A heat recovery system for an engine having an exhaust nozzle whereby exhaust gas is expelled, the heat recovery system comprising a steam generator that supplies hot vaporized coolant to a turbine generator which creates electrical energy. The electrical energy is used to power air compressors that supply clean outside air to the passenger compartment of the aircraft.

Disclosed is an ice protection system for an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft, a surface having a flow facing side and an inwardly facing side that opposes the flow facing side, the system having: a perforated sheet configured for disposal in the surface; a heating source connected to the perforated sheet; and a suction source disposed to draw ice melted by the heating source through the perforated sheet and heating source.

A method of determining ice accretion on a surface of an aircraft can include supplying a known power to a heating element formed in a patch, wherein the patch includes a temperature sensor. A controller module can compare a sensed thermal signature with a threshold signature and determine the presence of ice accretion on the aircraft.

A resistive heating circuit for a heated or ice protected aircraft structure includes a flexible dielectric substrate, a resistive heating element supported by the substrate, and a bus bar. The bus bar is electrically connected to the resistive heating element and includes a conductive ink printed onto the substrate such that the bus bar and resistive heating element flex freely with the heated or ice protected aircraft structure. Heated or ice protected aircraft structures and methods of making resistive heating circuits for heated or ice protected aircraft structures are also described.

An aircraft can include an anti-icing system. The anti-icing system can include an array of carbon nanotubes thermally coupled to at least a first exposed surface of the aircraft. The anti-icing system can also include an array of solar cells carried by the aircraft and electrically coupled to the array of carbon nanotubes.

An air inlet (3) for a nacelle (2) for an aircraft (1) includes at least one acoustic panel (5), adapted to lower noise generated by the engine (21) to which the air inlet (3) is connected. At least one lip (6) defines the profile upon which an airflow flowing into the air inlet (3) acts. If necessary, at least one engine ring (4) is adapted to allow the air inlet (3) to be connected to an engine (21) of the nacelle (2). If necessary, at least one outer barrel (7) is adapted to define the outer shape of the air inlet (3) upon which an airflow acts. The air inlet (3) is manufactured as one single piece, made of a composite material.

An air intake structure for an aircraft nacelle is disclosed. The air intake structure delimits a channel and includes a lip having a U-shaped cross section oriented towards the rear, a first sound-absorbing panel fixed behind the lip and delimiting the channel, and a second sound-absorbing panel fixed behind the first sound-absorbing panel and delimiting the channel. Each sound-absorbing panel includes a cellular core which is fixed between an inner skin pierced with holes and oriented towards the channel, and an outer skin oriented in the opposite direction, where the inner skin of the first sound-absorbing panel has a thickness greater than the thickness of the inner skin of the second sound-absorbing panel, and where each of the inner skins includes a heat source which is embedded in the mass of the inner skin.

Apparatuses for and methods of deicing aircraft surfaces, engine inlets, windmill blades and other structures. Deicing apparatuses can comprise at least one standoff coupled with an actuator and a first region of an inner surface of a skin. A standoff can act as a moment arm and can create efficient, tailorable skin bending and acceleration, breaking an ice to skin bond. Integral as well as modular leading edges can comprise deicing apparatuses.

An article with controllable wettability includes a substrate and a layer of a composite material supported on the substrate. The layer has an exposed surface and the composite material includes particles that have controllable polarization embedded fully or partially in a matrix. A controller is operable to selectively apply a controlled variable activation energy to the layer. The controllable polarization of the particles varies responsive to the controlled variable activation energy such that a wettability of the exposed surface also varies responsive to the controlled variable activation energy.

A valve includes an inlet, an outlet, and a biasing element. The biasing element includes a first spring element, a second spring element, and a valve element. The second spring element includes at least one bimetallic disk including a first and second material. The first material includes a first coefficient of linear thermal expansion, and the second material includes a second coefficient of linear thermal expansion different than the first coefficient of linear thermal expansion. The valve element disposed on an end of the first spring element.