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An inlet apparatus and method for use with a cabin air compressor on a high speed, airborne mobile platform, such as a commercial or military aircraft. The apparatus includes a Pitot inlet of a desired shape that is supported outside an exterior surface of a fuselage of the aircraft by a diverter st

An inlet apparatus and method for use with a cabin air compressor on a high speed, airborne mobile platform, such as a commercial or military aircraft. The apparatus includes a Pitot inlet of a desired shape that is supported outside an exterior surface of a fuselage of the aircraft by a diverter structure. The diverter structure diverts a low energy portion of a boundary layer so that the low energy portion does not enter the Pitot inlet. The Pitot inlet receives the higher energy portion of the boundary layer and channels a ram airflow to an inlet of a cabin air compressor. The apparatus provides a recovery factor (RF) of at least about 0.8 at a cabin air compressor (CAC) inlet face, which keeps the electric power required to drive the CAC within available power limits, while minimizing the drag of the inlet apparatus.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An air inlet apparatus for use in supplying air to a cabin compressor of an environmental control system of a high speed airborne mobile platform, the apparatus comprising:a cabin compressor for supplying air to an environmental control system;a Pitot inlet in communication wi

What is claimed is: 1. An air inlet apparatus for use in supplying air to a cabin compressor of an environmental control system of a high speed airborne mobile platform, the apparatus comprising:a cabin compressor for supplying air to an environmental control system;a Pitot inlet in communication with an input of the cabin compressor, the Pitot inlet being disposed at a wing and body interface of the high speed airborne mobile platform, the Pitot inlet including:a duct structure having a face and a throat, positioned with the face located outside an exterior surface of a fuselage of the mobile platform, and such that the throat receives a first portion of a fuselage boundary layer adjacent to said fuselage and moving over said fuselage during flight, and feeds the first portion of the fuselage boundary layer to the cabin compressor; anda boundary layer diverter for supporting the duct structure outside the fuselage by a predetermined height, such that the boundary layer diverter is able to prevent a second portion of the boundary layer immediately adjacent to said exterior surface of said fuselage from entering said throat;said duct structure of said Pitot inlet having an inner lip and an outer lip spaced apart from said inner lip, said inner lip being closer to said exterior surface of said fuselage; anda ratio of a thickness of said outer lip to a thickness of said inner lip is between about 2:1 to about 4:1;said predetermined height of said diverter, and said ratio of thickness of said outer lip to said inner lip, enabling said Pitot inlet to provide a recovery factor of at least about 0.8 at said input of said cabin air compressor.