Tandem air inlet apparatus and method for an airborne mobile platform
US7624944B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 26, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 1, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/0536
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A tandem inlet apparatus for use with a high speed mobile platform, for example a commercial or military aircraft. The tandem inlet apparatus includes a Pitot inlet for feeding air to a cabin air compressor (CAC) of an air conditioning pack carried on the mobile platform. A flush heat exchanger inlet is disposed forwardly of the Pitot inlet and longitudinally aligned with the Pitot inlet, for supplying cooling air to a heat exchanger of the air conditioning pack. By locating the heat exchanger inlet forwardly and longitudinally in line with the Pitot inlet, the heat exchanger inlet is able to effectively swallow a large portion of the boundary layer, which results in a thinner boundary layer at the inlet face of the Pitot inlet. This enables a smaller throat area Pitot inlet to be used, as well as a shorter diverter height to be employed with the Pitot inlet, while still realizing an improved recovery factor (RF) performance with the Pitot inlet. The reduced height Pitot inlet also enables drag to be reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.