatically controlling the flow rate of hot compressed air into the first heat exchanger means as a way of maintaining the air flowing through the third duct means at a desired temperature level; temperature sensing means in the fourth duct means; flow control valve means in the second duct means; and means for regulating said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature of the air flowing through the fourth duct means, sensed by said second temperature sensing means, for adjusting the flow rate of hot compressed air into the primary air inlet of the air mixing means as a way of maintaining the air which is delivered from the air mixing means to the second heat exchange means at a desired temperature level for use in the second heat exchanger means.

Claim 30

A system according to claim 26 wherein the air mixing means is a fixed nozzle area type ejector and the primary air inlet is an ejector nozzle.

Claim 31

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a first flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring heat for combating ice formation, including a second heat exchanger means having an inlet; air mixing means positioned between the first and second regions, said air mixing means having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet and a mixed air outlet; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said first heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the primary air inlet of the air mixing means; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the first heat exchanger means directly to the secondary air inlet of the air mixing means; fourth duct means delivering mixed primary and secondary air from the outlet of the air mixing means to the inlet of the second heat exchanger means; means for sensing the temperature of air in the third duct means; flow control valve means in the first duct means; means for adjusting said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature in the third duct means sensed by the temperature sensing means, for automatically controlling the flow rate of hot compressed air into the first heat exchanger means as a way of maintaining the air flowing through the third duct means at a desired temperature level; wherein the first region requiring heat for combatting ice formation is an engine inlet cowl having cowl wall means defining the leading edge portions of the inlet cowl and an internal wall defining with said cowl wall means an annular chamber inside the cowl; the first heat exchanger means comprises circumferential tube means situated inside of said chamber through which the first portion of the hot compressed air flows; and means for circulating low pressure heat transfer air through the cowl chamber, said heat transfer air having a pressure that is lower than the pressure of said hot compressed air, for picking up heat from the first heat exchanger means and delivering it to the cowl wall means.

Claim 32

A pneumatic service system aboard an airplane, comprising: a source of hot compressed air; a first region requiring heat for combating ice formation including a first flow through heat exchanger means having an inlet and an outlet; a second region requiring heat for combating ice formation, including a second heat exchanger means having an inlet; air mixing means positioned between the first and second regions, said air mixing means having a primary air inlet, a secondary air inlet and a mixed air outlet; first duct means delivering a first portion of the hot compressed air to the inlet of said first heat exchanger means; second duct means delivering a second portion of the hot compressed air to the primary air inlet of the air mixing means; third duct means delivering air from the outlet of the first heat exchanger means directly to the secondary air inlet of the air mixing means; fourth duct means delivering mixed primary and secondary air from the outlet of the air mixing means to the inlet of the second heat exchanger means; means for sensing the temperature of air in the third duct means; flow control valve means in the first duct means; means for adjusting said flow control valve means in response to a change in temperature in the third duct means sensed by the temperature sensing means, for automatically controlling the flow rate of hot compressed air into the first heat exchanger means as a way of maintaining the air flowing through the third duct means at a desired temperature level; wherein the first region requiring heat for combatting ice formation is an engine inlet cowl having cowl wall means defining the leading edge portions of the inlet cowl and an internal wall defining with said cowl wall means an annular chamber inside the cowl; the first heat exchanger means comprises circumferential tube means situated inside of said chamber through which the first portion of the hot compressed air flows; and means for circulating low pressure heat transfer air through the cowl chamber, said heat transfer air having a pressure that is lower than the pressure of said hot compressed air, for picking up heat from the first heat exchanger means and delivering it to the cowl wall means.

Claim 33

A system according to claim 28, further comprising heat transfer fins on the circumferential tube means.

Claim 34

A system according to claim 28, wherein said first heat exchanger means comprises a plurality of tubular rings, at least some of which are arranged to be in thermal contact with the sidewall surface portions of the cowl chamber, to directly transfer heat thereto by conduction.

Claim 35

A system according to claim 28, wherein said cowl chamber includes inlet and outlet openings for ambient air.

Claim 36

A system according to claim 31, wherein at least some of the inlet openings are located in a forward portion of the cowl wall means, so that ambient air is rammed into such openings during airplane travel.

Claim 37

A system according to claim 31, wherein at least some of the outlet openings are formed in the cowl wall means where the local pressure is lower than at the inlet openings.

Claim 38

A system according to claim 33, wherein at least some of the inlet openings are located in a forward portion of the cowl wall means, so that ambient air is rammed into such openings during airplane travel.

Claim 39

A system according to claim 28, comprising inner wall means within said cowl chamber dividing said chamber into a forward plenum and a rearward plenum, with said heat exchanger tube means being located within the forward plenum, said inner wall means including a sidewall spaced inwardly from the cowl wall means, so as to define an air passageway between said walls, and openings in the inner wall means between the forward plenum and said passageway and further openings in said inner wall between a rearward portion of said passageway and the rear plenum, and means for moving air from the rear plenum into the forward plenum, whereby such air will flow around the heat exchanger tube means and pick up heat and will then flow out through the first openings into the air passageway and then from such passageway through the second openings back into the second plenum.

Claim 40

A system according to claim 35, wherein said air moving means is a mechanical fan means.

Claim 41

A system according to claim 28, comprising inner wall means within the cowl chamber dividing such chamber into a forward plenum and a rearward plenum, said wall means including a sidewall means spaced inwardly from the sidewall of the cowl wall means to define a passageway between them, wherein the heat exchanger tube means is housed within the forward plenum chamber; means for delivering low pressure and temperature heat transfer air into the forward plenum, to flow over and around the heat exchanger tube means; outlet openings in a nose portion of the inner wall means, through which heat transfer air flows outfrom the first plenum means into the passageway between the inner wall means and the cowl wall means, and additional passageway means in the inner wall means through which air from the passageway flows into the rear plenum, and dump openings in a sidewall portion of the cowl chamber, for discharging heat transfer air from the passageway and the second plenum to the atmosphere.