Cooling system for high-speed vehicles and method of cooling high-speed vehicles

• US 20070006594A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alliant Techsystems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Castrogiovanni, Anthony, Balepin, Vladimir, Tyll, Jason, Bakos, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/772
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/822 Heat insulating structures or liners, cooling arrangements, e.g. post combustion liners; Infrared radiation suppressors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A cooling system for a high-speed vehicle may comprise a combustor wall at least partially enclosing a combuster and which is cooled using a coolant circulating in a Brayton cycle. The heated coolant may be expanded in a turbine, transfer heat to a fuel within a heat exchanger, and be compressed by a compressor before returning to the combustor wall. The combustor wall may be capable of withstanding high temperatures, higher than the temperature at which fuel coking may take place. Heat transfer takes place between the coolant and the combustor wall, and between the coolant and the fuel. A method of cooling an engine for a high-speed vehicle is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A cooling system for an engine, comprising:

a heat exchanger configured for heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid;

a first fluid line for transfer of the first fluid between the heat exchanger and a combustor of the engine; and

a second fluid line for transfer of the second fluid between the heat exchanger and a wall at least partially enclosing the combustor of the engine.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a compressor in fluid communication with the second fluid line, downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the wall with respect to an intended flow through the second fluid line.

3. The cooling system of claim 2, further comprising a turbine in fluid communication with the second fluid line, upstream of the heat exchanger and downstream of the wall with respect to an intended flow through the second fluid line.

4. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the second fluid comprises one of helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, xenon or mixtures thereof.

5. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first fluid comprises a fuel for the engine.

6. A method of cooling a combustor wall, comprising:

providing a first fluid comprising a fuel;

providing a second fluid;

transferring heat from the combustor wall to the second fluid, the combustor wall having a temperature higher than a maximum temperature at which the fuel will undergo coking;

expanding the second fluid in a turbine;

exchanging heat between the second fluid and the first fluid;

compressing the second fluid; and

returning the second fluid to the combustor wall.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing a second fluid comprises providing an inert coolant.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein providing a second fluid comprises providing at least one of hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, and xenon.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein exchanging heat between the second fluid and the first fluid comprises heating the first fluid to a temperature lower than a maximum temperature at which fuel will undergo coking.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising flowing at least some of the second fluid into a heat sink.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising driving a fuel pump for pumping the fuel with power produced by expansion of the second fluid in the turbine.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising driving an electric power generator with power produced by expansion of the second fluid in the turbine.

13. A cooling system for an engine, comprising:

a fuel flow path for a first fluid; and

a coolant flow path for a second fluid, comprising;

a passageway through a heat exchanger configured for heat exchange between the first fluid and the second fluid; and

a passageway through a wall that at least partially encloses a combustor of the engine.

14. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the coolant flow path further comprises a passageway through a compressor.

15. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the coolant flow path further comprises a passageway through a turbine.

16. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the coolant flow path further comprises a bypass line around the compressor.

17. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the coolant flow path further comprises a bypass line around the combustor wall.

18. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the coolant flow path further comprises a bypass line around the heat exchanger.

19. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the coolant flow path further comprises a bypass line around both the turbine and the heat exchanger.

20. The cooling system of claim 13, wherein the fuel flow path further comprises:

a passageway through a fuel pump having an inlet and an outlet;

a bypass line in communication with the fuel pump inlet and the fuel pump outlet; and

a valve disposed in the bypass line.

21. The cooling system of claim 13, further comprising a fluid source in communication with the second flow path and configured to selectively provide a flow of fluid through the second flow path.

22. The cooling system of claim 21, further comprising a fluid sink in communication with the second flow path and configured to selectively receive a flow of fluid from the second flow path.