IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,113,444
Granted Patent B2
US 10,113,444 · App. 14/708,819 · Granted Oct 30, 2018

Heated inlet guide vane

Inventors: Jianming Huang (Old Lyme, CT); Brian C. Lund (Moodus, CT); Zhen Wu (Niantic, CT)
Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
F01D25/12F01D5/021F01D9/02F01D9/065F01D25/02F01D25/24F02C7/047F05D2220/32F05D2260/201Y02T50/676
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,113,444
App. No.
14/708,819
Granted
Oct 30, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heated inlet guide vane is disclosed. The disclosed guide vane may include a body having an inlet cavity disposed alongside of an outlet cavity wherein the outlet cavity is disposed alongside the leading edge of the vane. The inlet cavity is in communication with a source of heated air. The inlet cavity is in communication with the outlet cavity by way of a plurality of impingement holes spaced along the inner wall disposed between the two cavities. Bleed holes are spaced along the length of the outlet cavity. Fresh, heated air enters the outlet cavity along the entire length of the outlet cavity and quickly exits the outlet cavity with minimal cooling so that a uniform d-icing capability is provided along the entire leading edge of the inlet guide vane.

Claims (37)

1. An inlet guide vane of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

an inlet cavity extending between a first end and a second end, the inlet cavity being in communication with a source of heated air,

an outlet cavity extending between the first end and the second end and located between the inlet cavity and a leading edge of the inlet guide vane,

an inner wall disposed between and separating the inlet cavity from the outlet cavity, the inner wall including a plurality of impingement holes providing communication between the inlet cavity and the outlet cavity,

a plurality of bleed holes providing communication between the outlet cavity and an outer surface of the inlet guide vane;

wherein the plurality of bleed holes and the plurality of impingement holes are located such that heated air travelling from the inlet cavity to the outlet cavity through the inner wall via at least one of the plurality of impingement holes will exit from the outlet cavity through one of the plurality of bleed holes prior to it travelling along the entire length of the outlet cavity and wherein airflow into the outer cavity and out of the outer cavity is only provided by the plurality of impingement holes and the plurality of bleed holes.

2. The inlet guide vane of claim 1 wherein the outlet cavity is elongated in shape and extends along the leading edge.

3. The inlet guide vane of claim 2 wherein the inlet cavity is elongated in shape and parallel to the outlet cavity.

4. The inlet guide vane of claim 1 wherein outlet cavity is parallel to the leading edge.

5. The inlet guide vane of claim 4 wherein inlet cavity is parallel to the outlet cavity.

6. The inlet guide vane of claim 1 wherein the plurality of impingement holes are spaced-apart along the inner wall.

7. The inlet guide vane of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bleed holes are spaced-apart along the outlet cavity.

8. The inlet guide vane of claim 7 wherein the bleed holes and impingement holes are longitudinally offset from one another.

9. The inlet guide vane of claim 1 wherein the inlet cavity is connected to a heated air passageway that extends through the first end and into a first mount connected to the first end, the first mount including a heated air inlet port in communication with the source of heated air.

10. The inlet guide vane of claim 9 wherein the second end is connected to a second mount, the first and second mounts being coaxial.

11. An inlet guide vane of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a body including a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge,

the body further including an elongated inlet cavity extending between the first end and the second end, the body further including an elongated outlet cavity extending between the first end and the second end and located between the inlet cavity and the leading edge, the inlet cavity being separated from the outlet cavity by an inner wall,

the inner wall including a plurality of impingement holes providing communication between the inlet cavity and the outlet cavity, the body further including a plurality of bleed holes providing communication between the outlet cavity and the outer surface of the body, the impingement holes being longitudinally offset from the bleed holes, and

the inlet cavity in communication with a source of heated air; and

wherein the plurality of bleed holes and the plurality of impingement holes are located such that heated air travelling from the inlet cavity to the outlet cavity through the inner wall via at least one of the plurality of impingement holes will exit from the outlet cavity through one of the plurality of bleed holes prior to it travelling along the entire length of the outlet cavity and wherein airflow into the outer cavity and out of the outer cavity is only provided by the plurality of impingement holes and the plurality of bleed holes.

12. The inlet guide vane of claim 11 wherein the outlet cavity is parallel to the leading edge.

13. The inlet guide vane of claim 12 wherein the inlet cavity is parallel to the outlet cavity.

14. The inlet guide vane of claim 11 wherein the plurality of impingement holes are evenly spaced-apart along the inner wall.

15. The inlet guide vane of claim 11 wherein the plurality of bleed holes are evenly spaced apart along the outlet cavity.

16. The inlet guide vane of claim 11 wherein the inlet cavity is connected to a heated air passageway that extends through the first end of the body and into a first mount connected to the first end of the body, the first mount including a heated air inlet port in communication with the source of heated air.

17. The inlet guide vane of claim 16 wherein the second end of the body is connected to a second mount, the first and second mounts being coaxial.

18. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a compressor section including a fan, the fan being surrounded by a case, the fan being connected to a nose, the nose being connected to the case by a plurality of inlet guide vanes,

each inlet guide vane including a body including a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a leading edge and a trailing edge,

the body further including an inlet cavity extending between the first and second ends, the body further including an outlet cavity extending between the first and second ends and located between the inlet cavity and the leading edge,

the body further including an inner wall disposed between the inlet cavity and the outlet cavity, the inner wall separating the inlet cavity from the outlet cavity and the inner wall including a plurality of impingement holes providing communication between the inlet cavity and the outlet cavity,

the body further including a plurality of bleed holes providing communication between the outlet cavity and the outer surface of the body, and

the inlet cavity in communication with a source of heated air; and

wherein the plurality of bleed holes and the plurality of impingement holes are located such that heated air travelling from the inlet cavity to the outlet cavity through the inner wall via at least one of the plurality of impingement holes will exit from the outlet cavity through one of the plurality of bleed holes prior to it travelling along the entire length of the outlet cavity and wherein airflow into the outer cavity and out of the outer cavity is only provided by the plurality of impingement holes and the plurality of bleed holes.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 18 wherein the outlet cavity is elongated and extends along and is parallel to the leading edge.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 wherein the inlet cavity is elongated and parallel to the outlet cavity.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2015
From: HUANG, JIANMING; LUND, BRIAN C.; WU, ZHEN
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035609/0153 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61991983 · May 12, 2014
Related Publication 20150345327A1 · Dec 3, 2015
Cited By (10)
US 12,209,557 US 12,221,980 US 12,228,037 US 12,313,021 US 12,338,837 US 12,385,430 US 12,435,644 US 12,467,408 US 12,601,311 US 12,644,388