US2717489A

US2717489A - Cooling cowl for jet engines

Info

Publication number: US2717489A
Application number: US261001A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hasbrouck Augustus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-12-11
Filing date: 1951-12-11
Publication date: 1955-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-13

Description

Sept 13, 1955 A. HAsBRoUcK COOLING cowL EOE JET ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l F' led DGO. l1 195] INVENTOR.

Sept. 13, 1955 A. HAsBRoUcK COOLING COWL. FOR JET ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent Oce I 2,717,489 latented Sept. 13, 1955 COOLING COWL FR JET ENGINES Augustus Hasbrouck, Middletown, Conn.

Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 261,001

6 Claims. (Cl. 60-35.6)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a system for cooling the components of a jet engine. Since the components of the engine are in a large part subject to radiant heating from theengine, it is an object of this invention to cool the engine components so that they may perform accurately and adequately.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cooling system which will not greatly increase the drag on the airplane.

Another object of this invention is to remove the high ambient temperature air from the engine components located below the jet engine.

A further object of this invention is to prevent the high temperature issuing from the jet engine from radiating through the jet engine casing and heating the air surrounding the engine components to a high temperature.

The average temperature of the engine case immediately above the engine components and at 100% engine speed is 700 F. ln order for the engine components to operate accurately it has been found necessary to hold the ambient temperature at 160 F., therefore, a still further object of this invention is to provide a cooling system which will maintain 160 F. temperature around the engine components.

The objects of the invention may be realized by the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings. In the drawings, similar parts have like numbers wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view partially in cross-section showing the lower part of the jet engine, a cowling surrounding the engine components located below the engine, and the flow of air through the cowling.

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on line f 2-2 of Figure l showing one of the inlet ports and the contour of the cowling.

Referring to Figures l and 2, the cowling 10 encloses engine components 12, shown in phantom lines, which comprise the fuel pump, fuel control, fuel ilowmeter, pressurizing valve, dump valve, and ignition system located below the jet engine 9. The cowling 10 comprises a permanent upper shield 11, connected to but spaced from the engine 9, a removable access panel 15, which is preferably of one piece as shown but which may be made of two halves, and an underside door 17 with the ignition system mounted thereon, said door 17 being hingedly connected to the forward portion 19 of the cowling 10 so that upon opening of the door 17 or removal of said panel easy access to the components for repairing or replacement is provided. Shield 11 contains air inlets 14 located on each side of the cowling for the passage of air into the cowling, and air outlets 16 for the exit of lair therefrom. The top portion 18 of shield 11 is formed to surround the under portion of the engine 9 and spaced therefrom by being concaved. The shield 11 is attached to the engine by

brackets

20 and 22. A panel 24 is spaced from the top portion 18 and is coextensive therewith and connected thereto such as by welding. The panel 24 is supplied with an opening 26 toward the rear of said panel for the passage of air therethrough. The panel 24 and upper portion 18 form a shallow passageway 28 which acts as a heat exchanger since the air flow through the air passageway continually removes a large portion of the high temperature air before it gets an opportunity to radiate through the panel 24 to the engine components 12. Some heat radiating through the panel 24 will be picked up by the air ow from the inlet port 14 beneath the panel 24 and carried through the heat exchanger to the outlet 16. A spun glass insulating blanket 30 is provided in the space 29 between the engine 9 and the top portion 18 of the shield 11. This insulating blanket aids in protecting the critical component units from the radiant heat of the engine.

In operation air enters at inlets 14 passing rearwardly underneath the panel 24 and over the engine components 12, up through the opening 26 in panel 24, then forwardly through the heat exchanging shallow passageway 28 and then out through openings 16 to the atmosphere.

inaccuracies result when the engine components operate in higher temperatures. Through this arrangement an operating temperature not exceeding F. may be maintained about the engine components at speeds between 400 miles pcr hour and 522 miles per hour.

It is apparent, the specific invention shown above has been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the structures above described are subject to wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Whereby I claim:

1. A cooling system for cooling the components of an aircraft engine comprising a cowling provided with inlet air ports at the forward end thereof and outlet air ports at the sides thereof enclosing the engine components, said cowling being spaced from but connected to the engine, adjacent the upper portion of the cowling there is provided a panel having an opening at the rear portion thereof, said panel being coextensive with, spaced from, and connected to the upper side of the cowling to form a heat exchanging shallow air passageway near the top of said cowling, whereby said entering through the inlet port at the forward end of the cowling passes over the engine components to the rear and then is directed up through the opening in said panel and forward through the air passageway to the air outlets.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein an insulating blanket is provided in the space between the engine and the cowling for protecting the passageway from heat from the engine.

3. A cowling enclosing the components of an engine, said cowling being spaced from and connected to the engine, and extending along the underside thereof, a spaced panel in said cowling coextensive with and adjacent to the upper portion of the cowling and connected thereto to form a heat exchanging shallow passageway, an inlet port below said panel at the forward end of said cowling for the entrance of air rearwardly, an opening at the rear end of said panel for the entrance of air into said shallow passageway, an outlet port at the side of said cowling for the exit of air from said cowling.

4. A combination of claim 3 wherein an insulating blanket is provided in the space between the engine and the cowling for protecting the passageway from heat from the engine.

5. A cowling enclosing the components of an engine, said cowling having a top portion adjacent said engine which is concavely curved partially surrounding said engine, and a concave panel spaced from said top portion References Cited inthe le of this patent of vsaid Cowling to form a heat exchanging shallow pas- UNITED STATES PATENTS sageway, and openings in said Cowling and panel for permitting the flow of air therethrough. 2,43 2,35 9 Streid DeC- 9, 1947 6. A Cowling enclosing the components of 'a jet engine, 5 474,068 Sammons et al June 21 1949 said cowlrlig comprising an upper concaved slliie'ld having FOREIGN PATENTS downwar y extending sides and inlet and out et air ports,

a removable access panel interlocking with said shield, 622768 Great Bmam May 6 1949 a door hinged to the underside of said access panel, the opening of 'said door and the removal of said panel peri() mitting access to the engine components. l