Patent GB-278407-A (GB)
IPC: B64D33/10
Abstract: 278,407. Cave, T. R. Cave-Browne-. June 10, 1926. Surface condensers.-In a cooling system for aircraft engines wherein water is circulated through the engine cylinder-jackets and is maintained at or near its boiling point while the steam evolved is condensed in a surface condenser and returned to the cylinder jackets, the condenser is formed by opposite natural surfaces of the aircraft, such as the surface of the wings, struts or fuselage, exposed to the relative air flow past the aircraft. When applied to the wings the condenser is accommodated between the front spar and the leading edge and comprises a steam compartment 5 and a duct 6 for the condensate which may extend from the root to the tip of the wing communication between the two being established by a series of apertures 11, Figs. 3 and 5. If the front spar extends the full depth of the wing the top surface of the compartment 5 will only extend backwards as far as its front face, or about 15 per cent of the chord, but if the front spar has a depth less than that of the wing the top surface may extend backwards for about 30 per cent of the chord. The condenser is of aerofoil cross section and may be made of metal or canvas, and may be bounded by the front spar or by a ball 3 fitting close to it. The cross section of the compartment 5 may be maintained by transverse partitions 8 having openings 9 provided with guide faces 10 to direct the steam against the upper surface an'd create turbulence and the top and bottom surfaces of the wing may be stiffened by corrugations either parallel to the chord or perpendicular to it. The compartments 5, 6 are provided with a steam inlet 12 and a condensate outlet 14 respectively and are connected at the, tip of the wing by a chamber 15. A separator 17, Fig. 7, may be interposed between the engine 13 and the inlet pipe 12, and the outlet 14 is provided with an air vent which may be controlled by a valve arranged to open at a small positive or negative pressure, or alternatively the outlet may communicate with an auxiliary condenser 18 having a vent 19 and connected at 20 to the engine. The condenser 18 may be of the type described in Specification 260,376 and may be placed above or below the main condenser, the latter being located in a wing above the engine or below and the condensate being returned in the first case by gravity and in the second by a pump. The aerofoil section may be selected so that the bottom surface inclines rearwardly to the front spar when the aircraft is climbing or flying level so that the condensate may drain into the duct 6 while the engine is developing a considerable proportion of its power. If the dihedral angle of the aircraft is sufficient the condensate may pass along the duct 6 by gravity, but otherwise the condensate and air are withdrawn by a pump from a lower duct connected to different points along the duct 6. The openings 9 in the partitions 8 are larger near the inlet and are of such a size as to cause the speed of the steam flow therethrough to be of considerable magnitude and thus prevent air from flowing in the reverse direction. Compartments 5 may be arranged in each wing for receiving the steam from a single engine or from all the engines of a multi-engined aircraft. Specification 120,930, [Class 7 (ii), Internal-combustion engines, Arrangement &c. of], also is referred to.