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An ice protection system and method of implementing ice protection for a vehicle includes a plurality of segmented sub-areas each including a leading edge surface subject to the formation of ice thereon. The system further includes a plurality of air ducts, each in fluid communication with at least

An ice protection system and method of implementing ice protection for a vehicle includes a plurality of segmented sub-areas each including a leading edge surface subject to the formation of ice thereon. The system further includes a plurality of air ducts, each in fluid communication with at least one of the segmented sub-areas and a source of heated air. A cyclic diverter valve is configured to provide a cyclic flow of heated air via the plurality of air ducts to each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas to protect the leading edge surface from the formation of ice.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An ice protection system for an aircraft comprising: a plurality of aircraft components, each including a surface subject to the formation of ice; a flow of heated air; and a continuously rotating diverter valve configured to provide the flow of heated air to the plurality of aircraft

We claim: 1. An ice protection system for an aircraft comprising: a plurality of aircraft components, each including a surface subject to the formation of ice; a flow of heated air; and a continuously rotating diverter valve configured to provide the flow of heated air to the plurality of aircraft components in a continuous cyclic manner, the continuously rotating diverter valve including a plurality of turbine blades affixed to a barrel, wherein passage of the flow of heated air through the plurality of turbine blades and into the barrel results in rotation of the barrel, the barrel including a plurality of openings formed therein and configured for the passage of the flow of heated air therethrough, wherein at least a portion of each opening is formed in a spaced apart overlapping manner relative to another opening, the continuously rotating diverter valve positioned within a housing having an inlet and at least one outlet. 2. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of aircraft components includes an engine nacelle divided into a plurality of segmented sub-areas, each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas defined by an outer skin, and a plurality of spaced apart ice protection air exit openings formed in a surface of the engine nacelle. 3. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of aircraft components includes a first aircraft component and a second aircraft component. 4. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first aircraft component is a right hand wing and the second aircraft component is a left hand wing. 5. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 4, further including a plurality of conduits for delivering the flow of heated air to the right hand wing and the left hand wing. 6. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow of heated air is a flow of engine bleed air. 7. An ice protection system for an aircraft subject to the formation of ice thereon and including a source of heated air, comprising: a plurality of aircraft components, each including a surface subject to the formation of ice thereon a leading edge; a plurality of air ducts, each in fluid communication with at least a portion of each of the plurality of aircraft components and the source of heated air; and a continuously rotating diverter valve configured to provide a cyclic flow of the heated air via the plurality of air ducts to each of the plurality of aircraft components, the continuously rotating diverter valve including a plurality of turbine blades affixed to a barrel, wherein passage of the flow of heated air through the plurality of turbine blades and into the barrel results in rotation of the barrel, the barrel including a plurality of openings formed therein and configured for the passage of the flow of heated air therethrough, wherein at least a portion of each opening is formed in a spaced apart overlapping manner relative to another opening, the continuously rotating diverter valve positioned within a housing having an inlet and at least one outlet. 8. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 7, further including a temperature sensing control in communication with each of the plurality of aircraft components and generating a signal proportional to an icing condition at a surface of the leading edges of each of the plurality of aircraft components. 9. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of aircraft components includes an engine nacelle divided into a plurality of segmented sub-areas, each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas defined by an outer skin, and a plurality of spaced apart ice protection air exit openings formed in a surface of the engine nacelle. 10. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of aircraft components includes a first aircraft component corresponding to an aircraft wing structure and a second aircraft component corresponding to an aircraft wing structure. 11. An ice protection system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heated air is engine bleed air flow. 12. An ice protection system for an aircraft including an engine nacelle having a leading edge subject to the formation of ice thereon, the ice protection system comprising: a plurality of segmented sub-areas defined in the engine nacelle, each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas defined by an outer skin, and a plurality of spaced apart ice protection air exit openings formed in a surface of the engine nacelle, each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas including a leading edge surface, a fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet adjacent the leading edge surface; a plurality of air ducts, each in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of at least one of the segmented sub-areas and a source of heated air; and a continuously rotating diverter valve configured to provide a cyclic flow of heated air via the plurality of air ducts to each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas, the continuously rotating diverter valve including a plurality of turbine blades affixed to a barrel, wherein passage of the flow of heated air through the plurality of turbine blades and into the barrel results in rotation of the barrel, the barrel including a plurality of openings formed therein and configured for the passage of the flow of heated air therethrough, wherein at least a portion of each opening is formed in a spaced apart overlapping manner relative to another opening, the continuously rotating diverter valve positioned within a housing having an inlet and at least one outlet. 13. An ice protection system for an aircraft including a plurality of aircraft wings each having a leading edge subject to the formation of ice thereon, the ice protection system comprising: a first segmented sub-area defined by a first aircraft wing and a second segmented sub-area defined by a second aircraft wing, each segmented sub-area including a leading edge surface; a plurality of air ducts, each in fluid communication with at least one of the segmented sub-areas and a source of heated air; and a continuously rotating diverter valve configured to provide a cyclic flow of heated air via the plurality of air ducts to each of the plurality of segmented sub-areas, the continuously rotating diverter valve including a plurality of turbine blades affixed to a barrel, wherein passage of the flow of heated air through the plurality of turbine blades and into the barrel results in rotation of the barrel, the barrel including a plurality of openings formed therein and configured for the passage of the flow of heated air therethrough, wherein at least a portion of each opening is formed in a spaced apart overlapping manner relative to another opening, the continuously rotating diverter valve positioned within a housing having an inlet and at least one outlet. 14. A method of implementing ice protection for an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of aircraft components, each including a leading edge surface subject to the formation of ice; and operating a continuously rotating diverter valve configured to provide a cyclic flow of heated air to the leading edge surface of each of the plurality of aircraft components, the continuously rotating diverter valve including a plurality of turbine blades affixed to a barrel, wherein passage of the flow of heated air through the plurality of turbine blades and into the barrel results in rotation of the barrel, the barrel including a plurality of openings formed therein and configured for the passage of the flow of heated air therethrough, wherein at least a portion of each opening is formed in a spaced apart overlapping manner relative to another opening, the continuously rotating diverter valve positioned within a housing having an inlet and at least one outlet.